“The first time I went on site was to do a time logging training. It was so gratifying to teach people how to do something that directly impacts their day-to-day work and BRP’s ability to build solar.”
Coming from working in software development for a federal bank, Catherine Eckbold hasn’t always felt like her contributions were meaningful. That’s changed for her at Blue Ridge Power.
“It was a very large company, and I didn’t feel like my career was making a difference. But here, I know that I’m contributing to what’s being applied on the ground.”
Catherine recently celebrated her first anniversary at BRP and moving to Asheville. Like many others, the pandemic prompted her to evaluate her professional and personal life. She was living in Chicago at the time and craved access to nature. Her family had vacationed in Asheville when she was growing up, so she knew it was a great place to get outdoors.
“Before I moved, I wanted to be sure I had a job lined up,” she explains. “When this position became available, I was so excited to apply.”
As a Technology Project Manager, Catherine is the subject matter expert for specific internal projects. She also manages software procurement requests to make sure all software BRP utilizes is secure and that MNDAs are in place to avoid disclosure of confidential information. This is a switch from her previous backend work coding software.
Now, she spends her time collaborating with individuals and teams across BRP. If you’re looking for Catherine after-hours, you’ll find her in the CrossFit gym, on the trails or in the kitchen. “I get to have an impact in my work and live somewhere I love. It’s the best of both worlds.”