Meet Jaci Amend, Proposals Manager

What draws someone to spend more than 25 years helping architecture and engineering firms win work? For Jaci Amend, it started with an exhibit.

Early in her career, Jaci attended the American Institute of Architects’ Sacred Spaces exhibit in Portland, OR, and was captivated by the intersection of creativity and constraint—how designers solve complex problems within the realities of budgets, sites, regulations, and client needs, while creating spaces that can fundamentally affect how people feel and experience the world around them. That combination of design, problem-solving, and human impact hooked her on the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Now, Jaci brings that perspective—and 30 years of marketing experience—to Morrison-Maierle as our Proposals Manager.

In her role, Jaci leads our proposal team and helps strengthen the full pursuit process: how we identify and position for opportunities, develop strategy, tell compelling stories, deliver standout proposals and interviews, and learn from the results. Just as importantly, she focuses on the systems, processes, and tools behind the work—finding smarter, more consistent ways to help our teams compete for the projects that matter.

Jaci describes her leadership philosophy as “leading in all directions”: developing and advocating for her team, partnering across disciplines, sharing knowledge freely, and learning from the people around her. “I’ve always loved solving problems—whether that’s finding the story that differentiates a team or figuring out a better way to get the work done,” Jaci says. “The best part of this industry is that the work ultimately becomes something real. The projects we pursue shape communities and affect how people live, work, move, and experience the world.”

At Morrison-Maierle, Jaci is excited to help our teams pursue great work, strengthen how we work together, and build on a culture where people learn from one another, challenge themselves, and celebrate success.