In our member spotlight, Jess Gillette, CPSM, sat down for a virtual chat with SMPS. Jess, who’s communications and marketing director for Associated Builders & Contractors – Virginia, has been in the AEC industry for 12 years and an SMPS member since 2015.
Please share some recent professional-related news that you’re proud of. Becoming SMPS Washington, DC’s 2025-2026 president! I know we may sound like a broken record about how much we love this organization, but if you allow yourself to really dive in, you’ll get it. Personally, I’d rather be on a yacht in the Maldives with a personal chef every day, but that’s not an option; I do have to work and financially support my family. So, SMPS Washington, DC is that big cheerleader that keeps you going on the days you’d rather be anywhere but work. I feel so blessed and thankful it’s my turn to give back to this community that has done so much for me over the years.
Tell us something we’d be surprised to learn about you. I like to say the only reason I do standup comedy is so I have a fun fact to share about myself when the time comes – and the time has come! I like to do open mics around the DC/MD/VA (DMV) area making people smile, laugh, and think a little bit. It’s also a great confidence booster and makes me more comfortable with public speaking.
What has been one of your most meaningful projects? A few years ago, I got involved with Sense of Tumor, a comedy showcase benefiting the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts. All comedians are cancer survivors, and all proceeds go towards arts and healing programs for cancer patients. I design the program art for the show and being a little part of helping the showcase look its best means a great deal to me.
What’s the best professional advice you’ve received? Like in life – know when to pick your battles. Know when to call someone out for thieving credit for your idea. Know when to point out that you told them that four days ago. By knowing the right time to put your foot down, you will gain that much more reverence.
What’s the best professional advice you’ve given? Nothing’s truly original, right? Except you! So I love to remind people of the Dr. Seuss quote: Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is You-er than You!
Why is SMPS membership important to you? Over the past eleven years, it’s been fun to watch the reasons for SMPS membership evolve. When I first joined, it was to meet people and educate myself on the industry, and then it became about becoming an asset to the Society (volunteering, attending conferences, speaking engagements). Now it’s all about giving back: encouraging people to earn their CPSM, mentoring, leading the chapter, etc. My entire SMPS back story has been the foundation of my career success and figuring out what I want to do with my professional life.
Which SMPS member benefits or resources have helped you? It would have to be a tie between joining a committee and earning my CPSM, because both have been so beneficial to my career. You’ll start making contacts and deep connections after just a couple months of committee involvement, plus it makes it easier to learn who the big players are in your jurisdiction. See the next question for the advantages of becoming a CPSM!
How has the CPSM designation benefited you and your firm? The CPSM designation has given me more flexibility in my career, because I’ve been able to directly reference information from Markendium that has helped my companies succeed in their marketing efforts—from high-level strategy down to social media metrics. In an industry where leadership doesn’t usually have a background in marketing, it cements my credibility. It also just feels pretty dope to have letters after my name like architects and engineers do.
What would you still like to accomplish in your career? I’m a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason, and so between my love for marketing and branding, standup comedy, and empowering women, I dream this will all culminate in becoming a keynote speaker. And though I want to speak on building self-confidence and leadership as opposed to marketing, my experiences with SMPS have given me the knowledge and network to inspire me to realize that dream.
What’s on your bucket list? This summer, I have big plans to visit a friend who just moved to Lisbon. And guess what!? I met her through SMPS Washington, DC! (Or walk the red carpet at the Golden Globes. Whichever comes first.)
Guilty pleasure: what can you not live without? Taylor Swift. Yeah, I said it. But I wouldn’t classify it as guilty. I wear the Swiftie badge proudly. I’m incredibly fortunate to have a board that lets me get away with a subtly themed Taylor Swift Fall Kickoff: You Belong with SMPS DC.
