November Professional Member of the Month

Danielle DeBoer

IMEG Corp.

Structural Project Engineer

1. What is the most exciting and energizing aspect of your current position?

The most energizing aspect of my current position is the people I work with and work for. As a supervisor, it’s exciting to help people grow in their careers. There’s so much knowledge to learn and share in our industry and seeing others succeed is a joy of mine. As a project manager, I will never stop being in awe of seeing a building you have coordinated and worked so diligently on for months actually be built and transformed into a space that people utilize every day.

2. What was the last interesting podcast you listened to?

My recent favorite is “Fake Doctors, Real Friends”, which is a Scrubs re-watch podcast hosted by Zach Braff and Donald Faison, the lead actors of the show. Scrubs is one of my favorite shows from growing up - I really enjoy the nostalgia, the camaraderie of the hosts, and all the behind the scenes details of shooting the show. I’m also a sucker for any true-crime podcast or fantasy podcasts like The Adventure Zone.

3. What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am most proud of passing the 16-hour exam to get my structural license. This is a little cheesy, but I am also genuinely proud of each building I get to be a part of, especially in the education sector. I love that our work is giving students a better learning environment and opportunities for their successful futures.

4. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Seek out mentoring relationships and people you can learn from. Never be stagnant - try to do something new each year that you did not the year before. And last but not least, a good email organization is critical!

5. We are Iowa Women in Architecture; who were the female role models that inspired you? 

At IMEG, there are several women in leadership from the beginning of my career who have been inspirations. Kelly Altes, Katie Goldberg, Abby Pertzborn, and Heather Heidenreich exemplify what it looks like to be a great consultant, a technical expert, a strong leader, and an advocate for their own passions outside of work. I hope to give the support and guidance to others as they have given and continue to give to me.