Take Him Out to the Ball Game

Name: Jeff QuinnPosition: Research analyst, Center for Child and Family PolicyYears at Duke: Three stints since 2001 accounting for 9 years

What I do at Duke: My work ranges from evaluation of studies to working with non-profits to build their infrastructure to support their work. For example, we'll complete assessments with an agency to find out what they're good at and how they can improve. We also help with public awareness campaigns dealing with child and family policy.

If I had $5 million, I would: Open a foundation where I would allow folks to apply for grants to create projects or programs that work with parents or children. I'd like to be able to support that kind of research.

My first ever job: Working as a kid on my grandmother's farm in Milltown, Missouri. I mowed the lawn, built chicken coops and fences, shoveled manure and picked fruit.

My dream job: General manager of a baseball team. I'm a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan and a huge fan of baseball in general. I follow it very closely - even minor league systems and draft picks. I could talk baseball all day. I'm one of those people that are such a nerd about it. I like looking at a trade two or three years down the road to see who the real winner was.

If someone wanted to start a conversation with me they should ask me about: Anything. There's a joke about me that I've never met somebody that wasn't my friend. You can talk to me about anything, and I'd try my best to get into the conversation.

The best advice I ever received: Don't ever wish a single day away. Even the times when my 3-year old son is crying at 3 a.m. and I'm not getting any sleep, I never want to miss any days. I already miss when my son was a baby, and I could hold him and rock him to sleep.

What I love about Duke: The community and family feeling you get here. From the benefits like retirement packages and health insurance to something like Duke Appreciation, you feel welcome at Duke.

When I'm not at work, I like to: Play soccer. I'm in two coed leagues where I play center-mid. I've been playing soccer for 29 years.

Something most people don't know about me: I have a dent in my head. When I was born, I hit my mom's tailbone and had a skull fracture. When I was three days old, I had brain surgery to release pressure on brain. I'm fine, but now I have a divot in my head.

A Movie I like: Silver Linings Playbook. It was billed as a comedy and there's lots of funny parts in it, but it addresses mental health, which I think is still a topic in America we have a stigma around. The movie does a good job of showing how someone can work through that.