Team Member Spotlight: Courtney Smalley

From her photography side-hustle to singing (in secret), account manager Courtney Smalley is always on the move. Learn more about this #USDPeep in our latest Employee Spotlight. Anyone who is considering account management or project management jobs in Cincinnati will benefit from her insights.

What’s your role at USDP?   I’m an account manager, which means, to put it very briefly: I get the stuff done, and I keep the people happy. I also take a strategic eye toward what’s happening internally: Are our designers, developers, analysts, and content strategists happy? It’s really important to me that everybody is in a place to do their best work, and the work that only they can do.

What do you bring to the room when you’re with the team? I hope that I bring empathy, a blend of creative and analytical thinking, and an ability to bring people together.

Why did you want to work with USDP? I actually first noticed USDP when one of my now coworkers shared the 2018 Ugliest Holiday Sweater Contest on his Facebook page! I could not ignore such fantastic style or attitude. On a more serious note, I wanted to work at USDP because I could tell from the first time I landed on our website that this company is made of generous, caring people doing very high quality work.

What are your interests/activities outside of work?   Outside of work, I enjoy photography, traveling, singing (but I’m really shy about it), being with my friends and family, and exploring art, culture, theology, and psychology.

What’s your background? I come from nonprofit life! I was previously doing marketing for the Cincinnati- and Guatemala-based Cooperative for Education, which helps kids and young people in Guatemala break the cycle of poverty through education. I got some great firsthand experience in web design, digital marketing, and bringing people together to keep a lot of balls in the air.

What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was in kindergarten, my classmates and I each got to fill out the lesser-known Dr. Seuss book, My Book About Me (buy it for your kids, seriously), and my answer to this question was “Hugger/Ballerina/Artist.” Can’t say much has changed.

What is something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on? I am a little bit obsessed with light, and typically feel the brighter the better, even if it means fluorescent lights. (Sorry!)