Palm Awards
Meet the Jury!
Meet the accomplished jury behind the 2026 SMPS San Diego Palm Awards! Representing architecture, construction, client leadership, marketing, and business development, these industry leaders bring diverse perspectives and deep expertise. Their insight supports a thoughtful, rigorous review process that celebrates standout achievements across the AEC community.
Bennett Peji
Executive Director, The American Institute of Architects
Bennett Peji is the Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects, San Diego. He has spoken at 40+ conferences across 11 countries and taught at San Diego State University. Bennett has led organizations like California Humanities, the Asian Business Association, The Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce and the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation. As a former San Diego Arts & Culture Commissioner, he helped shape the region’s creative landscape. He served on the national board of AIGA and was San Diego chapter president. Learn more at BennettPeji.com.
Jessica Kimbrell
Director, Facilities Design and Construction, Poway Unified School District
Jessica Kimbrell is the Director of Facilities Design and Construction at Poway Unified School District, with 27 years of experience in facilities planning, construction, and project management. She previously led facilities planning and construction management for Carlsbad Unified School District and Escondido Union School District.
With a diverse background as a construction manager, general contractor, and subcontractor, Jessica brings a well-rounded perspective across all phases of project delivery—from estimating to project management. She has overseen two major bond programs ranging from $182 million to $265 million, successfully delivering numerous large-scale modernization and construction projects. Her work reflects a strong commitment to creating safe, efficient, and future-ready learning environments.
Jennifer Crawford, Assoc DBIA
President, IntegrateBD
Throughout her career, Jen has played a central role in developing strategies that position firms to win projects. A true connector, she excels at bringing teams together with a focus on user experience, humanizing the technical aspects to clearly demonstrate outcomes for the audience. In her 30 -plus years of experience, Jen led strategy for winning pursuits for projects in aviation, higher ed, healthcare, justice, government, life sciences, energy, central plants, and commercial offices. Her skills in marketing and business development resulted in projects valued from $100,000 to $4 billion in construction.
A sought-after speaker, she has presented at major AEC industry conferences, including DBIA Western Region, AIA Nationals, ACC Design Symposium, and Women in Construction West. Jen is active in: Design-Build Institute of America (west region board member), Women in Construction West (board member), and the American Association of Airport Executives.
Tom Mitchell
Global Business Development Leader | Senior Principal, DLR Group
Tom Mitchell is a Senior Principal and Global Business Development Leader at DLR Group. He brings more than 24 years of experience with the firm and is engaged in all aspects of hiring, mentoring, coaching, and best practices for BD Leaders, as well as working with leadership in to meet fee and revenue goals. Based in Kansas City, he leads strategic initiatives, leveraging his expertise in relationship building, large-scale pursuits, and integrated BD and marketing to drive growth across DLR Group’s 37 offices worldwide. Known for his collaborative leadership style, he is committed to mentoring and developing talent across the organization. Tom prides himself on community engagement, having served as a Board Member of various organizations. He has been honored for 40 Under 40 for Ingram’s Magazine, 40 Under 40 for the Johnson County Business Times, The Kansas City Business Journal’s Next Generation of Leaders, a 2 Time Paul Harris Rotarian Fellow Recipient, and is a Member of the Blue Valey School District Hall of Fame. He and his wife Chanie reside in Overland Park, KS and have 3 kids, Danielle, Payton, and Thomas.
Deirdre Booth, FSMPS, CPSM
President + Lead Strategist, TankGirl Marketing
Deirdre is the founder of TankGirl Marketing, a full-service consulting firm focused on the AEC industry. For more than 26 years, her “strategy first” mindset has helped firms clarify their position, strengthen their voice, and win more of the right work.
Her work sits at the intersection of brand, strategy, and pursuit—where great ideas meet real-world pressure. Deirdre is known for cutting through industry noise to uncover what actually differentiates a firm, then translating that into messaging that performs when it counts: interviews, proposals, and client decisions. She believes winning isn’t accidental—it’s the result of clarity, conviction, and knowing exactly what you stand for.
At TankGirl, her team brings that strategy to life—helping architects, engineers, and contractors secure billions of dollars in work. From brand platforms to high-stakes pursuits, the focus is simple: create work that resonates in the boardroom, on the jobsite, and everywhere in between—and ultimately, wins.
