Graduates of Front Line Supervisor Program Embrace Leadership

Nine-month program in Duke Human Resources gives 13 supervisors the confidence and tools to thrive

The Front Line Sipervisor Program Graduates
The graduates and organizers of the 2023-24 Front Line Supervisors Program gathered after last week's ceremony. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

In 2021, Jorge Fidhel Gonzalez faced a decision: should he take on the challenge of becoming the supervisor of the Duke Department of Biology’s Research Greenhouses?

It wasn’t an easy decision.

Since 2010, Gonzalez had been a staff member of the greenhouses, which contain more than 15,000-square feet of space for rare specimens and plants for research projects. He had plenty of experience in different aspects of agriculture, but had little in management. And, being born in Peru and Raised in Venezuela, he said he was unsure that his communication and problem-solving skills were at the level he’d like them to be.

With the encouragement of his wife, Bridgette, and his Duke colleagues, Gonzalez stepped into the supervisor position. And now, with his completion of the Front Line Supervisors Program, Gonzalez feels firmly rooted in his leadership role in the Department of Biology.

Gina Rogers, Duke Human Resources Associate Director for Organization & Workforce Development, speaks to the graduates. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

On May 23, Gonzalez was part of the 13-member 2023-24 class of the Front Line Supervisors Program, which celebrated the completion of the nine-month program with a ceremony at Penn Pavilion. The program’s third class was drawn from managers from across Duke University and Duke University Health System.

“This was a great opportunity,” Gonzalez said. “It made me face what I was afraid of and made me more confident doing my job.”

Launched in 2019 through the Professional Development Academy in Duke Learning & Organization Development, a unit in Duke Human Resources, the Front Line Supervisors Program provides insights into leadership, business concepts and project management to new entry-level supervisors.

“Stepping into a supervisory role can be a really powerful experience,” said Gina Rogers, Duke Human Resources Associate Director for Organization & Workforce Development and the Front Line Supervisors Program Director. “You can go home on a Friday as an individual contributor and come back on a Monday as a manager and things have shifted. Oftentimes, there’s not a developmental element to help with that transition. This program is designed for that.”

The latest cohort, which began in May 2023 and wrapped up in March of 2024, includes a 360-degree assessment, in-person coursework and a capstone project. Gonzalez did his project on ways to streamline the execution of the greenhouses’ annual food drive and plant giveaway.

Vice President of Duke Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer Antwan Lofton addresses graduates of the Front Line Supervisors Program on May 23, 2024. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

Antwan Lofton, Vice President of Duke Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, spoke to the graduates and commended them for balancing the requirements of the program and the responsibilities of their day-to-day work.

“I know this wasn’t easy, and I know you had competing interests,” Lofton told the group. “You had to figure out how to divide your time to do all of the many tasks you have to do, particularly when you’re a front line supervisor. There’s no one to jump in and do what you do like you do. But you made it happen.”

Along with the Duke Leadership Academy, Duke Management Academy and the Foundational Skills Program, the Front Line Supervisor Program is one of several professional development programs offered by Duke Learning & Organization Development.

The Front Line Supervisors Program is offered every two years. The application process for the next edition of the program will take place in early 2025.

“This program is very valuable because it helps you understand that you are not the only person at Duke who may have the same doubts or questions,” Gonzalez said. “It shows you that you have the tools that you need to do the job. You just need to make a few adjustments and you will be OK.”

Meet the 2023-24 Class of the Front Line Supervisors Program

  • Jordan Butler, Service Access Team Lead, Duke Urgent Care – Croasdaile
  • Alisha Couch, Departmental Business Manager, Campus Grants Management
  • Amanda Douglass, Assistant Manager, Duke Raleigh Hospital – Acute Rehabilitation
  • Jorge Fidhel Gonzalez, Research Greenhouse Supervisor, Duke Biology Department
  • Heather Kelly, Assistant Nurse Manager, Duke University Hospital Emergency Department
  • Arianna Miller, Assistant Director for Alumni Communication, Development & Alumni Relations
  • Veronica Mills, Program Coordinator, Population Health Sciences
  • Crissie Moody, Complex Care Coordinator, Duke University Medical Center
  • Elizabeth Nixon, Clinical Services Coordinator, Rehabilitation Services
  • Preston Roundy, Clinical Services Coordinator, Rehabilitation Services
  • Christa Rutledge, Service Access Team Lead, Patient Revenue Management Organization
  • Erica Walker, Senior Clinical Research Coordinator, Emergency Medicine
  • Lauren Woods, Population Health Specialist, Population Health Sciences

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