Duke Leadership and Management Academies Honor 2023 Graduating Classes
Year-long programs give 52 employees a chance to enhance their leadership skills
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“You don’t stop learning it’s a journey, it’s a process,” said Duhart, who’s worked at Duke for 17 years and has been a member of the Pratt School of Engineering team since 2019. “Participating in the Duke Leadership Academy was a reminder that if you get too comfortable, you stop progressing.”
In a pair of graduation ceremonies this month at the Nasher Museum of Art, the 24 members of the 2023 Duke Leadership Academy and the 28 members of the 2023 Duke Management Academy, celebrated the completion of year-long professional development journeys.
The two leadership development programs, organized by Duke Learning & Organization Development, a division of Duke Human Resources, give participants opportunities to learn about themselves, their management styles and how they can maximize their gifts and the gifts of those around them.
Learn more about the classes and the programs they completed.
Duke Leadership Academy
The 13th class of the Duke Leadership Academy gathered on Friday, December 8 to mark their completion of the 12-month professional development experience based on Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership and the Leadership Practice Inventory 360 and designed for Duke's emerging leaders.
Through a comprehensive self-assessment, individualized coaching, time spent with Duke’s established leaders and group projects, the Duke Leadership Academy gives participants the chance to sharpen their communication, collaboration and management skills.
“As you move forward, just know that this is not the end of your journey but just the beginning,” said Duke Assistant Vice President for Learning & Organization Development Keisha Williams. “I expect you all to keep learning, continue to grow, continue to connect and place things in your practice to grow those who you work with.”
Team projects make up a major piece of the Duke Leadership Academy experience. Participants work together to look for solutions to real-world issues of their choosing which face Duke and its leaders. This year’s projects explored issues of streamlining the science and technology innovation process, how to empower managers to create a culture where people can thrive, how academic networks and volunteers can build stronger connections between Duke and Durham, and how to make sure the momentum built by the Duke Leadership Academy can continue when participants’ experiences are done.
“We often think that Duke is really great, but it can be so much better and we have so much more to contribute,” Duke Leadership Academy class speaker Julie Siegmund, Director of Real Estate for the Duke University Office of Real Estate, said in her remarks. “That gives me hope that we’re still continuing to drive this organization into a better direction and that those values are in alignment.”
“This is one of the greatest investments we make as an institution, which is to prepare our most talented and passionate team members to be our future leaders,” Vinik Dean of Engineering Jerome Lynch said in his remarks. “I’m excited to see all of you leave your mark on Duke and the world as you move forward.”
Duke Management Academy
On Wednesday, December 13, the 28 members of the fifth Duke Management Academy class celebrated their 12-month journey through the program that offers Duke’s mid-level managers a chance to grow their leadership skills.
“As Duke celebrates its Centennial, we pause to think of the people who laid the foundation which we can build on,” Duke Vice President for Human Resources Antwan Lofton said in his remarks to the class. “I am excited to be able to look out over this crowd to see the next set of leaders who will pave the way for the next 100 years of Duke.”
The Duke Management Academy consists of a self-assessment, talks with veteran leaders, coursework on subjects such as emotional intelligence, change management and diversity, equity and inclusion, and group projects.
Academy participant Jeremy Bandini, Senior Manager with the Office of Information Technology, said he’s already incorporated lessons learned from the experience into his work overseeing the Enterprise Systems Support team.
“Being able to learn from so many knowledgeable people was amazing,” Bandini said. “I didn’t know what to expect going into this, but I was blown away with how much we learned.”
This year’s group projects focused on finding solutions to issues such as improving wayfinding at Duke University Hospital, effective onboarding for remote and hybrid employees, creating easier access to student wellness resources, the value of outdoor meetings, and how to integrate ChatGPT into managers’ toolkits.
In her remarks to her fellow academy graduates, the Fuqua School of Business’ Alistar Erickson-Ludwig said that while working her way through the academy, she became more inspired to lead. She said that moving forward, she and her classmates have a responsibility to share that inspiration with others.
“Leaders grow leaders,” Erickson-Ludwig said. “So invest in others. If you see potential, or hear an employee express interest in their professional growth, encourage and support them. Be the kind of leader who is a role model, a mentor and an advocate.”
2023 Duke Leadership Academy Class
- Nicholas Alena – Associate Dean for Graduate Admissions, The Graduate School
- Jennifer Averitt – Associate Dean for Medical Education Administration, School of Medicine
- Sophia Brelvi – Director of Affirmative Action and Compliance Programs, Office for Institutional Equity
- Allison Besch – Director for Career Services, Nicholas School of the Environment
- Jill Borland – Senior Director of Research Administration, School of Nursing
- Alexandra de Havilland – Associate Director for Foundation Relations, Alumni Engagement & Development
- J. Philip Duhart – Associate Director of Major Gifts, Pratt School of Engineering
- Elinor Hurt – Assistant Athletics Director, Duke Athletics
- Alonzo Jaynes – Assistant Chief, Duke University Police
- Geoff Krouse – Assistant Dean for Alumni & Development, School of Law
- Jennifer McCallister – Assistant Dean for Research Administration, Office of Research Administration
- Jeanna McCullers – Senior Associate Dean of Students, Office of Student Conduct
- Brendan Murphy – Director of Global Administrative Support, Central Finance
- Damaris Murry – Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Administration, Office of the Provost
- Richard Outten – IT Director, Office of Information Technology
- Sumetrice Porter – Human Resources Director, Sanford School of Public Policy
- Joshua Schoedler – Director for Investment Operations, DUMAC
- Julie Siegmund – Director of Real Estate, Duke University Real Estate Office
- Karis Boyd-Sinkler – Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Pratt School of Engineering
- Martay Smith – Director of Human Resources, Office of Information Technology
- Lynn Sutton – Assistant Dean for Clinical Research Initiatives & Alliances, School of Medicine
- Gina Vizvary – Director for Development Communications & Donor Relations, Alumni Engagement & Development, Unit
- Willette Wilkins – Head of Strategy Development and Corporate Communications, Duke Clinical Research Institute
- Johanna Zawada – Associate Director of Benefits, Duke Human Resources
2023 Duke Management Academy Class
- Irina Adams – Director of Academic Advising, Office of Duke Kunshan University Relations
- Karema Atkinson – Assistant Director, Housing & Residence Life Facilities Operations
- Jeremy Bandini – Senior Manager, Office of Information Technology
- Chrystal Benson – Interim Cloud Manager, Architecture Design and Innovation
- Lauren Cohen – Associate Director, Duke Clinical Research Institute
- Jillian Dirkes – Program Manager, Duke Cancer Institute
- Emily Durham – Program Director, Undergraduate Education/Duke Athletics
- Alistar Erickson-Ludwig – Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Fuqua School of Business
- Christie Flintosh – Grants & Contracts Manager and Human Resources Administrator, Neurobiology
- Katherine Fox – Administrative Director, Duke Primary Care Population Health
- Keith Holder – Senior Manager, Duke Health Technology Solutions
- Nancy Madenyika – Population Health Coordinator, Duke Population Health Management Office
- Aris Martin – Director of Retail Operations, Duke Dining
- Lee Mewshaw – Senior IT Manager, Duke Health Technology Solutions
- Allison Mooney – Graduate Medical Education Program Director, Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Heather Mountz – Program Coordinator of Community Health, School of Nursing
- Promila Pagadala – Team Science Project Leader, Duke Clinical & Translational Science Institute
- Ashley Price – Senior Research Program Leader, Family Medicine and Community Health
- Barbara Puccio – Manager of Creative, User Experience and Accessibility Practice, Office of Information Technology
- Francene Richardson – Research Administration Manager, Office of Post Award Administration
- Minal Shah – Associate Director, Duke Clinical Research Institute
- Jennie Slate – Assistant Division Administrator, Duke Gastroenterology
- Danielle Stone – Director of Operations, Alumni Engagement & Development
- Blake Tedder – Assistant Director of Engagement, Duke Forest
- Danielle Wiggins – Administrative Director, Nicholas School of the Environment
- Melissa Williams – Clinical Services Manager, Duke Heart Center
- Katie Wood – Director of Educational Programs, Duke University Marine Lab
- Colin Yuckman – Senior Director of Digital Learning Formation, Duke Divinity School
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