Olivia Jacobson-McKelvie, CPSM
Since 2023
Active
SMPS Maryland
AEC marketing professional
Olivia leads comprehensive marketing and business development pursuits for Kleinfelder’s East Division, one of the nation’s premier geotechnical, environmental, and construction professional services firms. As Marketing/BD Pursuits Lead, she stewards the Kleinfelder Marketing System (KMS) process, develops training materials and implementation processes, and mentors proposal specialists supporting infrastructure projects from Maine to Florida and west to Ohio.
Her expertise spans geotechnical engineering, environmental services, construction materials testing, water resources, transportation infrastructure, and energy serving federal, state, and local government clients along with private sector developers. Olivia brings specialized knowledge in CRM systems (Deltek Vision and Vantagepoint), Adobe Creative Suite, and comprehensive proposal development for complex multi-disciplinary infrastructure pursuits.
With 18+ years of AEC industry experience spanning construction management, general contracting, and architecture, she has contributed to marketing excellence at prominent firms including Kleinfelder, Marshall Craft Associates, and Lewis Contractors. Her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with dual minors in Psychology and Anthropology from California State University-Sacramento provides unique insight into stakeholder motivations and consensus-building—skills she applies daily in coordinating diverse project teams and facilitating client relationships. Olivia’s professional development includes Dale Carnegie Effective Communications and Leadership Training, FMI Market and Selling Strategies, and FMI Leadership Institute, demonstrating sustained commitment to advancing marketing leadership capabilities.
Olivia demonstrates exceptional professional leadership through her CPSM certification achievement in 2024 and active membership in SMPS Maryland, one of the most dynamic AEC marketing chapters in the Mid-Atlantic region. Her certification reflects mastery of the six domains of professional services marketing practice and commitment to advancing industry standards. Olivia was recognized in SMPS’s official announcement of new CPSMs from the Sept 2023/March 2024 certification window.
As Marketing/BD Pursuits Lead for Kleinfelder’s East Division, Olivia champions process standardization and training development for one of the nation’s largest engineering and environmental firms with 2,700+ professionals across 75+ offices. Her leadership encompasses the Kleinfelder Marketing System implementation, proposal specialist mentoring, and strategic pursuit coordination across geographically diverse markets serving transportation, water, energy, and private infrastructure clients.
During her tenure as Associate Principal and Director of Marketing and Business Development at Marshall Craft Associates, Olivia successfully led marketing efforts through the firm’s acquisition of KOP Architects in Richmond, Virginia, and improved proposal hit rates by over 30% over a three-year period. This achievement demonstrates sophisticated strategic planning and execution capabilities in complex organizational transitions.
Her 11+ years at Lewis Contractors as Director of Business Development showcased leadership in managing both development and marketing teams for a mid-size construction management and general contracting firm. She coordinated sponsorships, led website redevelopment initiatives, and facilitated interview coaching—establishing comprehensive marketing infrastructure for competitive positioning in Maryland construction markets.
Olivia’s entrepreneurial leadership extends beyond AEC marketing through SquatchBuilt Customs, where she founded and operates a regional offroad vehicle customization business. This venture demonstrates business strategy, operations management, brand development, and financial oversight capabilities that enhance her AEC marketing leadership with real-world entrepreneurial experience.
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