How do you decide what really matters when shaping places?

Steve Foran doesn’t just plan spaces, he helps people see what’s possible. As Jacobs’ market growth director for Cities & Places in the Americas East region, he leads with curiosity and collaboration, guiding clients through complex challenges and turning ideas into action.

Based in Atlanta, Steve’s career spans architecture, real estate consulting, sustainability and business operations. He has worked with universities, hospitals, corporations and government agencies to rethink how their spaces work, and how they could work better. His sweet spot? The early stages of planning, where vision meets strategy and the future starts to take shape.

He’s also a team builder at heart. Steve leads a group of business development and client engagement professionals, in collaboration with our operations teams, to create opportunities for rethinking people-centric places. Known for his ability to simplify complexity, build trust and keep teams moving forward, Steve keeps projects grounded in purpose and people.

His thought leadership has taken him from Georgia Tech to Shenzhen, China, where he has spoken on sustainable infrastructure and smart cities. He’s contributed to national conversations on space management, resilience and urban planning, all through a lens of connection, clarity and humanity.

Leading with vision, grounded in people

Steve’s leadership is rooted in relationships. He’s built long-term collaborations with clients by listening deeply, thinking strategically and delivering meaningful results. He has grown Jacobs’ presence in the East region by aligning market strategy with real-world needs and by making sure the people behind the work feel supported and valued.

Outside of Jacobs, Steve is a runner, traveler, guitarist and father. Steve and his wife Irene have celebrated more than 25 years of marriage together and their two children are now navigating the world of higher education, with one halfway through graduate studies and the other halfway through undergraduate studies. That same sense of perspective shapes his work — because for Steve, planning spaces is ultimately about helping people thrive.