Kelly Papa

Project Manager

At SMMA

  • Kelly assists the Corporate and Technology Practice Group in managing multiple projects at a time, both quickly and efficiently
  • Ensures success throughout the entire project cycle; oversees project kickoff to closeout via meetings, check-ins, and collaboration with the project teams
  • Maintains engagement with clients to guarantee proper time management, strategic planning, cost, and to overcome all project ambiguities

Creating a Supportive Environment

Kelly has become an expert at balancing a large workload while simultaneously lending support to her peers:

“I’m really excited to be in this position because I want to be able to foster an environment that's conducive to creativity and production. Those two factors are important because we are a service-driven business, but our service is creativity and production. They are one and the same.”

Kelly also understands that her peers all have a unique skillset, requiring different forms of support to produce their best work. With this in mind, she makes sure to dedicate time to listening and understanding. “At the end of the day, I want people to put forth not just their best work, but something that they’re proud of,” Kelly explains.

Women in Leadership

Kelly gains a lot of her inspiration from female role models in the A/E industry.

“I’ve always been very involved in the support of women in my industry. I was a co-founder of a Women’s Leadership Network in 2014 that helped bridge the gap between students and females in the profession,” says Kelly. “Women in leadership has always been something I've gone back to, and it drives me to advance that culture at SMMA as well.”