Brooke Eppa: Navigating AEC Marketing with Creativity and a Spirit of Adventure

Meet Brooke Eppa, a dynamic marketing professional who thrives on variety and creativity. As the Marketing Manager for Spectrum Engineers, Brooke is involved in everything from assembling teaming materials and proposals to attending and coordinating events, along with a host of other responsibilities that support the firm’s overall marketing efforts. “There are days I look around and wonder, ‘What is it I do around here again?’” she says. “One day I’m taking headshots of our team members, the next I’m coordinating a conference or putting together a detailed SOQ.”

How Did You Get Started in the AEC Industry?

Brooke’s entry into AEC marketing began after an 11-year tenure at an accounting firm in Idaho. There, she worked closely with Rolynne Hendricks, now Principal and Chief Strategy Officer at Spectrum Engineers. When Rolynne transitioned to Spectrum and a marketing position became available, she encouraged Brooke to apply. “AEC marketing is very different from accounting,” Brooke reflects, “Accounting marketing is very siloed. You can’t collaborate with local peers whereas AEC is ALL collaborative. We’re able to get together, network, and prop each other up while supporting one another all the time That’s a huge benefit to this industry that I hope we never take for granted!”

What Do You Love Most About Your Job?

“Our community and the people I work with make this industry very worthwhile, and the variety in my day-to-day job keeps me interested in what I’m doing,” says Brooke.

What’s Your Involvement in the AEC Industry Beyond Your Current Role?

Brooke’s commitment to the AEC industry extends far beyond her role at Spectrum Engineers. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Utah Society of Healthcare Engineering, is an active member of the Utah Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), and regularly participates in American Institute of Architects (AIA) activities. Her involvement helps foster growth and collaboration within the AEC community.

How Do You Spend Your Time Outside of Work?

When Brooke isn’t steering marketing initiatives, she enjoys spending time in the great outdoors. “My family and I spent over three years living and traveling in an RV,” she shares. “It was an adventure that taught me a lot and fueled my sense of wanderlust.” That adventurous spirit has led her to embrace backpacking—a passion she discovered in her 40s. “I’ve always loved camping, but my parents didn’t have the same gear we have access to today. I’d say we were ‘really bad at it’ back when I was a kid, and it was all car camping,” she laughs. “Backpacking has been a whole new adventure, and I love it. It’s a great way to challenge both my mind and body, and it’s about more than just random walks in the woods—it’s about lifelong health and preserving strength and mobility as my husband and I get older.”

Tell Us Something Unique About Your Background

Brooke’s journey has been a fascinating one, with relocations spanning from Idaho, where she was born and grew up, to New Jersey, Texas, California, back to Idaho, and now Utah. A few years ago, she and her family took their sense of adventure on the road, spending over three years as full-time RVers, exploring the country together. This January marks a special milestone as Brooke and her husband celebrate 22 years of marriage. Their three sons, now young adults, are each forging their own paths, with the youngest set to graduate from high school this May. Amid all the excitement, it’s the family’s two Yorkies who truly rule the Eppa household!

What’s a New Technology or Tool You’re Excited About?

Brooke is always on the lookout for innovative tools that can enhance productivity and creativity. “I’m really intrigued by what AI, including tools like ChatGPT, can bring to our profession,” she says. “I’m really excited to see how AI opens up new possibilities for creativity and efficiency.” This forward-thinking approach helps Brooke explore new ways to enhance her team’s marketing efforts. “There’s a quote floating out there on the internet that I believe is attributed to Gary V that says, ‘AI won’t take your job, someone using AI will.’ And I believe that. It’s just the next step in our productivity evolution.”

Just for Fun: If You Could Pick Any Industry Person to Be by Your Side During a Zombie Apocalypse, Who Would It Be?

“Oh, that’s a little layered because you’d need people in the beginning who would be good at the initial physical fight, but then once things calmed down you’d need people you could live with long-term. And maybe that’s the wrong way to think about it because maybe you should choose someone, or several people, who you’d continue to fight for, even when your own fight was done, and you were ready for the zombies to just take you. I definitely have those people who I would fight for. They know who they are.”

Brooke’s blend of enthusiasm, adaptability, and dedication makes her a standout in the AEC industry.