Deloris Thompson
Senior Software Engineer
Deloris immigrated to the United States 30 years ago by way of Liberia and could not be more ecstatic about where her career has taken her. Currently residing in Johnston, Rhode Island, she graduated from the 18-week immersive bootcamp Launch Academy program a few years ago before also earning her computer science degree from the University of Advancing Technology. Outside of being a hard-working engineer, she is a champion of her son, who has tourette syndrome, and her daughter, who was diagnosed with autism. “They're both thriving and won't let anything bring them down,” she said. “Their diagnoses don't change who they are. In our house, we only build upon it.” Deloris is also an adorer of all things Stephen King as well as Disney. “Before Disney+ even came out, when they asked for email addresses so they could announce when it went live, I was one of those people,” she said while laughing. “I was constantly checking.”
Least Favorite Emoji
:dumpster_fire:
Favorite Holiday Movie
Diehard
Who would dress up like Santa in Echobind?
Zack
Most Used App?
Notion (“I've got a LOT of notebooks on Notion.”)
Food that doesn't get enough credit
Baked Stuffed Lobster
Where would you like the next Echobind Retreat to be?
Deloris' love of Disney would take us all to … Disney World. “That would be my dream,” she said.
Projects you loved most in 2023
VALE Insurance Partners was Deloris' first project where she was both the lead engineer as well as working in the language she knew best. She has fond memories of getting their app operating cleanly and the client wanting to continue to work together on more opportunities into the foreseeable future. “We replaced something they were using for years, which was harder on them, and we made it easier for them to use their system,” she said. “That just speaks to our engineers here at Echobind. If I'm blocked, I always know someone will support me to find the answer. I asked more questions than ever in 2023, and in turn, advanced more than I ever have in a year. It's been such a joy working with VALE.”
Your Personal peak/high of the year
Deloris' son was accepted as a youth ambassador for the Tourette Association of America, after working tirelessly on a paper, essay and interview. “Now he's going to speak in front of Congress next year,” she said. “They've been an amazing group, from the moment of his diagnosis. The association president personally called to extend resources to help him at home and in school. I'm so proud of him.
Advice you'd give January 2023 version of yourself
Never take that “no” as the end-all answer so quickly. If a client wants something built that she (or the team) hasn't done, Deloris has seen how some of the best technology she's helped make has come from challenging herself to learn more and find the answer. “There has to be a way to create this, it's tech,” she would tell herself. “We basically have this magic wand but we just don't know the exact spell or spells yet. We have to spend time finding them.”
Favorite work-from-home perk or accessory:
Her four-monitor setup. “I had to slow down and stop buying more,” she said. “If I could, I would have that evil lair setup with all the monitors.”