When Diana Doan walked into a career fair at Virginia Tech in 2017, she had no idea she was beginning a journey with McAdams that would eventually take her from engineering to employee engagement leadership. What started as a conversation with a recruiter became a career defined by curiosity, self-advocacy and a genuine passion for people.

Today, Diana serves on McAdams’ employee engagement team, helping shape the employee experience across the organization. Her path to employee engagement wasn’t a traditional one, which is exactly why her story stands out.

The Universe said “McAdams”

While she was a student at Virginia Tech, Diana connected with a McAdams recruiter at a career fair and immediately felt at ease. Their authenticity and kindness left a lasting impression, and that experience helped shape Diana’s perception of McAdams long before she became an employee.

After applying to and interviewing with McAdams, Diana received an offer, but she wasn’t an easy sell. True to her personality, she arrived at the interview prepared with a long list of questions for the company in nothing other than a 3-ring binder.

“I’m someone who likes to come in prepared,” she said. “Not only are they interviewing me, but I’m interviewing the company too.”

As she weighed her options and grappled with making the right decision of how to start her post-grad career, an unexpected sign nudged her toward her decision. While studying one day, she picked up a small engineering scale she had won in class years earlier and realized it was branded with the McAdams logo.

“I thought to myself, this has to be a sign,” she said. “So, a couple days later, I accepted the offer.”

Even before her first day, McAdams made a lasting impact on Diana. The Charlotte team sent her handwritten cards during the holidays and graduation while she was still in college and invited her to Founder’s Day, McAdams’ annual company celebration, before she officially joined.

“It showed how much they cared about me before I even started,” she said. “That just made me more excited to join.”

Diana ended up attending the Founder’s Day celebration and immediately felt welcome.

“I was able to connect with some of my coworkers before my first day which was awesome,” she said. “It really solidified that I made the right decision to join McAdams.”

Building a Foundation in Engineering

Diana joined McAdams in 2018 as a Designer I on the Land Development team in Charlotte. At the time, the office was much smaller, and teams were smaller in size as well. Her early years were spent learning the fundamentals of land development — everything from AutoCAD and plan production to scanning sheets and printing on the plotter.

Over the next several years, she progressed through engineering roles, gaining technical expertise and working on projects that moved from concept through construction. While she enjoyed the challenge, another passion was beginning to emerge.

“I really realized I enjoyed bringing people together,” she said. “It turned into a little side quest for me.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Diana became one of the founding leaders of what would become the Young Professionals Group (YPG). What began as a virtual happy hour evolved into a foundation for connection and community among younger employees across the company.

The experience gave her an outlet to do something she loved: uniting people.

Throughout her time in Charlotte, Diana became known for organizing celebrations, social gatherings and moments of recognition — from birthday celebrations to welcoming new babies and professional milestones, she found fulfillment in creating opportunities for employees to feel seen and celebrated. Those experiences planted the seeds for what would come next.

The Pivot That Changed Everything

Around her third year with the company, Diana began questioning her future in engineering. While she still loved McAdams, she found herself craving a new experience in her day-to-day work. The isolation of the pandemic, combined with the desire to try something new, led her to start thinking deeply about what she wanted from her career.

“I loved McAdams, and if there was any possibility of staying, I wanted to find it,” she said.

After nearly a year of reflection, Diana identified a need within the organization to create stronger employee connections and engagement opportunities. Instead of waiting for someone else to solve the problem, she built the proposal for her future at McAdams.

Using company business goals as a framework, she developed a presentation outlining a potential employee engagement role and pitched it to leadership.

The answer didn’t come immediately. Conversations continued for months, and Diana remained patient. Nearly nine months after her initial proposal, she was offered the opportunity she had envisioned: the role of Engagement Coordinator.

“It’s been amazing,” she said. “I’m really thankful that the role was available, because honestly, if it wasn’t, I don’t know if I would be here today.”

Lessons Learned Along the Way

Looking back, Diana credits much of her growth to a willingness to advocate for herself and step outside her comfort zone. She believes that careers rarely follow a straight line — and that meaningful opportunities often begin with a simple willingness to ask.

“The only thing I have to lose is not asking,” she said. “Then I’d never know the answer.”

That mindset continues to guide her today, and Diana emphasizes three lessons for professionals early in their careers:

• Say yes to opportunities that help you grow, even when they feel uncomfortable.
• Advocate for yourself because sometimes no one else will.
• Don’t be afraid to take risks — mistakes are where the greatest learning happens!

A Career Rooted in McAdams

After over eight years with the company, Diana’s answer to why she continues to build her career at McAdams is simple: the people.

She describes her teammates and leaders as a rare combination of genuine, thoughtful individuals who are also high achievers. Throughout her career, she has felt supported by mentors and leaders who recognized her potential, encouraged her growth and gave her opportunities to lead.

“The people and the leadership,” she said. “They’ve always given me opportunities to help myself grow, and it’s really helped me in my career.”

Her journey serves as a reminder that career growth doesn’t always mean moving on — it can also mean having the courage to imagine something new, advocate for it and help build it yourself.