Member Spotlight: Sara Dunaway
Each month we try to feature a Chapter member, asking them about SMPS and more. Find out below how Sara got into the A/E/C industry, her favorite vacations, her vacation recommendation, and much more!
What led you to the A/E/C industry?
I was hired by a structural engineer (Sierra Engineering Group) back in 2007 to help with receivables and collections and started responding to the teaming requests we’d get and attending networking/BD events. This gave me a chance to use the marketing skills I’d developed working in radio promotions and marketing, and frankly it was a lot more fun and interesting than accounting and finance!
Why did you join SMPS and/or why do you continue to be a member?
Education and networking, initially. SMPS allowed me to learn the basics of what marketers in the A/E/C industry do, and what other roles and opportunities may be available across the industry. Participation also allowed me to meet and form partnerships with larger A/E/C firms with which our certified small/diverse business could team.
What’s your favorite memory of an SMPS event?
Drawing my own name out of a hat for a $500 Press Club gift card at the PRC a long, long time ago!
What’s your favorite job task?
Pulling everything together to make a final product that turns heads! When I began using InDesign, I’d end up frustrated because I knew what I wanted something to look like, but couldn’t quite figure out how to do it. Now that I have stronger skills, it’s always satisfying to flip through a proposal and be proud of the layout and design I’ve created. (It’s also great when project team members think we’re capable of magic.)
What’s your least favorite job task?
Emailing/calling/texting for missing info for the 17th time…
Do you work from home, in the office, or a hybrid?
Company-wide, we’re back in the office (or jobsite) 100% of the time.
How did 2020-2021 change you?
Professionally, I gained a larger sense of pride in my work and confidence in my capabilities. Our marketing workload, and the quality of our produced materials, never faltered throughout lockdown. Our department moved seamlessly to remote work, continuing to win projects and better our collateral despite worldwide efforts. It really proved to me that what we do is incredibly versatile, and while some companies/departments struggled with the transitions, our marketing staff thrived.
Personally, the past couple of years really drove home that nothing is guaranteed. Book that trip. See that band/show. You never know when or if you’ll get another chance. I travel as often as I can, so being grounded for 15 months was brutal. As soon as the CDC announced that vaccinated people could travel safely, I checked the A’s schedule and booked a flight to Baltimore for 3 days after my all-clear date. Another formative reminder of this was seeing the Foo Fighters last spring, in what would end up being their last US show before the passing of drummer Taylor Hawkins.
In January 2020, I had the chance to fly to London for a weekend, despite part of my brain telling me it was insane. I’d just wrapped a large Design-Build proposal, so I had an unusual lull in workload, and jumped at the opportunity. I flew out Friday afternoon, landing Saturday morning, and was on the ground for a total of 42-43 hours. In that time, I managed to see three shows in the West End and did some touristy things before flying back home Monday morning, and then being back at work on Tuesday. Something like four weeks later, international travel halted and the rest is history. I’m grateful every day that I took that trip.
Any hobbies?
Travel, baseball, concerts, and Broadway shows, often at the same time! Traveling for baseball has taken me to cities I’d have no other reason to visit (like Baltimore, and I’ve been back twice since!). I’ve been to 17 MLB ballparks, with plans of adding at least two more next summer.
Favorite TV show?
Parks and Recreation. (I have almost all of the P&R Funko Pops decorating my office, as well as some artwork.) Derry Girls is quality content that I’m not sure we deserve, but I’m grateful we get!
Is there any vacation spot you recommend?
Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Cities and flights are fun and exciting, but nothing compares to camping in the Redwoods. We’re truly lucky to have such natural beauty and majesty a short road trip away. Pro tip: book a campsite at Burlington Camp so you can wake up smack-dab in the middle of the Avenue of the Giants.
Do you have any upcoming vacation plans?
I’m trying hard to cut back on the vacations after making up for lost time in 2021-2022 by visiting more than a dozen cities. Highlights have included places like NYC, Chicago, Seattle, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. I just grabbed a ticket for the Innings Festival in Phoenix, which (as the name indicates) coincides with spring training.
Do you have a secret skill?
Finding cheap airfare and hotel deals, and crafting just about anything necessary (and lots of things completely unnecessary).
