Smith is also recognized for her ability to align storytelling, strategy and collaboration with Kiewit’s broader business goals. She developed and launched kiewitlearning.com, a platform that helps break down complex delivery methods into short lessons used by clients and staff. She is also involved with Kiewit’s partnership with the Colorado Avalanche ice hockey team where her efforts earned 71 million social impressions, reached 4.4 million TV viewers and generate an estimated $8.6 million in brand value in a season.

Recently, Smith accepted a rotation into the firm’s Applied AI group.

She also created a Kiewit badge for Girl Scouts, a custom-designed program that introduces girls to engineering and construction through hands-on learning.

 

How did you break into the industry?

I didn’t take a traditional path into the AEC industry; you could say I stumbled into it. With a master’s in international business and self-taught Adobe skills, I never imagined this would be my path. When I was contracted at Kiewit through my personal consulting business, my first project was supporting a district meeting. I suppose, coming in without preconceived notions gave me the confidence to treat everyone as a peer instead of being intimidated by an org chart.

Once I became a full-time employee, I moved into the proposals group but continued to support our district meetings. Through that, I was fortunate to film many of our service award interviews. This early exposure to some of the most tenured, respected people in the industry created a foundation that shaped my perspective of Kiewit—not just as a company, but as a culture.

I learned quickly that relationships were key but only worked when blended with accountability, discipline and problem solving. Throughout my career, I’ve been supported by leaders who value vision, initiative and a willingness to challenge the status quo – an environment that has fueled my drive to help move the organization forward.

 

What is your favorite project and what challenges did you overcome on it?

Without question: building Kiewit’s infrastructure marketing group from the ground up.

For years, marketing was not its own entity, but instead an extension of the proposals team. Standing up a dedicated marketing group within a 140-plus year-old company wasn’t just uncommon; it was unheard of—and it meant navigating a lot of “we’ve always done it this way” thinking, while creating new systems in an industry not exactly known for rapid change.

We push boundaries. We get uncomfortable. Sometimes we cause a little heartburn. But we are also trusted. That trust allows us to build something thoughtful, scalable and impactful—from pursuit strategy and client messaging to learning platforms, AI use cases and creative campaign development.

It’s been the most challenging and rewarding experience of my career. It didn’t exist until we made it real, and that’s the part I’m most proud of.

 

Where do you see yourself in 10 years, and what goals have you set for yourself to get there?

It’s no secret that my vision board has “CMO” right at the top—not in a traditional sense, but in a way that doesn’t exist yet at Kiewit. My goal is to define and grow into a chief marketing officer role that’s proactive, strategy-driven and aligned with every market we serve, not just the four we currently support—transportation, marine, mining and building.

To get there, I’m focused on deepening our influence across untapped markets, building relationships with leaders we haven’t yet worked with, and designing systems that help our messaging and market strategy scale beyond what’s currently possible. I want to help Kiewit not just adapt to what’s coming but also be the one shaping it.

 

How do you maintain a work-life balance?

This one’s tricky for me because balance isn’t about work versus life; work is part of my life. It’s what enables many of the things I value. On a macro level, yes, it’s about prioritizing, delegating and setting boundaries, and I have strong support systems that help with that. I work with an incredible team that step in for each other whenever needed and, at home, I have a husband who supports my passion and everything that goes with it.

I’ll be honest, I don’t think this season of life is about balance in the traditional sense. These are the grind years—lfrom the late 30s to early 50s, we’re gaining traction as a leader while still learning new skills, mentoring and in some cases raising a family. Even if you’re not at work, chances are you’re thinking about it. So, I guess the question isn’t how to keep work and life separate, it’s how to stay centered while moving through both.

That’s where presence comes in. There will always be more to do meetings, meals, travel, deadlines, homework, housework ... I don’t find balance in doing more or less of any one thing, I find it in the moment, when I can silence a busy mind and just be present.

That’s why I protect a window of time every morning, 30 minutes to an hour before the kids get up, to get grounded. I use that space to recalibrate and establish my footing for the day ahead. Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you, but that practice helps me lead from a clearer place, regardless of what’s waiting on the other side. So, I suppose balance, for me, is a lifetime pursuit.

 

What is a piece of advice you can share with other young professionals in this industry, or those coming up behind you?

Go talk to the people who’ve been here the longest. I mean that sincerely. There’s a tendency to only look up or ahead, chasing visibility, the next title or the next opportunity. But the people who have been doing this for 20 or 30 years, especially in companies like ours, carry insight you can’t Google or GPT. Ask them how they got started. What they’re proud of. What they’d do differently. You won’t just build deeper relationships; you’ll hear stories that reshape how you view the company and your role in it.

Also, don’t wait for the path to be drawn for you. If it doesn’t exist, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Some of the most important moves I’ve made were into spaces that felt uncomfortable, uncertain or undefined. That’s where the good stuff happens, so don’t run from that.

Finally, give credit where it is due. Don’t take life too seriously, and trust that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. You’ll learn more listening than speaking, more by doing than watching and more from the people in your orbit than from any job description or org chart.