News Release
RALEIGH — Design Workshop announced today that Corey Dodd, Associate in the firm’s Raleigh studio, has been named a 2026 Triangle Business Journal 40 Under 40 Leadership Award honoree. The award recognizes the region’s most promising young leaders who demonstrate exceptional professional achievement, community impact, and leadership under the age of 40.
“Corey represents the next generation of leaders shaping the future of equitable, community centered design,” said Emily McCoy, Principal at Design Workshop. “His work reflects cultural competency, a commitment to mentorship, and a belief that design can be a tool for healing, empowerment, and long term community resilience.”
Dodd was selected for his influential contributions to culturally responsive landscape architecture, equity centered design, and community partnership across the Triangle and beyond. His work in 2025 reflects a powerful combination of professional leadership, mentorship, and long term investment in communities historically excluded from traditional planning and design processes.
In 2025, Dodd co moderated a national session with Emily McCoy at the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Conference titled Lessons Learned: Cultural Landscapes that Honor African American Heritage and Legacy, bringing together practitioners from across the country to share strategies for inclusive partnerships and community driven cultural landscape preservation. He also continued leading design and engagement efforts for Raleigh’s South Park Heritage Trail project, the city’s first cultural trail celebrating the history, resilience, and legacy of the East Raleigh–South Park neighborhood.
Dodd finds constant inspiration in a career path where community service is woven into both the everyday informal moments and larger, formalized gatherings. He remains deeply grateful for the opportunity to engage in meaningful work alongside project partners including Kinston Teens, Inc., supporting youth-led planning and climate resilience efforts in East Kinston. He also credits board members of Partners for Environmental Justice with serving a critical role in nurturing his desire and his skills to advocate for local communities. His work has supported environmental education, community outreach, and equitable development in historically Black neighborhoods.
To read Corey’s full TBJ 40 Under 40 profile, click here.
Founded in 1969, Design Workshop is an internationally renowned design firm specializing in landscape architecture, urban planning, and strategic services with seven studios in the U.S. and projects spanning the globe. Our work focuses on the intersection of art, community, environment, and economics to increase social equity and create places of meaning and resonance. For additional information follow us at @designworkshop on LinkedIn and Instagram.