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Owner | Business Consultant | Project Director | Design Lead | Events + Engagement
April Saunders
Seattle, WA
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About
A senior professional with 25+ years of experience, I offer consulting services for business, marketing, events, and special projects. Having both national and international experience, I am highly skilled at strategizing with teams, partnering with executive stakeholders, optimizing team performance, and improving internal processes to meet business needs.
Much of my career has been rooted within the design/construction industry - managing the project itself but also acting as design lead as well as managing marketing efforts. I have worked for three start-ups, one a tech start-up in the UK with an award winning solution.
This unique professional experience, which some refer to as a "unicorn" and others a "generalist specialist", has gained me valuable insight into how companies function holistically. For this reason, I am able to offer a wide range of consulting services to a wide range of industries. From overseeing construction projects to leading design to directing marketing efforts to throwing events worldwide, I am able to offer all of these highly refined and specialized services under one roof.
Services:
● Business Operations
● Project Management/Direction
● Contractor Oversight
● Vendor Management
● Team Performance
● Budget & Cost Efficiency
● Accounting Oversight
● Executive Liaison
● Design Lead
● Marketing Oversight
● Public Relations
● Events Lead
● Stakeholder Management
● Sales Liaison
● Technology Initiative Management
Personally speaking, my interests include travel, design, art, photography, nature, cooking, crafts, exercise, health, and spending time with family and friends. -
Education
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Associates Degree Anthropology and Romance LanguagesLane Community College1995 - 1999
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General Studies General StudiesUniversity of North Dakota1993 - 1994
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Experience
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OwnerApril Marie Consulting LLCSeattle, WAMar 2025 - Present (3 months)A senior professional with 25+ years of experience, I offer consulting services for business, marketing, events, and special projects. Having both national and international experience, I am highly skilled at strategizing with teams, partnering with executive stakeholders, optimizing team performance, and improving internal processes to meet business needs.
Much of my career has been rooted within the design/construction industry - managing the project itself but also acting as design lead as well as managing marketing efforts. I have worked for three start-ups, one a tech start-up in the UK with an award winning solution.
This unique professional experience, which some refer to as a "unicorn" and others a "generalist specialist", has gained me valuable insight into how companies function holistically. For this reason, I am able to offer a wide range of consulting services to a wide range of industries. From overseeing construction projects to leading design to directing marketing efforts to throwing events worldwide, I am able to offer all of these highly refined and specialized services under one roof. -
Project Manager - Development + DesignSeattle, WASep 2016 - Dec 2024 (8 years 3 months)Currently working for a development company within the multifamily and student housing industry. Headquartered in Denver, I work for the PNW division located in Seattle, which heads up ground up development and renovation projects in WA, OR, and CA.
Over the past eight years, I have been involved with four multifamily development and renovation projects ranging in size from 168 to 576 units as well as one student housing project featuring 130 units with budgets ranging from $34M to $100M. Our office has three additional multifamily development projects all featuring 100+ units currently in the pipeline.
My role as Project Manager has included assisting with the selection of design consultants, managing consultants and vendors including requesting and reviewing bids, managing in-house renovation teams, soliciting and maintaining project hard and soft cost budgets, preparing loan draws, managing the accounts payable process, creating investment packages, assisting with due diligence for new projects, assisting with financial closings, initial proforma underwriting, and marketing efforts including naming, branding, identity, signage, and collateral materials.
Highlights:
- Successful completion of several multifamily development and renovation projects along the west coast.
- Selection of design finishes and recommendations to reflect current trends while maintaining a timeless look and feel.
- Design and coordination of PNW office remodel.
- Spearheaded energy incentive project, which saved an estimated $250k on one project alone not to include ongoing operational savings. -
Head of OperationsSheffield, United KingdomAug 2010 - Nov 2013 (3 years 3 months)Successful management of a technology start-up with a disruptive invention in the data center computer server industry.
Oversight of daily operations including company standards and procedures, employment law compliance, health and safety, human resources, accounting, marketing, and public relations.
Sole creation and implementation of company structure across the board to reflect current UK employment and corporation laws. Also responsible for board meeting materials as well as monthly, quarterly, and annual financial and departmental reports.
Coordination and creation of marketing efforts including website, social media, and collateral materials. Events coordination across UK, Europe, and US including product launches, exhibitions, investor events, and presentations.
Management of public relation efforts including press releases, interviews, and editorials. Co-authored numerous global award applications, winning 6 and placing as a finalist in an additional 9, within the span of a single year.
Highlights:
- Involved with a state-of-the-art invention which has the potential to significantly reduce global CO2 emissions.
- From humble beginnings (literally, a garage) to a premier technology and manufacturing center, I was at the helm of two relocations in under three years.
- Facilitated all that was required to carry the company through various ownership and funding rounds.
- Led the product launch in Hamburg, Germany.
- Managed events and exhibitions in the UK, EU, and US. -
Office ManagerSeattle, WAAug 2006 - Jul 2008 (1 year 11 months)Based in Hawaii with numerous offices throughout the Pan Pacific, our office was the first on the US mainland.
My management role entailed oversight of daily operations including company standards, accounting, and human resources.
Effective coordination and execution of marketing and public relation efforts as well as events management.
Highlights:
- Successful management of a boutique start-up engineering firm, scaling from five employees to twenty-five in under two years.
- Worked alongside Ellen Southard, an amazing mentor.
- Impressive project base worldwide. Management Management Operations Oversight, Office Management, Staff Supervision, Policy Creation, Compliance and Monitoring Project Management -
Executive Assistant and Marketing CoordinatorSeattle, WAMar 2003 - Apr 2006 (3 years 1 month)Wright Runstad & Company, has developed, owned, or managed much of the iconic Seattle skyline we know today. Its portfolio includes numerous well-known high-rises, hospitals, and government buildings including the first Amazon headquarters.
I was based at the company's headquarters and acted as Executive Assistant to the President as well as the Manager of Acquisitions and Leasing.
As the Marketing Coordinator, I was responsible for marketing and public relation efforts to include property brochures, proposals, vacancy fliers, and website oversight.
I chaired and co-chaired numerous company and client events as well as charity fundraisers and volunteering events.
Highlights:
- Provided superb executive support, which set the bar for my professional style going forward.
- Recognized that "with great power comes great responsibility". This highly successful company not only provided but encouraged numerous charitable and volunteering opportunities for its employees, benefiting the community at large. -
Principal Assistant and Project AssistantSeattle, WAJul 2000 - Feb 2003 (2 years 7 months)Design Provided executive and project support for an (at the time) medium sized design firm, specializing in architecture and interior design.
Acted as Principal Assistant to four Principles and responsible for diary management, travel arrangements, general correspondence, and meeting minutes.
Also, Project Assistant to ten Project Managers, providing general administrative as well as billable project support.
Named Admin Team Leader.
Coordinated and executed company, client, and consultant events.
Highlights:
- Kept my head above water despite the severe economic downturn, which transpired after the catastrophe of 9/11. I was able to remain employed despite a 50% company-wide redundancy rate.
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Awards
Uptime Institute
Green Enterprise IT Award 2013
Computer Weekly
European User Awards 2013
Green IT Awards 2013
Tech Trailblazers 2012
Elektra
European Electronics Industry Awards 2012 -
Industries
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Skills
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Elsewhere on the Web
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On Coroflot@aprilsaunders, member since 2016