Marilynn Stratton, CPSM
Since 2024
Active
SMPS San Francisco Bay Area member
AEC marketing professional
Marilynn leads comprehensive marketing strategy and brand development for Kier + Wright, one of California’s most established and respected civil engineering and land surveying firms serving clients since 1972. As Chief Marketing Officer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she drives strategic positioning, business development, and marketing innovation for a multi-office firm recognized for delivering high-quality, cost-effective services across civil engineering, land surveying, construction staking, renewable engineering, and water resources management.
Her expertise spans civil engineering and land surveying marketing with specialized knowledge in strategic planning, brand development, business development, digital marketing, and campaign innovation across commercial, industrial, residential, and public sector markets. Marilynn brings comprehensive understanding of California land development gained through progressive experience supporting firms that deliver complex infrastructure projects throughout the state.
With over 23 years of professional experience in the AEC industry, Marilynn has built a distinguished career characterized by strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and commitment to advancing both firm success and industry professional excellence. Her comprehensive knowledge of civil engineering services, land surveying operations, and renewable engineering enables effective marketing support for projects ranging from tech corporate campuses like Apple and Facebook to major retail developments, municipal infrastructure, and renewable energy initiatives.
Marilynn demonstrates exceptional professional leadership through her CPSM certification earned in 2024 and prestigious recognition as the 2023 Sandy D’Elia Marketer of the Year Award recipient from SMPS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter—one of the AEC industry’s most competitive and respected professional accolades. This award recognizes personal achievement, extraordinary leadership, and significant contributions to firm marketing success, honoring marketing professionals who exemplify excellence across strategic vision, innovation, and measurable business impact.
As President-Elect of SMPS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter for the 2025-2026 board term, Marilynn provides strategic leadership for one of the nation’s most active and influential SMPS chapters, guiding programming, professional development, and member engagement initiatives that serve hundreds of AEC marketing professionals throughout the Bay Area. Her previous service as Programs Director (2023-2024) involved leading Market Share events, coordinating educational programming, and participating as a panelist at the 2023 Pacific Regional Conference in San Diego.
Marilynn’s thought leadership extends to pioneering advocacy for women’s equity and inclusion in the AEC industry through her development of Kier + Wright’s award-winning 2021 Women in Engineering Campaign. This multi-faceted initiative featured two videos, two employee spotlight articles, and comprehensive social media efforts during International Women in Engineering Day, raising awareness about inclusion challenges while celebrating female engineers’ contributions. As Chief Marketing Officer and strong advocate for women’s equity, Marilynn used strategic communications to drive meaningful dialogue about gender diversity in engineering professions.
Her professional development leadership includes co-facilitating virtual peer-to-peer discussions on critical business topics including recession planning, strategic portfolio diversification, lean practices, and budget management—providing practical guidance to industry colleagues navigating economic uncertainty and market challenges.
Marilynn’s career trajectory spans 23+ years across distinguished firms including Kier + Wright (current), KW Renewable Engineering (Chief Marketing Officer), Harley Ellis Devereaux (architecture), Advanced Trenchless, PR&P Architects, MIG (planning and design), and strategic marketing roles demonstrating versatility across civil engineering, architecture, planning, and renewable energy sectors. This cross-disciplinary experience provides unique perspective on integrated project delivery and comprehensive AEC marketing strategies.
Her technical proficiency includes Deltek Advantage and Deltek Vision certification, demonstrating expertise in industry-standard CRM and project management platforms that drive business development effectiveness. Additional expertise spans Adobe Creative Suite, comprehensive digital marketing platforms, and strategic communications tools.
Described by colleagues as possessing “compassion for others” and approaching “every task with integrity and passion,” Marilynn’s leadership philosophy emphasizes collaboration, active listening, and integrating diverse perspectives into meaningful action. Her competitive spirit—self-described as “a Slytherin at heart, fiercely competitive and always in it to win it”—drives excellence while maintaining strong team relationships and supportive mentorship.
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