Jennifer Shelby, CPSM
Since NA
Active
SMPS Boston member
AEC marketing professional
Jennifer leads marketing process innovation and workflow optimization for IMEG, supporting the firm’s mission of delivering people-centered engineering and high-performance design solutions nationwide. As Senior Manager of Marketing Process Innovation for a 100% employee-owned engineering design firm with nearly 2,800 team members and 90+ offices, she oversees marketing workflow enhancement, proposal strategy optimization, and process standardization across one of the nation’s Top 5 Engineering Firms ranked #57 on Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms list.
Her expertise spans MEP/FP engineering marketing, proposal development, strategic communications, and graphic design with deep specialization in marketing workflow optimization and process innovation. Jennifer brings comprehensive knowledge of AEC marketing best practices gained through 25 years of progressive experience that includes graphic design, public relations consulting, proposal management, and strategic marketing leadership across multiple engineering disciplines.
With proven capabilities in bid strategy, client communications, proposal coordination, and marketing materials development across diverse engineering markets including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, structural, civil, and technology design, Jennifer has established herself as a respected professional services marketer who understands the strategic value of process efficiency and standardization in supporting large-scale, multi-office engineering operations.
Her dual educational foundation from Rhode Island School of Design in English and Boston College provides distinctive capabilities in translating complex technical concepts into compelling narratives while maintaining rigorous attention to visual communication standards. Jennifer’s career began in architecture firms where she was inspired by the creative design process, leading to a 25-year commitment to AEC marketing excellence characterized by continuous learning and professional development.
Jennifer demonstrates exceptional professional leadership through her CPSM certification earned in 2009—positioning herself among the early adopters who recognized the value of formal certification in professional services marketing—and sustained active engagement with SMPS Boston spanning 17 years. Her commitment to advancing professional services marketing excellence has manifested through multiple influential leadership roles that have shaped the chapter’s CPSM program and elevated marketing standards throughout New England.
As founding Director of the SMPS Boston CPSM Committee (2012-2013), Jennifer established the chapter’s first standalone certification support structure, transitioning the program from Education Committee oversight to an independent entity. This strategic reorganization reflected the board’s declaration that certification was critical to chapter development and member firm growth. In this pioneering role, Jennifer developed comprehensive activities to prepare industry professionals for the CPSM exam, including intensive domain-oriented study sessions and certification awareness campaigns that significantly expanded the candidate pool.
Jennifer’s thought leadership extends beyond committee work to include published articles advancing AEC marketing excellence. Her 2011 SMPS Boston blog post “Non-Technical Writing in a Technical World” articulated the critical challenge facing AEC marketers: translating technical brilliance into accessible language for diverse audiences. Her 2013 article “CPSM: Benefits for Your Career” provided compelling advocacy for certification, describing it as “relevant and valuable as an engineer’s P.E.”—a comparison that elevated professional services marketing to the same standards as licensed engineering practice.
Throughout her career progression—from graphic designer at S E A Consultants to Marketing and Communications Manager at Architectural Engineers (now IMEG) to her current role leading process innovation—Jennifer has maintained unwavering focus on elevating AEC marketing standards. Her philosophy centers on continuous improvement through education, positioning herself and her colleagues for sustained professional success through formal certification, peer learning, and knowledge sharing.
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