Inspiring Change, One Chapter at a Time

Leslye Kornegay's new book reflects her advocacy for women of color to lead at universities

Leslye Kornegay holds her book, "Leading to Change the World"
Leslye Kornegay, Duke's Executive Director for University Environmental Services and Facilities Management, wrote a book entitled "Leading to Change the World" that was released in September 2024. Photo by Travis Stanley

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It wasn’t long into Leslye Kornegay’s career, which started as a housekeeper and quickly progressed to leadership positions in university facilities management, when she had an epiphany.

There were few people who looked like her in similar roles or in the senior positions she aspired to.

Black, female leaders in facilities in higher education at what Kornegay calls “PWI”s – Predominantly White Institutions – have been in short supply since she first started working at universities in the early 1990s.

“I’m a firm believer that if you set your mind to do something, you can do it,” said Kornegay, who has been Duke’s Executive Director for University Environmental Services and Facilities Management since 2016.

Kornegay has carved her own career path, which she recounts in her book “Leading to Change the World,” released in September 2024. The book is a lightly updated version of her 2012 Scholarly Personal Narrative, the culmination of her doctorate in education at University of Vermont.

The book describes how Kornegay worked her way up from a housekeeper position in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to become one of the few Black female facilities executives in the country while never losing sight of her greatest strength: connecting with people.

“As a leader, I have been able to sustain my leadership by learning how to construct a style that embraces who I am as a Black woman,” Kornegay says in her book. She added later: “In doing so, I have found my voice and learned to confront the racism and sexism that often challenge my path.”

Kornegay never aspired to work in housekeeping but was “steered toward it” after she graduated from high school in eastern North Carolina. After being passed over for promotions, she pursued and achieved both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, and her drive to further her education became the foundation of her most valuable early lessons.

“Don’t let anybody set boundaries for you around what you can do,” she said. “Only you know what you can do.”

Kornegay’s natural leadership led to her position at Duke, where she oversees 300 employees and regularly inspires Housekeeping Operations Senior Manager Asia Hicks with her collaborative approach.

“When I see someone in a position such as that, it allows me to know that the more you strive and the harder you work, that you’re able to reach that mountaintop,” Hicks said. “She just kind of defies the odds.”

That’s what Kornegay has been striving to do since she first started her career. And that’s something she hopes she can inspire others to do at Duke.

“Duke has welcomed a strong, Black female leader,” Kornegay said. “While the university has a reputation for hiring top talent, there’s still more to do. There’s always room for growth, and I believe the organization recognizes that.”

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