Duke Leadership Academy's Annual Gathering Builds Connections and Community

Reunion at the Duke Lemur Center highlights how relationships shape the experience for participants and alums of professional development program

A group of people stand in a cluster, talking and laughing
Current participants in the Duke Leadership Academy and alums of the program gather at the Duke Lemur Center for a networking event. Photo by Travis Stanley

Jenise Washington wasn’t sure if she had time to participate in the Duke Leadership Academy this year. Washington, a Finance Director in the Provost Office, has been at Duke for 24 years, and considered applying for the training program offered to emerging leaders across the university a year ago, but worried about the time commitment.

Now, a year later, Washington is thankful that she took a chance – not only for what she’s learned, but for all the people she has met.

“The biggest part of it that has been most beneficial is connecting with the other individuals,” Washington said. “Of course, they give good information for the tools, but it really has been the conversation and getting to know the other people.”

Washington’s open mind led her to the Duke Lemur Center last week, where her 2026 cohort met to learn about and explore personality types in the workplace, take a quick tour of the fluffy primates nearby, and mingle with Duke Leadership Academy alumni in the largest annual gathering to date.  

A group of people is led on a tour of the Duke Lemur Center
The 2026 scholars and alums of the Duke Leadership Academy were treated to a short tour of the Duke Lemur Center.
Two Lemurs behind a fence
Two Coquerel’s sifakas lemurs curiously gaze at onlookers. Photos by Travis tanley

“It’s important to do this event annually to bring this group back together and let them have the opportunity to reconnect,” said Keisha Williams, Assistant Vice President for Duke Learning & Organization Development.

The Duke Leadership Academy, which began in 2010, provides emerging leaders with a chance to participate in a 12-month development initiative based on “The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership.” Organized by Duke Learning & Organization Development, a division of Duke Human Resources, participants learn to sharpen communication, collaboration and management skills through self-assessment, individualized coaching and group projects.

Adem Gusa, Director of Planning and Design for Duke Facilities Management, participated in the Leadership Academy in 2017 and hadn’t returned to the alumni event since before the pandemic. But after he glimpsed some of the playful Coquerel’s sifaka lemurs on a brief tour, he had an opportunity to connect with fellow alums and current Duke Leadership Academy scholars and was reminded of why the program left such a lasting impression on him.

Two women stand in the foreground, talking, with two men behind them, in an outdoor setting
Current members of the Duke Leadership Academy and alums chat at the Duke Lemur Center.
A cluster of men and women stand beneath a white tent talking outdoors
Connecting with previous members of the Duke Leadership Academy is a major benefit of the program. Photos by Travis Stanley

“I think one of the big values of the Leadership Academy is not just learning about leadership, but it's the connections you make,” Gusa said. “Because oftentimes, we're sort of in our bubbles. And to get to meet people from across the university in departments that I didn't even know existed, was really invaluable. I still maintain contact with them.”

Gusa recalled that his cohort year introduced him to colleagues at Duke University Press — an office he hadn't previously known existed. It's a discovery that still sticks with him.

"Duke's a big university, and with 40,000 employees, there's all sorts of corners of the university that you get exposed to," he said.

While breaking down those barriers, Washington has met colleagues among her cohort who have helped her appreciate the experience just a few months into the 12-month academy.

“Everyone wants to grow better at what they do,” Washington said. “It's great just to have that opportunity to connect with others who can challenge you and you can learn other ways to approach situations.”  

And that connection, according to Williams, is what makes Duke Leadership Academy and the annual alumni event meaningful.

“While perhaps there is nothing new under the sun, what truly makes a difference is how we come together, share our experiences and cultivate authentic connections,” Williams said. “That’s at the core of what we do here every person who joins us contributes to building a stronger, more intentional and supportive community.”

The next Duke Leadership Academy begins in January 2027, with applications accepted this fall.

2026 Duke Leadership Academy cohort
The 2026 cohort of the Duke Leadership Academy gathers for a photo at the Duke Lemur Center. Photo by Travis Stanley

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