Secret’s Out: She’s a Twin

Name: Belinda KeithPosition: Administrative coordinator, Sanford School of Public PolicyYears at Duke: 30 

What I do at Duke: It’s a variety of things. I manage travel and Duke@Work forms, which means I approve corporate card clearings, check requests, Buy@Duke and more. I manage four staff assistants and handle all the cell phones for school faculty and staff for purchasing, upgrading and transferring bills each month. I also reconcile some grants and approve grant proposals. I don’t know if I’m an expert at anything because I do so many things.

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If I had $5 million, I would: Travel anywhere outside of the U.S. I’ve never had the opportunity to do that. I’ll probably retire in the next three years, my husband is already retired and my daughter is an adult, so it’s a great time for that. I’d want to start with Africa because it would be nice to go back and track my ancestry. 

My first ever job: I did odd jobs growing up, but my real first job was a waitress at a Holiday Inn restaurant in Durham in 1975 when I first moved to Durham.  It was during college and I only lasted eight or nine months because it just wasn’t for me. We opened in the afternoon and closed at 10 or 11 o’clock, which was late to try and get back home. I didn’t have a car, so someone would pick me up or I took the bus.

My dream job: Anything that involves children or the elderly because that’s my passion. I love kids and talking with people that have experienced life and can give great advice. I feel like I’m between the two now. I have a 3-year old granddaughter, but I also take care of my 89-year old mother. 

The best advice I ever received: My father always said experience is the best lesson in life. As an adult, I’ve come to find that’s true. People can tell you what to do, but until you make mistakes, it doesn’t mean anything to you. Experience something, then remember and live by it.

Belinda Keith poses for a photo early in her career at Duke, where she's been working for 30 years. Photo courtesy of Belinda Keith.

What I love about Duke: Everything, because it’s a great place to work. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have stayed this long. I’ve had opportunities to grow with great coworkers and supervisors. To me, it’s not hard to get up and come to work because even though it’s a job, there are times when it doesn’t feel that way. 

When I’m not at work, I like to: Relax on my deck and read a book. I like mystery and romance novels, but try to read at least one scripture from the Bible daily.

Something most people don’t know about me: I’m a twin. We’re not identical, but growing up my parents always dressed us alike, so people would always say we looked the same because we were dressed alike and wore our hair the same, and was relatively the same size. We are very different, though. My sister, Garlinda, can be very assertive and I’m the opposite. She always told me what to do because she said she was older – by 15 minutes.

An interesting/memorable day at work for me was: The day I realized I had been at Duke for 30 years. It was during a holiday party and I had the chance to get up and talk about my time here. How many people do you know commit to that many years? It’s special.