Mary Schnell

Mary Schnell serves as Proposal Manager and Marketing Department Manager at her firm in the construction HVAC facility solutions industry. With five and a half years in the field, she manages the proposal process from start to finish, acting primarily as an editor who translates the expertise of engineers, designers, and project managers into a unified voice for multimillion-dollar bids, including work in the federal market. Prior to this role, she began as a content writer after transitioning from insurance, where she built client accounts and earned her CEBS certification as a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist and Fellow designation. Mary holds a bachelor's degree in Integrated Language Arts from Ohio University, earned in spring 2010, a micro-certificate in project management from Harvard Extension School, and is currently completing a graduate certificate there with plans to pursue a master's program. She previously served two years on the educational committee of the SMPS Cleveland chapter and plans to join NAWIC. She attributes her success to the support and guidance of her family, who encouraged her to pursue new challenges and instilled the value of doing any task well. Mary advises young women entering the industry to be assertive with conviction, well-versed in their topics, and to approach opportunities with confidence while bringing fresh perspectives and creativity to a growing field.