Meet The SMPS Seattle Board Of Directors For The 2023/2024 Year!

Ranjana Sterling (she/her) | Senior Marketing Strategist, CBRE
President

With nine years of experience in marketing, communications, and business development in the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) and Architecture/Engineering/Construction (A/E/C) industries, Ranjana is a creative problem-solver who enjoys uncovering opportunities within challenges. As a Sr. Marketing Strategist at CBRE, Ranjana is the in-house creative agency lead for the PNW region. She is responsible for leading the team in the development and execution of marketing strategies, deliverables, and activities associated with helping commercial real estate owners market their existing buildings or developments to prospective occupants and their brokers

Bill Michie (he/him) | NW Communications & Brand, DPR Construction
President-Elect

As DPR Construction’s NW Communications + Brand leader, Bill helps position his firm to build great things from Seattle to Silicon Valley. In this dream role, his mission is to identify and creatively share stories of DPR’s innovative team members and the structures they build. He unites marketing and communication strategy with construction operations knowledge to create award-winning strategic communication campaigns and project-winning proposals. He is an advocate for strategic communications and believes they can help A/E/C marketers create more successful outcomes for their firms and reduce proposal workload too! 

Jessica Congdon (she/her) | Senior Marketing Coordinator,
DCI Engineers
Past President

With nine years in the A/E/C industry, Jessica has worked for both engineering and construction firms, expanding her knowledge of the industry and professional services marketing. She thrives in a collaborative atmosphere, and as a Senior Marketing Coordinator with DCI Engineers, she is fortunate to be part of a large team implementing marketing initiatives for the company. As the marketing lead for the Seattle and Anchorage offices, Jessica supports project teams with marketing collateral, proposals, graphics, and event planning. 

Matt White, EIT (he/him) | Commissioning Engineer,
Performance Validation
Treasurer

James Harmon, PhD, CPSM (he/they) | Senior Marketing Writer & Editor, HNTB
Secretary

James Harmon, PhD, CPSM, has served as the Seattle chapter’s Secretary for the 2022/2023 term. As a Senior Marketing Writer and Editor at HNTB, James enjoys helping people express themselves in the best way possible to make their ideas shine — whether by writing and reviewing content or by conducting writing workshops. For James, little is more important than community building, and recognizes the vital role SMPS Puget Sound plays in bringing people who share a similar enthusiasm for organizing creative and educational events to advance their careers and serve as positive influences within the A/E/C sector related to the A/E/C sector. This will be James’ second year on the SMPS Seattle Board, and the experience serving as Secretary has been rewarding and inspiring.

Mary Barnes (she/her) | Marketing & Communications Manager, GGLO
Director at Large: Membership

Mary has been working in the A/E/C industry for 20 years. She is the Marketing and Communications Manager for GGLO, where she leads a collaborative marketing team that supports the firm’s West Coast and Mountain West operations. Since joining SMPS in 2014, Mary has volunteered on both the Membership and Special Events Committees and has led the Membership Committee for the past year.

Emily Walker (she/her) | Marketing Manager, MG2
Director at Large: Professional Development

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Emily is an experienced marketer with a focus on proposal development and client relations within the A/E/C industry in Seattle, WA. She joined SMPS in 2017 and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2022. At MG2, Emily manages a team that develops brand-defining proposals and strategies to win meaningful work.

Amanda Herzberg (she/her) | Associate, Communications Manager, Cushing Terrell
Director at Large: Education

Amanda is a strategic communicator who transforms ideas into resonant narratives. Her experience includes brand strategy, executive communications, and shaping and executing high-value marketing communication campaigns. As Communications Manager and Associate at Cushing Terrell she leverages the power of storytelling to shape results-driven content strategies to create memorable, branded experiences. Thinking beyond conversion rates, Amanda focuses on articulating value and sharing stories with purpose.

Mia Alhambra (she/her) | Marketing Coordinator, IA Interior Architects
Director at Large: Marketing

John Crase (he/him) | Unit Manager, WJE
Director at Large: DEI

John Crase, PE has over 30 years of experience in the A/E/C where he has worked in the building trades, building materials distribution, and as a design engineer. In his current role as Unit Manager for Wiss, Janney, Elstner and Associates in Seattle, John leads a team of technical professionals including Engineers and Architects. These days John spends more of the workweek building relationships than structures, but on weekends can be found moving dirt, welding steel, and making sawdust on the Olympic Peninsula. 

Amanda Privitt (she/her) | Marketing Manager, Cochran, Inc.
Director at Large: Special Events

Amanda joined SMPS in 2015 at the very start of her A/E/C Marketing career and has served on the SEC as Reign Awards Chair, runs the Scholarship program, and Chairs the PRC Registration Committee. As you can see, she loves to be involved in many facets of the network and has varying interests. Apart from SMPS, Amanda is currently the President of Irish Network Seattle and previously served on the board of the Holocaust Center for Humanity. 

Heidi Maki (she/her) | Associate Principal, Marketing & Business Development, Swenson Say Fagét
Senior Advisor

Heidi was born and raised in Spokane and moved to Seattle after college. Her first A/E/C marketing position was with NAC Architecture. She then worked with Coughlin Porter Lundeen, Associated Earth Sciences, Lydig Construction, and now Swenson Say Fagét (SSF). As the Director of Marketing & BD for SSF, she manages the database, website, and proposal requests and works with team members on business development initiatives. She also collaborates with other SSF leaders on corporate culture activities.