Kick your marketing skills into shape with this full day of AEC learning sponsored by TOKY! Join fellow industry peers and strengthen your marketing muscles with four 50-minute educational sessions and a 90-minute writing workshop led by industry experts.

This annual SMPS Boston full-day event is designed to help beginner and intermediate-level marketers and business developers.

Special thanks to CDM Smith for hosting!

Agenda*

08:30 – 09:00 AM | Breakfast & Arrival
09:00 – 09:50 AM | Claim Your Place: An Introduction to AEC Positioning Strategy
10:00 – 11:30 AM | From Thought Leadership To Winning Proposals: A Practical Writing Framework For AEC Marketers
1:30 – 12:30 PM | Lunch
12:30 – 01:20 PM | The Real Skills No One Teaches You in AEC Marketing
01:30 – 02:20 PM | From Idea to Impact: How a Social Media Plan Comes to Life
02:30 – 03:20 PM | Show Up & Stand Out: Networking for Early Career Pros
03:30 – 04:00 PM | After Party & Networking @ Sam Adams Brewing
*Agenda is subject to change

Sessions & Speakers

Claim Your Place: An Introduction to AEC Positioning Strategy | 9:00 – 9:50 AM

Before the proposal. Before the website. Before you put a single word on a page, you need to know what you actually stand for.

Positioning is the strategic decision a firm makes about who it serves, what it offers, and why it's the right choice over everyone else. And it's the thing that, when it's missing, makes all of the other work harder than it needs to be. 

This session is a practical introduction to positioning — what it is, how to build it, and how to pressure-test it against the market. We'll look at how AEC firms define their place in a competitive landscape, what research informs good positioning decisions, and how to recognize when positioning has drifted or broken down. The focus is on thinking, strategy, and how to view positioning as a living, evolving strategic tool rather than a one-time exercise. Because 

Whether you're at a large multidisciplinary firm or a boutique specialty practice, understanding positioning will change how you see your firm's place in the market and how you help communicate it.

Speaker:

Alex Ray, Director of Brand Strategy, TOKY
LinkedIn
Alex Ray is a Strategy Director and the AEC Practice Lead at TOKY, a branding and creative strategy firm in St. Louis. He leads research, strategy, and brand language initiatives, with a primary focus on the built environment. As a writer and a strategist, Alex has spent his career seamlessly moving between the worlds of creative, research, and strategy. He has helped shape the creative and strategic direction of some of the biggest players in AEC, healthcare, life sciences, and consumer technology.

From Thought Leadership to Winning Proposals: A Practical Writing Framework for AEC Marketers | 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Strong writing is one of the most important skills in AEC marketing. From proposals and project narratives to thought leadership and website content, marketers are constantly translating technical expertise into clear, persuasive messages.

This session introduces a simple framework for approaching nearly any type of AEC writing, adapted from a structure many of us first learned in school. Participants will explore how effective writing often follows a familiar progression, with tone, length, and complexity adjusted for the medium and audience. When applied to professional marketing, this structure becomes a powerful tool for organizing ideas, strengthening arguments, and keeping the client’s needs at the center of the message.

In this hands-on session, we’ll break down the framework and apply it to different content types, rewriting real examples along the way. You’ll leave with a practical approach you can use immediately, whether you’re drafting a proposal, shaping a project narrative, or developing other marketing content. Bring a pencil and paper or a laptop and be ready to write.

Speaker:

Tully Mahoney, Associate, Storytelling Content Coordinator, Stantec
LinkedIn
With expertise in crafting compelling narratives that engage diverse audiences, Tully blends creative flair with a sharp eye for detail to develop impactful content across platforms. Her work includes award-winning podcast production, content development, and copyediting large-scale documents, all while enhancing brand voices and driving audience engagement. Tully also supports data visualization efforts by transforming complex information into clear, actionable insights through engaging storytelling.

The Real Skills No One Teaches You in AEC Marketing: How to navigate people, expectations, and your early career | 12:30 – 1:20 PM

You’ve learned how to produce proposals, post on social media, and develop compelling messages, but what about everything else?  Explore the skills that aren’t always outlined in job descriptions but make a real difference in how you’re perceived, how you contribute, and how you grow. 

In this session, you’ll learn how to:
 
•    Collaborate better with technical teams.
•    Manage competing priorities.
•    Contribute more strategically.

Through real stories and practical takeaways, we’ll share ways to manage your time, ask better questions, and communicate with clarity to become someone your team relies on.

Speakers:

Allison Flood, Marketing Team Leader, GPI
LinkedIn
Allie is a Marketing Team Leader at GPI, where she leads proposal strategy and supports a team of marketers across the New England region. With a background in proposal management and graphic design, she works closely with technical teams and understands the day-to-day challenges AEC marketers face in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments. She is particularly focused on how marketers navigate competing priorities, manage feedback, and contribute beyond task execution. Through her work, Allie is passionate about helping early-career marketers build confidence, advocate for their ideas, and develop the skills needed to grow within the AEC industry. Allie is actively involved in SMPS and previously served as the SMPS Boston Chapter’s Director of Communications from 2023 to 2025.

Tiffany Horne, CPSM, Marketing Director, JJ Welch
LinkedIn
Tiffany Horne is the Marketing Director at JJ Welch, where she leads marketing, communications, and brand strategy for the firm. With a strong background in AEC marketing, she works closely with project teams and leadership to translate complex ideas into messaging that is clear, credible, and reflective of the work their clients and communities rely on. She is particularly focused on how marketing supports collaboration across teams and contributes to successful project outcomes through thoughtful communication and positioning. Tiff is especially interested in the human side of marketing, including listening, relationship-building, and helping teams communicate their value more effectively. She values being approachable and collaborative, and she often works to connect perspectives and bridge gaps between marketing and technical teams.

From Idea to Impact: How a Social Media Plan Comes to Life | 1:30 – 2:20 PM

Ever wonder how a social media campaign goes from a simple idea to real-world impact? This session breaks down the lifecycle of a social media plan: brainstorming, planning, execution and measurement. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how campaigns are built, from sourcing content and people to creating posts, leveraging user-generated content, and collaborating across teams. Build confidence, practical skills, and a clearer understanding of how social strategy comes together.

Speakers: 

Alyssa Mahoney, Intermediate Marketing & Communications Specialist, CDM Smith
LinkedIn
Alyssa Mahoney is an intermediate marketing and communications specialist and social media manager at CDM Smith who elevates the firm’s work, people and purpose to life through strategic storytelling. She leads day to day social media operations, creates engaging content that highlights CDM Smith’s culture, brand and impact, and guides social strategy and reporting. 

Lydia Dehler, Graphic Designer, CDM Smith
LinkedIn
Lydia Dehler is an intermediate graphic designer at CDM Smith who brings creativity, technical skill and strategic thinking to a wide range of print and digital projects. She translates complex ideas into clear, compelling visuals, designs with user experience at the forefront and strengthens the firm’s social media presence through fresh, engaging content. 

Show Up & Stand Out: Networking for Early Career Pros | 2:30 – 3:20 PM

The AEC industry is a relationship driven industry, so networking and business development are imperative for success. The connections you make now will benefit you in both the short and the long term — and with each connection your network will grow exponentially. But, how do you go about achieving those first introductions and building foundational relationships? How do you prepare for an event, make a great first impression, and successfully follow-up? 

Join Lori for an engaging presentation on essential networking dos and don’ts: what to embrace, what to avoid, and how to handle those awkward moments. Lori thrives on building strong relationships and is excited to share stories and inspiration from her 30+ years of industry experience. We invite you to join the conversation by bringing your own networking fears and challenges to share.

Speaker: 

Lori Chicoyne, Owner & Strategic Business Development Consultant, affinity Business Development
LinkedIn

With 30 years’ experience in the built environment, Lori has a successful history in marketing and client development at engineering firms focused on the transportation and public and private development industries. She is skilled in business development, strategic and marketing planning, pursuit planning and management, corporate visibility, and DE&I program implementation and awareness. Lori has effectively directed marketing and business development teams for large, medium, and small organizations on the premise of collaboration, communication, and innovation. Lori brings people together by building strong, vibrant cultures. She serves as Marketing & BD Instructor for ACEC/MA’s Genesis Program and is Vice Chair of WTS’s Northeast Regional Council, recently chairing the 2026 Regional Conference. In 2025, Lori and her team were honored to receive an SMPS Boston MCA for the firm’s new website. A former SMPS Boston President, she continues to mentor young professionals in marketing and business development.

Transportation

Public Transit:

• State Street (Orange Line + Blue Line) → ~3 min walk 
• Aquarium (Blue Line) → ~3 min walk
• Government Center (Green Line) → ~8 min walk

Parking:

• 75 State Street Garage
• 60 State Street Garage
• 200 State Street Garage
• Garage at Post Office Square
• Dock Square Parking Garage
• Boston Harbor Garage

Event Organizers

Katherine Lesko, Marketing Manager, Chapman Construction/Design, Director of Professional Development 

Jen Clark, Pursuit Lead Buildings, Strategic Pursuits, Stantec, Co-Chair of Professional Development

Amy Russes, Marketing Consultant, Co-Chair of Professional Development

Special thanks to the other members of the Professional Development Committee who helped plan this event including Lauren Tilley, Tiffany Horne, Kristie Norris, CPSM, Stephanie Coombs, Sydney Mason, Jennifer Pollio, and Ana Luiza Alvarenga!

View List of Attendees Here  (Remember to select the event you are interested in attending, and then click View!)

Cancellation Policy: If you can no longer attend an event, we encourage you to find a substitution; substitutions are welcome at any time. Full refunds will be granted if cancellation is made 72 hours before the event’s start time. No refunds will be made for no-shows. Email [email protected] for substitution or refund requests.