Katherine Wood, CPSM
Since 2018
Active
SMPS Alaska member
AEC marketing professional
Katherine leads business development strategy for all HDR services across Alaska, encompassing transportation, water resources, environmental, and federal client sectors. As Vice President and Alaska Area Business Development Lead, she oversees strategic planning, marketing budgeting, client development,
community engagement, project pursuits, staffing, and marketing team training. Her leadership builds effective teams to identify and capture work for major infrastructure clients throughout Alaska and beyond.
Since 2024, Katherine has taken on additional national responsibilities as Transportation Marketing/BD Training Lead for HDR’s global Transportation Group, developing innovative training programs that equip teams to win in highly competitive international markets. This dual role positions her at the intersection of regional business development leadership and enterprise-wide professional development.
With over 20 years of comprehensive experience, Katherine brings unique expertise combining business development, public involvement, environmental planning, and strategic communications. Her technical capabilities span NEPA compliance, public participation planning, technical writing, media relations, graphic design, facilitation, and digital communications for large-scale infrastructure projects serving Alaska’s transportation needs.
Katherine’s exceptional contributions to both AEC marketing excellence and organizational culture have earned her recognition across multiple dimensions. Her work leading public involvement for the controversial Anchorage International Airport Master Plan Update received the 2014 American Planning Association Alaska Chapter Award for Public Outreach. Community leaders praised the outreach as exemplary, noting how her proactive, thoughtful, and creative approach engendered stakeholder confidence and achieved consensus for the recommended plan despite significant community concerns.
As Chair of HDR’s dis Abilities Employee Network Group (since 2022) and member of the firm’s Inclusion, Diversity & Equity Council, Katherine drives strategic initiatives that advance disability inclusion and workplace equity across HDR’s global operations. Under her leadership, the network secured HDR Foundation funding for Camp UBU (“you be you”), demonstrating her commitment to creating meaningful impact beyond traditional business development metrics. Her vision connects organizational values with community service, creating pathways for employees to contribute to causes aligned with HDR’s mission.
Katherine’s thought leadership extends through conference presentations on public involvement innovation, environmental justice, and limited English proficiency outreach. She has presented at multiple national and regional conferences, sharing Alaska’s unique approaches to engaging diverse communities in complex infrastructure decision-making. Her published works include academic articles on environmental ethics in mountaineering narratives and practical case studies on public involvement strategies for major infrastructure projects.
Beyond professional pursuits, Katherine contributes to Alaska’s conservation efforts through volunteer work with organizations focused on environmental stewardship and community resilience. Her published portfolio atsusitnawatana.org and anchorageraingardens.com showcases her commitment to Alaska’s environmental and community well-being.
Achievements:
