#Duckumentary- Courtney Dolloway

What is a misconception that people have about what you do for a living?

‍I would say because I'm a remote engineer, people might think that I work in a silo and work by myself. But in reality, at EDA, engineers work very closely with each other. We communicate several times a day amongst one another, and there's a lot of coordination and communication despite where we are physically.

Was there a moment at EDA, big or small, that made you feel like you were in the right place?

‍Yes. There were several moments, but I'll say attending my first EDA Cares golf event. It was my first event last year, and I had been an engineer for just over a month. Being warmly welcomed by everyone was so comforting, and it really gave me the feeling that these people are genuine. Everybody wants the best for one another, and everyone has a really good time. We work hard and play hard.

What is your go-to sandwich order?

‍My go-to order is a chopped honey turkey sandwich from Farmer in the Deli in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. I always get honey turkey, jalapeño, red onion, olive oil, vinegar, and banana peppers. The guys just chop it all up, combine it, and put the mayo on the hero bread, then have that combination of everything on the bread. I'll get honey barbecue chips and a peach Snapple.

What motivates you at work?

‍The bigger picture motivates me. Whenever we get a new job, we usually get a project rendering or a 3D axon view of the architect's vision of the final results. I always love to constantly reference the end result because engineering requires us to be in the weeds in the details. It's just a reminder that this is what you're doing it for, and it's also about thinking about the end user.

I think the bigger picture and just people experiencing this project in the built environment is so motivating for me.

If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, who would it be?

‍Janet Jackson. She's been in the music and entertainment industry for so long. I want to hear about her career, her creative process, and her experiences in the Jackson family. I think she's a very, very cool person, so I'd like to talk to her and just break bread.

What is one thing you've learned about yourself since joining EDA?

‍Since joining EDA, I've learned to be comfortable in my own skin and just understand that I can use what makes me, me, within the EDA framework. As long as I continue to be myself and also grow, there's so much strength in just leaning into who I am. Because it makes the company better and it makes our jobs better.

Do you have a TV show or movie that you could watch over and over again?

‍I could watch Real Housewives of New York and Real Housewives of Atlanta over and over.

What does "successful together" look like to you and your role?

‍Successful together looks like everyone being comfortable with themselves and, again, working within the EDA framework and using our strengths and weaknesses to move timelines along and move our abilities in the different project scopes along.

As long as everyone is open to each other's opinions and ways of working and ultimately keeping our jobs and our customers in mind, I think that's what is successful together: everybody being who they are and working toward the one goal.

What is one musical artist or podcast that you couldn't live without?

‍I have a few. I grew up listening to Sade, and being born and raised in New York City, I would have to say between Nas and Jay-Z I have to listen to them at least once a week, if not once a day. They're always on the playlist.

What is one small thing that can instantly make your workday better?

‍A good cup of coffee. I love a dirty chai latte. Or I'll just do a nice iced coffee with a good, creamy oat milk.