Rising Up in 2026: Reframing DEI for A/E/C’s Workforce and Culture
February 26, 2026 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Virtual
The A/E/C industry is facing a defining moment. Across architecture, engineering, and construction, we are navigating a projected shortage of more than half a million workers, while client expectations, community accountability, and workforce priorities continue to evolve. The question is no longer whether diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) matter. The question is how we make DEI practical, measurable, and sustainable in a shifting social and political landscape.
On February 26, SMPS SF Bay Area invites members to a timely and forward-looking conversation: “Rising Up in 2026: Reframing DEI for A/E/C’s Workforce and Culture.” Stacée Barkley, Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leader at DPR Construction, will share real-world insights from leading scalable DEI strategy within one of the nation’s most respected, employee-owned builders.
This is not a theoretical conversation. It is a roadmap.
Why This Conversation Matters Now
DEI in A/E/C cannot be treated as a side initiative or annual awareness campaign. It is central to workforce development, culture, risk management, and long-term competitiveness.
We are recruiting from a smaller talent pool. We are competing with industries that often appear more innovative or inclusive. Younger professionals are evaluating firms not just on salary, but on belonging, flexibility, and purpose. Clients are asking pointed questions in RFPs about representation, supplier diversity, and community impact. In addition, political and legal realities are shifting in real time.
For marketing and business development professionals, this creates a unique tension: we are responsible for telling the firm’s story externally, yet we may not control internal policy. We are asked to respond to DEI and supplier diversity questions in proposals, but may not always have clarity around strategy or risk tolerance. We are often the translators—bridging leadership intent, project realities, and public messaging.
This program is designed with you in mind.
From Values to Viability
Stacée joined DPR in 2019—before the events of 2020 accelerated DEI conversations nationwide. At that time, foundational frameworks were already in place, supported early on by DPR leaders who recognized diversity as integral to business strength. The murder of George Floyd changed the timing and urgency, but not the core philosophy: DEI must be embedded in business strategy, not layered on top of it.
What does that look like in practice?
It means tying DEI to mission, workforce realities, and measurable outcomes. It means clarifying governance, accountability, and communication structures. It means helping every employee see where they fit in the journey.
And it means reframing the conversation from compliance or controversy to sustainability and growth.
The Marketer’s Role: Strategic Advisor and Risk Manager
One of the most compelling aspects of this discussion is the lens through which Stacée will explore DEI: marketing leadership.
Marketing professionals in A/E/C are not just storytellers. We are strategic advisors. We are risk managers. We are interpreters of culture.
When responding to an RFP question about supplier diversity, we are assessing not only data but tone and positioning. When building a pursuit team, we are mindful of how representation shows up visually and interpersonally. When developing case studies, we decide whose voices are amplified. When coaching interview teams, we observe body language, mutual respect, and cultural fluency.
These are not small details. They shape perception and trust.
During this session, members will gain practical framing tools to:
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Connect DEI efforts to workforce development and talent pipeline challenges
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Communicate DEI in ways that resonate with both leadership and clients
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Navigate DEI and supplier diversity questions in RFPs and proposals
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Identify areas of influence—even when formal policy decisions sit elsewhere
Sometimes influence begins with language. Sometimes it begins with curiosity.
Building a Framework from the Ground Up
What if your firm’s DEI efforts feel stalled—or nonexistent? What if leadership is cautious? What if teams are unsure how to move forward amid political uncertainty?
Stacée’s guidance is refreshingly pragmatic: start where you are. Pick one thing and do it well.
For marketers, that might mean auditing sales materials for inclusive language. Using gender-neutral phrasing. Ensuring imagery reflects the communities served. Expanding case studies to highlight diverse stakeholders. Encouraging authentic connection between project teams and clients. Coaching interview teams to demonstrate mutual respect and psychological safety.
Small, intentional shifts compound over time.
During the program, attendees will participate in live polling and guided discussion to assess where their firms currently stand. Are DEI initiatives formalized? How visible is leadership support? How is risk tolerance defined? What metrics are tracked—and which matter most?
DPR’s approach includes pillars around vision, governance, accountability, and communication. Representation and belonging are not abstract goals; they are measured. Progress is discussed. Leadership engagement is sustained.
The key is framing the work clearly—distinguishing between strategy (why and where we are headed) and execution (how we get there).
From Resistance to Reframing
Resistance often signals misalignment, not impossibility.
In a complex, project-driven industry, change requires dialogue. It requires listening. It requires acknowledging uncertainty without losing momentum.
Stacée will explore how organizations and individuals respond differently to change—and how reframing DEI around thriving, innovation, and humanity can transform resistance into collaboration.
DEI, when approached from a human perspective, is about creating environments where people can contribute fully. It is about workforce sustainability. It is about retaining institutional knowledge and inviting new perspectives. It is about building project teams that reflect the end users they serve.
And, importantly, it is about self-care and the psychological safety for those leading the work.
Lessons from the Field
With more than 30 years of senior management and executive experience—including 12 years in the medical device industry championing employee resource groups and advancing equitable access to therapies—Stacée brings both global perspective and grounded practicality.
Her career reflects a consistent through-line: cultural literacy matters. Inclusion is a business imperative, and no better time exists than the present.
For SMPS members, her goal is clear. Participants should walk away thinking differently about their sphere of influence—and doing one concrete thing differently the next week.
Maybe it’s initiating a conversation with leadership about workforce pipeline data.
Maybe it’s revising boilerplate language in a proposal.
Maybe it’s volunteering for the DEI Committee and expanding the dialogue within our chapter.
Progress is cumulative.
Join the Conversation
This 60- to 75-minute facilitated fireside chat will blend guided conversation, real examples from practice, live polling, and open Q&A. Members are encouraged to share where they are in their DEI journeys—early, evolving, or recalibrating.
If you are registered, please complete the pre-event survey by February 20 to help curate the discussion to your needs:
https://forms.gle/sHdnFEUrzdiBRAjp6
As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, the workforce question remains urgent. Where will the next generation of architects, engineers, constructors, and marketers come from? And what kind of culture will invite them to stay?
DEI is not a side conversation. It is central to how we rise to meet that future.
We invite you to bring your curiosity, your questions, and your commitment to practical action. Together, we can reframe the work—not as an obligation, but as an opportunity to build stronger firms, more resilient teams, and a more inclusive A/E/C industry.
Register today and join us on February 26.
There's still time to sign up and join the discussion – register here: https://smpssf.starchapter.
