Cara’s expertise includes comprehensive market research into demographic, financial, political and economic information and industry trends in market sectors to analyze the business climate in various regions. She also designs customized employee, special population, and client and marketplace perception surveys. The results of these studies help firms to make good decisions about growth strategies, human resources, target marketing, service lines and acquisitions.
Cara is co-author of Strategic Planning for Design Firms as well as the 2015 Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice section on strategic planning and researched generational issues facing architecture and engineering companies. The published study, Future Leaders Focus, involves a survey of the interests and motivations of the Millennial generation of architects, engineers, planners and environmental specialists at firms of all sizes across the nation.
Cara is a graduate of the SMPS Leadership Advancement program at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. She has been an instructor for SMPS’s Certified Professional Services Marketer Boot Camp and is a frequent speaker, presenting accredited programs to national professional associations including the American Council of Engineering Companies, National Society of Professional Engineers, Building Design + Construction’s 40 under 40, the American Institute of Architects and the Society for Design Administration.