Lead, Grow, Thrive: Advancing Your Career & Practice

FRI-D07: Front-loading Success: Defining Value During Project Pursuits

Friday, September 18, 2026

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM PT

1.50 PDH, LA CES/non-HSW

Speaker(s)

Grace Dials, ASLA, PLA

Director of Design Management
SCAPE Landscape Architecture
Atlanta, Georgia
Lauren A. Leighty, ASLA (she/her/hers)

Vice President | Campus Planning Studio Leader
SmithGroup
Atlanta, Georgia
Stacy Passmore, ASLA, PLA, AICP

Principal
Superbloom
Denver, Colorado

Scope and fee alone don’t secure a win or define success. This session pulls back the curtain on the creative decision making behind the pursuit process, highlighting how intentional front-end strategy – clear value definition, smart positioning, and selective pursuits – leads to stronger outcomes and long-term organizational strength.

Learning Outcomes:

Evaluate project value beyond the fee by recognizing both tangible and intangible benefits and understanding how these factors inform pursuit decisions and proposal development.
Evaluate how different practices approach fee development, from practical nuts-and-bolts methods to strategic thinking that shapes the final numbers.
Collaborate with Clients to align scope and fee in a way that reflects value for both sides.
Translate front-end business development thinking into shared team knowledge so that project managers and technical teams carry the values defined during the pursuit through execution.