A Day In the Life with Organizational Development Director, Kelly Dougherty

Welcome to the “Day in the Life” blog series. Here we will feature interviews with Swimlaners to learn more about their experience. This series will give you a preview of Swimlane, our culture, and the people who keep us going.

Hi, I’m Kelly Dougherty! I am a Colorado native – grew up in Colorado Springs, attended college at CSU in Fort Collins, and have now lived in Louisville for 14 years. I’m happily married to my husband, James, a videographer for the ABC affiliate Channel 7 for 13 years. We have a 12-year-old rescue dog, Oscar.

How long have you been with Swimlane?

I will have been with Swimlane for 5 years on June 6th!

What does your job entail?

I like to say I fill the holes in the boat until I can find a permanent fix. I’ve done a lot of “jobs” at Swimlane, whatever is needed at the moment- Project Manager, IT, Scrum Master, Event Planner, HR. These days I am more focused on “People Operations,” putting our staff first by humanizing impersonal systems and continuously improving engagement, development, and retention.

What do you enjoy most about working at Swimlane?

We have built a culture where people are appreciative and have ownership of their work. Everyone really goes above and beyond to get the best results and is willing to help each other achieve great results as a whole.

What excites you most about your work?

I love making an impact and setting people up for success. Anytime I can find a way to improve something, or make it more efficient is a win for me. I love that Swimlane not only allows for that type of experimentation but strives for it!

What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

I became one of those crazy Peloton people over the pandemic (app user) and I’m a little obsessed with their Bike Bootcamps. We also have an old speedboat, so in the summer I do a lot of boating and camping- mostly in Wyoming. I enjoy travel, trying out new restaurants and breweries, and time to myself to recharge (introvert!)

Your motto or personal mantra:

The only constant is change

Three words that best describe you:

Loyal, Strategic, Affable

What Swimlane core value resonates with you the most?

I honestly can’t pick just one. I helped create our Core Values and they all really resonate with me- it’s part of what I love about Swimlane. Our values are not aspirational, they’re truly core to who we are as a company.