Organized by the Office of the President in partnership with Duke Human Resources, the Presidential Awards are among Duke’s highest honors for staff and faculty, honoring those who demonstrate Duke’s core values of respect, trust, inclusion, discovery and excellence.

The winners will be honored by Duke University President Vincent E. Price and leaders from the university and health system at a ceremony at 4 p.m., March 17 at Page Auditorium. A reception will follow at Penn Pavillion.

Meet the 2025-26 Presidential Award winners.

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Teams

Duke University Hospital Flood Response Team

On December 26, 2024, an 8-inch pipe burst near Duke University Hospital’s Emergency Department, pouring thousands of gallons of water into the emergency room, sterile processing unit, pharmacy, imaging services area, blood bank, several supply rooms and loading dock. The response, spearheaded by a group of 38 team members from across Duke University Health System, began immediately.

No patients were harmed as staff members quickly moved them to safety and devised plans for continuing care. While 200,000 square feet of hospital space was affected, the repair process began right away as some critical spaces were reopened the day after the incident. Just 96 hours after the pipe burst, the Emergency Department reopened at 80% capacity.

“As I walked the impacted areas, the commitment of the team and local contractors was palpable as they all worked together to ensure we could provide care to our community,” said Duke University Health System Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Thomas A. Owens, who nominated the team. “Other hospitals across the country have experienced floods and have been shut down for months. This team took four days. The remarkable achievements of our colleagues at Duke Health are evident each day, and our collective response to this flood is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our organization, for which I am especially proud.”

Duke Lemur Center

In addition to caring for the Duke Lemur Center’s critically endangered primate residents, the center’s 10-person staff must coordinate breeding programs with other institutions, facilitate study opportunities with researchers, welcome thousands of visitors each year and maintain a field site in northern Madagascar. With increasing research opportunities, cuts to federal funding and constantly shifting recommendations for animal care, the center’s staff has risen to the challenge by devising new workflows and expanding philanthropic support. And in the past year, the center received accreditation from Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and AAALAC International, even earning a perfect score in the most-recent AZA inspection.

“I have conducted research and taught at the Duke Lemur Center for the last 30 years and have always been impressed with their teamwork, productivity and their true love of the animals that they protect and care for,” wrote Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies for Evolutionary Anthropology Leslie Digby, one of the center’s nominators. “In recent years, with budgetary challenges and ever-changing rules about best practices for the well-being of captive animals, the DLC team has stepped up their game even more.”

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Individuals

Kathryn M. Andolsek, M.D., MPH

In over three decades at the Duke University School of Medicine, Dr. Kathryn Andolsek has worked to expand opportunities and enhance academic rigor. A Professor in Family Medicine and Community Health and the School of Medicine’s Assistant Dean for Premedical Education, Andolsek has dedicated her career to creating an inclusive environment for future medical professionals.

She helped found Duke’s Master of Biomedical Sciences program and has also worked with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to refine assessment frameworks and mentor future educators.

“Through her vision, compassion and sustained commitment to inclusion, Dr. Andolsek has changed lives, strengthened Duke’s culture of belonging, and redefined what educational excellence looks like when opportunity and equity and inseparable,” said nominator Dr. Edward Buckley, the James Pitzer Gillis and Joy Gillis Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology. “She is a model of the service, integrity and innovation that the Presidential Award seeks to honor.”

Antonio Ulloa Diaz

Antonio Ulloa Diaz first came to Duke as a temporary staff member for Duke University Environmental Services roughly six years ago. After earning his commercial driver’s license, he joined the team as a Senior Sanitation Equipment Operator and has been expertly piloting a sanitation truck around Duke’s campus ever since.

Colleagues praise Diaz for being a reliable and selfless team member, not missing a shift, taking extra routes when the team finds itself short-staffed and being willing to come in during off hours to help with emergency sanitation requests. Diaz has also contributed to the camaraderie of his unit with his positive attitude, willingness to donate time and energy to helping colleagues and by serving as a translator for Spanish-speaking team members to ensure they understand their Duke benefits.

“Antonio exemplifies dedication, leadership and service beyond the scope of his duties as a sanitation driver,” said nominator Michelle Carter-Jenkins, Duke Facilities Management Director of Human Resources. “In addition to performing his daily responsibilities with excellence, he consistently advocates for fairness, safety and respect in the workplace. His leadership earned the trust of both his peers and management alike.”

Bridgette Kram, PharmD, BCCCP, FCCM

As the Critical Care Clinical Pharmacist in Duke University Hospital’s Medical Intensive Care Unit and the Director of the Critical Care Pharmacy Residency Program, Dr. Bridgette Kram meets the needs of a vulnerable patient population while also serving as a mentor to future pharmacists.

In the past year, Kram took on an additional challenge, spearheading the creation of Duke University Hospital’s first comprehensive, hospital-wide medication administration guidelines. By collaborating across several disciplines, Kram led an effort that resulted in standardized approaches for administering and monitoring more than 120 high-risk medications. The new guidelines enhance patient safety and give nursing staff with clear guidance for delivering world-class patient care.

“Dr. Kram exemplified the best of Duke: intelligence paired with humility, expertise matched by generosity and a quiet but powerful leadership presence that elevates those around her,” said nominator Dr. Daniel Gilstrap, Assistant Professor of Medicine. “Whether improving individual patient care, shaping institutional policy, mentoring the next generation or advancing research, she brings excellence and purpose to everything she does.”

Shaun Lewis

As the Coordinator of the Gross Anatomy, Anatomical Gifts and Human Fresh Tissue Lab, Shaun Lewis oversees a vital resource for the Duke University School of Medicine that demands both technical excellence and compassionate service. The lab gives students an opportunity to learn the elements of human anatomy by working with donated specimens. Lewis ensures the lab operates smoothly and that its precious contents are treated with dignity.

While at Duke, Lewis has risen to challenges such as protocol changes, embracing expanded job responsibilities and handling extra duties when colleagues were out on parental leave.

“In a role that requires discretion, resilience and emotional intelligence, Shaun has become a model of service leadership,” said nominator Lakeshia Whitted, Laboratory Manager for the Office of Curricular Affairs in the Duke University School of Medicine. “They elevate the work of all those around them and ensure that our programs meet the highest standards of professionalism and respect.”

Ruskin M. Morgan

When Ruskin M. Morgan, who earned three degrees from Duke, left his successful career in marketing and returned to the Fuqua School of Business in 2010, his connection to the institution was already deep. But in the years since, Morgan’s willingness to take on new challenges and create a supportive and welcoming environment for Fuqua’s students and his colleagues has only strengthened that bond.

As Senior Associate Dean for Operations and a Professor of the Practice of Marketing, Morgan has taught students and helped oversee Fuqua’s admissions, career management and faculty onboarding efforts. With a genuine, warm spirit, he’s long served as a wise counsel for students and colleagues looking for insights on how to thrive at Fuqua.

“Russ has consistently been an invaluable source of skilled leadership, broad perspective and institutional memory,” said nominator Mary Frances Luce, Fuqua School of Business Interim Dean and Robert A. Ingram Professor.

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