Digging in with Duke’s Book Worm

Name: Tammy SorrellPosition: Administrative coordinator, Global Health InstituteYears at Duke: 17

What I do at Duke: I do HR, payroll, faculty recruitment and retention, space management and pretty much anything else that comes down the pike and we don’t know where it falls. One of the joys of my job is no two days are alike.

If I had $5 million, I would: First take care of financial needs of my family members, then I’d donate a sizeable sum to the Global Health Institute and some to the women’s basketball program at Duke. My husband, Bobby, has worked at Duke for many years with the women’s basketball program, so it’s a major part of our life, and these young women are such terrific role models.

My first ever job: My first paid job was as a waitress at Mountain Breeze Seafood restaurant back home in Bakersville, North Carolina, while I was in high school. I was a sophomore and worked during the year while I was in school and over the summer. I also informally worked at my grandparents’ small, community grocery store from the time I was big enough to stock a shelf.

My dream job: Open a shop that catered to people’s hobbies but with a nurturing aspect to it. I’d sell homemade cookies, pastries and cakes with a nice bookstore and yarn shop on the side. It would take most of my hobbies and combine them together. Ideally it’d be on the water somewhere.

If someone wanted to start a conversation with me they should ask me about: My kids, my work, books or recipes. I read close to 100 books a year on average. It’s my primary stress reliever and it’s something I make time to do every day. My kids would say I’m obsessed to the point that I have been known to read at particularly long stoplights. I read every night before I go to bed for at least half an hour. The library is my best friend. 

What I love about Duke: The relationships I’ve built over the years. I have a broad network across the Medical Center and University and that makes my job more pleasurable and fulfilling. It’s always nice to be able to call someone and say ‘hey, can you help me out with this?’ It’s people that make our jobs special.

When I’m not at work, I like to: I have recently reactivated a passion for crocheting. I hadn’t done it in years and was attempting to teach our oldest daughter over the holidays, which reignited my interest. Since then I’ve crocheted two afghans and about a dozen other small pieces.

Something most people don’t know about me: I am the first employee of DGHI. Dr. Michael Merson and I started in the basement of Trent Hall in 2006 with just a desk and a phone – no paper, pen, or computers on day one. The Institute has grown over the past eight-and-a-half years to more than 200 faculty, staff and student employees; an undergraduate major, a Master’s degree, and a doctoral certificate; and more than 215 global health research projects in more than 40 countries.