Interested in learning the different career paths you can take in the A/E/C market? Join SMPS members, Katie, Kari, Rachael, & Tara, to discover the different career paths they have taken to become leaders in their companies and how you can too.

Katie Brancheau, CPSM, ENV SP graduated from the University of Florida in 2010 with a degree in marketing. After a brief stop in consumer marketing promoting all things Harry Potter, she stumbled into A/E/C marketing in 2012. As a marketer who comes from a family with many engineers, it was the perfect fit. Katie currently serves as the Design-Build Business Development Manager at DRMP, Inc. where she works on both business development and project management tasks. Previously, Katie has led project pursuit teams for design-build and design-bid-build projects on both the construction and engineering sides of the industry. Katie received her CPSM in 2015 and serves on the SMPS Central Florida Board of Directors as the Past President. Additionally, she graduated from the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business with a Master’s of Business Administration with a concentration in finance in May of 2019. 

With no specific career path in mind, Kari Nemiro accepted an entry level marketing coordinator position at a regional A/E/C firm after receiving her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Florida State University. Throughout her 14-year career, she has worked at several A/E/C firms and grown in her career from marketing coordinator, senior marketing coordinator, business development coordinator, and marketing manager to her current position as the marketing director at Tetra Tech. There she leads a nationwide marketing team of 25 talented professionals spanning coast to coast in support of an annual sales goal of $220M. Kari has learned and grown in her career through trial and error and by following in the footsteps of some great mentors. She is passionate about innovation and team success while focused on goals, communication, and cohesiveness. She is driven by logic, lists, and staying solution oriented. She is also a humble mom of two sweet little boys.

Rachael Frohardt is the Marketing Manager for PCL Construction's Southeast Buildings Division. Rachael leads a team of talented marketing and communications professionals focused on achieving PCL’s strategic vision and producing powerful marketing and communications products. Her passion, intellect, and industry experience allow her to manage and mentor the district marketing staff while catapulting the development of innovative marketing and communications ideas, graphics, and strategies. Rachael is a past president for the SMPS Central Florida chapter and Chapter President of the Year winner, and she has led the way in creating diverse career development opportunities for chapter members.

Throughout her 12+ years of experience within the A/E/C industry, Tara Bleakley has built a reputation for delivering positive end results. As such, she has cultivated relationships with clients, owners, and teaming partners that have led to strategic wins. She focuses on the pursuit of new business and maintaining existing client relationships through development, nurturing, and maintaining the client. She supervises and advises marketing on client development, market sector leads, marketing material and client database management. She provides creative direction on marketing materials (trade show booths, handouts, PR material) utilized by the firm and leads the quality of marketing materials for presentations and qualification packages. She also assists company leadership in meeting marketing goals and client expectations.