Building Our Future: SMPS Seattle’s 2027-2029 Strategic Planning Retreat by Mia Alhambra

Dear SMPS Seattle Chapter Members, 

As we get ready to nominate and vote for the next Board of Directors, I’m excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at how we’re setting the stage for SMPS Seattle’s next chapter. We worked with our chapter’s in-kind sponsor, Allison Tivnon of AEC Pursuit Strategies, to put together SMPS Seattle’s 2027-2029 Strategic Plan. A summary of this plan, along with future updates, will live on the “2027-2029 Strategic Plan” page. That way, we can keep our current and future members and sponsors up to date with our progress. 

Several past, present, and future SMPS Seattle leaders spent two full days together for our annual strategic planning retreat focused entirely on what matters most: you, our members. On the first day of our retreat, we conducted a comprehensive SWOT analysis and looked at all aspects of our chapter’s data (you name it: members, events, communications, and more). This led to the identification of six initiatives under three pillars.  

On the second day of our retreat, we covered the meeting room walls with a three-year calendar and identified key milestones and tasks needed to achieve the initiatives. We walked away with a clear vision, renewed energy, and a solid roadmap to bring real value, strong connections, and top-tier opportunities to our AEC marketing and business development community across the Puget Sound.

Pillar 1: Organizational Excellence  

This pillar focuses on strengthening the systems, structures, and processes that support chapter operations, volunteer engagement, and informed decision-making. Key initiatives include: 

Pillar 2: Member Value & Engagement  

This pillar focuses on enhancing the member experience through meaningful engagement opportunities, effective communication, and programming that reflects the needs of diverse member groups. Key initiatives include: 

Pillar 3: Growth & Sustainability  

This pillar focuses on strengthening relationships and resources that enable the chapter to sustain and expand its impact. The initiative this pillar will focus on is:  

As we put these strategic plans into action, keep an eye out for our annual member feedback survey this fall and regular strategic plan updates throughout the next three years. SMPS Seattle is driven by our incredible volunteers, and your participation and feedback are vital to ensuring we maximize the value of your membership. If you feel called to help us achieve our three-year vision, we are always looking for volunteers! 

I am truly honored to serve as your chapter president for this upcoming term, and I’m looking forward to all that we’ll accomplish together. Stay tuned, stay connected, and let’s make it a fantastic year! 

Sincerely, 

Mia Alhambra
2026 President-Elect