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Content Notice: This story mentions sensitive topics related to mental health, such as depression, PTSD, and self-harm.

 

Growing up, mental health was something that Eric Gonzales never knew about. The Atwell Survey Technician and father of two comes from a family that did not talk about mental health, which meant that many mental health conditions in his family were left undiagnosed or untreated.

“I don’t know anything about my family’s history of mental health, because we just never talked about those things,” Gonzales recalls. “I was actually diagnosed with ADHD as a child, but we never pursued any kind of treatment. I struggled with that and other conditions like depression and PTSD for years, never knowing that I could get help with it.”

More than 50 million adults in America experience a mental illness, which is defined as having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder outside of a developmental or substance-use disorder. Mental illness can vary in intensity, from mild, moderate, or serious, and affects all aspects of one’s life, from relationships to physical health to employment. Living with a mental illness can be extremely challenging, but Gonzales hopes his story can help encourage others to take care of themselves, have empathy for others struggling with mental health, and show that you can still live a life you are proud of, even with a mental illness.

Removing the stigma of mental illness

Gonzales’ mental health journey began with him in the dark about what mental health actually is, then progressed with him going through the challenges of uncovering and getting treatment for his own conditions. Today, he is now in a place where he understands the importance of caring for his mental health and is vocal about having daily conversations about mental health with his family—a total change from how he was raised.

“Everyone in my family goes to therapy,” says Gonzales. “It’s a part of our regular schedules. It’s a complete 180 from how I grew up. We talk about depression. We talk about PTSD. We ask each other if we’re keeping up with our medications, and what other actions we can do to take care of ourselves throughout the week. We even talk to family and friends about it if they ask.”

Gonzales stresses the importance of treating mental health like a normal topic. “It’s not scary and not something to be ashamed of,” he says. “It’s part of keeping yourself healthy, the same way we go to a doctor or dentist for periodic check-ups. We need to take care of our mental health just like we take care of our physical health.”

A supportive network at home and at work makes mental health care more manageable

Setting time aside for therapy sessions and doing family mental health check-ins can get complicated. Gonzales and his partner Amanda work full-time; his daughters are active high schoolers with extracurriculars; and Amanda’s two children are in college with full schedules. In addition to getting everyone else to their therapy sessions, Gonzales also has to find time for his own. However, Gonzales has been able to keep up with his therapy thanks to the flexibility of his team and leaders at Atwell.

“Thankfully, Atwell has been very supportive about me taking time for therapy,” Gonzales says. “My supervisors see it as me taking the time to take care of myself and better myself, and I’m glad they support that. I would encourage others that are struggling with mental health or need a mental health day to be honest about it with your supervisor. You may be surprised with the feedback and support you get.”

Atwell’s culture of supporting mental health is not practiced everywhere, though. “I’ve worked at other companies that frowned upon taking a mental health day or time off for therapy,” states Gonzales. “It was uncomfortable to ask for that time or explain where I was going, especially when they seemed visibly unhappy about it. But here at Atwell, I feel like my leaders have more faith in me. They trust me to do what I need to do to take care of myself, and that I’ll still come back to do the work I need to do after a session.”

The ability to work remotely has also been a huge relief on his mental load. “It’s nice to have the option to work from home,” says Gonzales. “It makes it easier to take care of myself.”

Besides supportive teams and flexible work options, Atwell also offers mental health assistance and wellness resources through its health insurance plans, its member assistance program with the psychology firm MINES & Associates, and its AtWELLness program that offers discounts and reimbursements for costs associated with physical and mental health items or services. In addition, there are employee resource groups (ERGs) for establishing community and support.

The importance of community in mental health care

Although he’s a Texas native, having parents in the military meant that Gonzales moved a lot as a kid. He’s lived in multiple states across the U.S., as well as overseas in Europe.

“I got to travel to a lot of countries because we were a military family, but I did get kind of jealous of my cousins back in Texas,” he admits. “They grew up in the same place from birth to high school, so they have a tight community of childhood friends. For me, I had to start over so many times because we moved so much.”

As a teenager, he remembered feeling overwhelmed often. “I felt like I needed help figuring things out, but I didn’t know where to go,” he recalls. “I didn’t have the tools, and I didn’t know who to talk to.”

It wasn’t until he met his partner nine years ago that he recognized therapy was even an option. “Amanda is the one who suggested I talk to someone about what I’m struggling with,” explains Gonzales. “Thanks to her encouragement, I started therapy, which opened me up to a whole new community of support and connection. My knowledge of resources, people I can talk to, and methods I can practice has expanded and helped me quite a bit.”

Access to this expanded network was crucial when not long ago, Gonzales and his family went through a harrowing experience when a family member tried to take their own life. The support of his extended family, friends, and community were necessary to get through that difficult time.

“It’s nice to know that you’re not alone in this world; for a long time, I thought I was,” states Gonzales. “Even now, I still have days where I break down and cry. But there are people out there who can help. It could be a friend or family member. For me, even strangers have lent a listening ear and given me encouraging words to keep me going.”

Community support, including therapists and support groups, is an important complement to mental health care, equipping you with the tools you need to understand what’s happening to you and how to manage it effectively.

“Medicine only gets you so far,” Gonzales says. “You’ve got to know that yes, there are people who can help you through these things, and yes, you can learn how to better deal with it so it doesn’t overwhelm you.”

Taking care of mental health looks different for each of us

Music has played a vital role in Gonzales’ mental health journey. He plays his guitar or listens to music when he’s stressed, and it helps calm him down.

“I love everything from heavy metal to Motown,” he says. “I just pick the genre that I need in that moment, and the music frees my mind.”

He also enjoys riding his motorcycle and going for walks. Not only do these activities help reduce his stress, but they are also activities he can do with family, which helps with maintaining their own mental health and strengthening their relationships with each other.

Encouragement for those who are struggling with their mental health

Gonzales hopes more people become more open to talking about and hearing about mental health. He wants people to know that it’s not something to be frowned upon, laughed at, or feared.

For those struggling with a mental illness, he encourages taking one day at a time.

“Change won’t happen overnight, but your decision to choose yourself and your mental health is changing you for the better,” he says. “You will see it with time, so keep going. You will get through it. It’s going to be okay.”

The past decade has been an era of growth, understanding, acceptance, and connection for Gonzales, who is proud to call himself a survivor.

“I’ve been through a lot of difficult times in my life, and I’m still learning more ways to take care of my mental health,” Gonzales says. “But I value all of my life experiences. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. Through it all, I’ve become a good father, a good partner, and a better person, and I’m very proud of that.”

We sat down with Courtney Schmidt as part of Women’s History Month to hear more about her journey at Atwell and within the industry. While the industry continues to make great strides toward a more balanced workforce, it remains male-dominated for many specialties. Courtney joined Atwell as a Senior Director to lead Program and Development Services for renewable energy clients, and the function has continued to grow and evolve under her leadership.

Tell us more about your role here at Atwell.

Courtney: I joined Atwell in early 2022 and am committed to the ongoing coordinated growth of our clients. I collaborate with subject matter experts to meet client needs, assembling the appropriate team based on project requirements. Together, we align on deadlines and responsibilities, striving to deliver a seamless experience for our clients.

How has the Program and Development Services function evolved?

Courtney: Our approach has evolved as clients increasingly acknowledge the value of leveraging multiple service groups within Atwell. This recognition extends to supporting clients and projects interconnected with various teams within our Power & Energy team. We prioritize and manage these interconnected initiatives on behalf of the client. This strategic alignment with our clients’ needs has fueled growth in 2023 and into 2024, both with existing and new clients.

Can you share more on your career journey and how you developed your passion for leading teams?

Courtney: As I neared the completion of law school, it became clear that the traditional path of practicing law within a firm did not quite resonate with my career aspirations. Consequently, I searched for alternative avenues to apply my education. This led me to the telecom infrastructure development industry.

In this capacity, I utilized my skills to offer consulting services, initially focusing on navigating the complexities of challenging permitting markets. Over time, I expanded my client base into new territories, necessitating the recruitment and formation of dedicated teams.

These opportunities ignited my passion for growth – not only in terms of business expansion but also in the diversification of our service offerings and client relationships.

By nature, I’m a builder. I like building out things and looking at how to find a solution. Organization and business development has also become an important part of my career and experience, and I appreciate the challenge that comes with determining how a team can maximize the opportunities in front of them.

How have you navigated a mostly male industry and excelled in that environment?

Courtney: I think the best path to opportunity, no matter who you are, is bringing great ideas to the table. Bringing opportunities to those around you is how you can advance as a leader. Whoever is bringing a thoughtful idea to the discussion is the voice you should hear. It’s not who talks the most, but who can identify something that will work.

I also think that by being different, whether that is your gender or other background experiences, you may also have an incredibly unique perspective to add to the team. That’s why you’re starting to see more women succeeding in this industry and many others.

What advice would you give someone looking at the industry, particularly young women?

Courtney: There are certainly many opportunities and ways to apply your skills. I’d suggest not being too narrow in your approach to what you want to do early and taking on a variety of projects and roles. That can help you gain really valuable experience and hone in on what you want to do with your career as you grow.

How do you inspire inclusion as a leader?

Courtney: To foster inclusion as a leader, it’s crucial to consider the entire team, not just managers or subject matter experts. This means actively involving individuals across all roles and levels within the organization. Empowering team members to contribute ideas and make decisions is key. I believe in assembling a diverse and talented team and ensuring they are equipped to lead meetings with clients and drive initiatives independently. In my view, the success of our team should never solely rely on one individual’s presence. Inclusion is fundamental for both individual career development, team development, and the overall growth of our company.

 

From planning some of the country’s largest metropolitan areas, to revolutionizing American travel and transportation safety, to developing the first video game blueprints, engineers have played a key role in American history, business, and culture. Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware of how crucial engineers were to these aspects of our world, nor do they know that many of these contributions came from Black engineers. For example, there was Walter Braithwaite, who developed the first CAD systems; William Hunter Dammond, who invented the first train signaling system; and several more.

Today, only 5% of all engineers in the U.S. are Black. According to the Pew Research Center, 3% are Black men and 2% are Black women. This can lead to common misconceptions that “Black engineers don’t exist,” adding to the challenges Black engineers often face in professional settings, from equal pay (Black women earn the lowest) to advancement opportunities (the promotion rates for Black employees have severely dropped since 2021) to having their expertise challenged or dismissed.

Visibility starts with education and recruitment

Education and intentional recruitment are two key factors in adjusting this disparity in our industry. For example, Atwell partners with six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in close proximity to our offices that have civil and environmental science programs: Texas Southern, Tennessee State University, Howard University, Savannah State University, Central State University, and Prairie View State University. We also participate in job fairs, on-campus presentations, and local chapters of the National Society of Black Engineers in order to identify Black engineer talent and offer internship and full-time opportunities. It’s one step in the right direction to provide more Black Engineers with more visibility.

In an industry that has been white-male-dominated for centuries, it’s important to understand the experiences of engineers from other backgrounds in order to ensure that the field of engineering continues to grow, innovate, inspire, and shape our world and our future.

We spoke to three Atwell engineers to gain insight into their career journeys and experiences as Black engineers, and to learn from them about what we all can do to produce more innovative work, build more authentic relationships with clients and colleagues, and embrace and cultivate more talented engineers.

“Knowing our history is equivalent to knowing your history.”

Barry Caison, a Project Manager in Atwell’s Mitchellville, MD office, has more than 30 years of engineering experience. He began engineering with Maryland’s Fairfax County Department of Public Works in the late 1980s for 10 years before becoming a construction manager, and he joined Atwell as a Project Manager years later. He also served in the Air Force for six years and is an active mentor for up-and-coming engineers through his work on the advisory panel at his alma mater, the University of the District of Columbia. Needless to say, he has seen a lot, learned a lot, and wants to instill a lot of his wisdom onto his peers and mentees in the industry. To him, understanding Black history is essential in having a full range of understanding in American history and engineering history.

“People need to know their American history, and their engineering history,” Caison affirms. “If they did, they’d know that a lot of design and construction came from Blacks—from Black Americans to Black Africans and beyond. There should be a sense of pride there, to know this is part of engineering history, American history, and world history.”

“You don’t have to fix every problem, but you do need to understand the people you work with.”

Morgan Walubita is a Director in Land Development at Atwell’s Mitchellville, MD office, who has been an engineer for over 20 years. A native of Zambia, he was the first generation to experience a post-segregated Zambia—the country’s racial segregation laws before its 1964 independence mirrored the Jim Crow laws of the U.S. He moved to the U.S. to obtain his engineering degree, where he also attended the University of the District of Columbia with Caison.

“I was so fortunate to move to a predominantly Black city and university and have a classmate like Barry with generations of knowledge about America,” Walubita recalls. His experiences in Zambia and the U.S. showed him that no place is perfect, but it’s important understand where people come from, what they’ve endured, and how these factors affect their lives. “Even when our history or backgrounds are known, it is sometimes misunderstood,” Walubita explains. “There’s only so much we can teach individually, but if we all made the effort to learn more, then it would benefit everyone: our teams, our organizations, and our relationships.”

Caison added to this sentiment, saying, “There is no pride in being ‘The Only One.’ From other engineers to the clients and landowners we work with, there’s not a lot of Black people on either side, and that’s a difficult reality. We need more representation, and this can happen through our peers having more education and understanding about our experiences.”

“It can feel like there’s a certain spotlight on us.”

Cierra Scott is a Design Civil Engineer based in Atwell’s Tampa office. As a recent graduate with a few years of experience, she is hyper aware of how her race, age, and gender factors into her experience as an engineer.

“Engineers in general have to bring our A-game and energy on a daily basis,” Scott says. “Being a black engineer sometimes feels like there’s more of a spotlight on me to do well, but this just drives me to excel even harder in the workplace.”

She’s grateful that her team is helping her learn the ropes, and especially thankful for all the supportive women in her office. However, there are some things she wishes all AEC professionals understood better about being a Black woman engineer.

“As a female engineer, a big focus on mine is speaking with confidence in a male-dominated field,” Scott states. “I wish people understood that communication and teamwork are so important for having positive experiences in our work, from how we speak to each other as coworkers to how we talk to clients or county reviewers.” This communication can help foster bridges of understanding the Black engineer experience better.

Passion is a catalyst for innovative engineering, but also an armor for microaggressions and systemic discrimination

All three of these engineers have a passion for building, designing, and seeing how projects are applied in real time to improve the world. Unfortunately, there have been times where their love for engineering was all they had to keep them going in difficult times.

“I remember being the only Black person in most of my classes,” Caison recalls. “It was hard to form relationships. This carried over to my earlier engineering roles where I felt singled out and challenged in certain ways—people challenging my knowledge, even though we had the same qualifications and background.”

“Some people start out in this field, then discover they can make more money doing something less strenuous and pursue that instead,” Caison says. “Honestly, I like dirt. I like building things. Engineering aligns with my passions.”

Overall, Caison expressed a desire for his work and passion for engineering to be seen more so than the color of his skin—a roadblock he’s been forced to break through in the past.

The next generation of engineers needs to see themselves in their leaders

It’s important for people to see themselves in their leaders; it signals that their advancement and status are also attainable to the people they are leading. However, with the small number of Black engineers in general, the number of Black leaders in engineering is even smaller.

“I’d love to see more of us in the industry,” says Walubita. “It’s shocking to look around and be the only Black face in the room. And I love mentoring engineers of all backgrounds—it’s the most fulfilling part of my job.”

Both Walubita and Caison have remained active parts of the engineering community in the Great Washington, D.C. region, serving on the advisory panels for the College of Engineering at their alma mater and mentoring kids from middle school through college. The combination of recruitment strategies and dedicated mentorship may have a positive influence on the visibility and career advancement of future Black engineers.

As for a final word for other seasoned, rookie, and aspiring Black engineers:

Walubita advises, “You can’t forget the struggles you went through to get where you are, but you also can’t dwell on them. You have to persevere. If people make you feel like you don’t belong, don’t let it deter you from achieving your goals.”

Scott states, “This career has a significant purpose in our everyday lives; it’s so cool to be part of developing the world we live in. It’s a broad field, but that just means there’s always something you can learn about. If you enjoy learning and seeing how the infrastructure we design applies to our world, and don’t mind discovering new things you can improve on each day, then you’ll really enjoy this career.”

Caison says, “What we go through as engineers, regardless of race, is tough enough already—the work can be strenuous and the hours can be long. Being Black on top of that has its own set of unique challenges. But we need more representation, which happens through more engineering education, more educating the general population that talented Black engineers are out here and capable, and your continued confidence in pursuing something that aligns with your passions.”