Congratulations to Sarah Dwyer, December’s CommuniGREATER!
December was a chance to give a shoutout to a fellow communicators. The list of nominees, along with comments submitted by peers is below.
BLYTH MORRELL, University Communications
- In her work, Blyth blends strategy and tactics, marketing and digital know-how, incredible people skills and world-class execution. Her leadership is a steady guide for Duke’s evolving brand, our visual imagery and our outstanding digital presence. She’s also just tremendously thoughtful and a lovely person to be around. This is my way of giving her a digital high-five and thanks for all she does.
JAMES TODD, Duke Chapel
- As newbie to the communication game, James Todd is always willing to share his thoughts, recommendations, connections, and tips. Always very friendly and happy to help other groups on campus improve their communication with students. (She left a while back, but his colleague Andi was also awesome!)
JONATHAN LEE, University Communications
- Jonathan is an extremely skilled designer with a great art style. I’ve always admired his creativity and ability to make just about anything.
ANNE LIGHT, University Communications
- Anne spearheaded the redesign of the Duke Calendar and, over the past couple years, has trained countless others to add events and follow best practices. She thinks strategically and thoughtfully about how this university-wide system can help individual units and Duke engage with the public. I also want to give a shoutout to Anne for all the work she does as an Academic Advisor. I think she has two dozen advisees this year!
JUSTIN SHARPE, Student Wellness
- Justin has a lot on his plate yet he still finds time to come up with really novel campaigns. I admire his ability to come up with ideas that make me wish I’d thought of them first.
SUSAN GALLAGHER, Duke Global Health Institute
- Susan is incredibly generous with her time and expertise! She initiated contact with me after seeing an Adobe Spark story I did and telling me how cool she thought it was (which was very generous of her), we met for coffee, and anytime I’ve reached out to her for communications advice, she’s always gotten back to me very quickly with great tips. I also appreciate her smart, open, down-to-earth friendliness! She’s also done some amazing Adobe Spark stories that I find very inspiring!
CAROLYN GERBER, Public Affairs and Government Relations
- Carolyn does so much communication work that goes uncredited — from Trustee minutes to the Duke Daily and so much more — Carolyn is the voice of Duke. She is a generous collaborator with a deep knowledge of Duke history, traditions, and culture. It is a great pleasure working with her and I am better at my job because I get to do so.
MEGAN MENDENHALL, University Communications
- I admire Megan’s photography immensely. I also appreciate her instruction and her willingness to make others better photographers. Megan is a major reason why I developed an interest in photography and I’m really grateful for her efforts.
BILL SNEAD, University Communications
- Bill is a great photographer and a wonderful teacher. I appreciate his willingness to share tips and provide inspiration to photographers of every level. Bill and Megan have recently led a group of communicators on a photo walk through the Gardens and that was one of many times that they’ve both made the Duke photo community better.
SONJA LIKNESS, University Communications
- I’m very grateful for Sonja’s partnership in co-hosting the monthly AMA series for communicators. Her efforts have made the experience much more enjoyable for all involved and the program has grown since she joined. I also admire her creative abilities and think that the content she creates is great.
- She works hard to keep up with the latest social media and video trends and is gracious, generous, patient and skilled in sharing her expertise with communicators across campus. I also appreciate her easy-going personality and sense of humor!
- She is such a professional. And while she is in high demand for very important initiatives and messages from the University, she always makes times or incorporates our messaging when she can. She produces the Duke Social Group which is such a big help for us “out in the field”. She is so knowledgeable and even-keeled. A great leader!
LAURA BRINN, University Communications
- I abandoned my team for a month to go consult in China at DKU, and it just so happened that my team was already down in numbers. Laura picked up nearly all of my job duties for me, in addition to her regular job duties, so that I could focus on my work in China. She’s my hero, and she deserves alllll of the props for her hard work!
- Laura did three jobs for several weeks when her office was between social media coordinators and another social media expert was away in China on an extended assignment. I honestly don’t know how she manages to get all her work done.
KYLE FOX, Student Affairs
- There’s more to Kyle than meets the eye. That’s the first thing I want other communicators to know. He’s smart and strategic and creative, and he’s collaborative and generous and genuinely curious about you and your work and what you do and what you’re trying to achieve and what could be possible. He’s observant. He is thoughtful and he is kind. I appreciate all that he does, all that he brings, and all that he sees as possible. I really appreciate how he makes the people around him feel like we’re something special. It takes a special person to do that, and that’s why I’m nominating Kyle. Thanks.
ALISON JONES, University Communications
- She is an incredible storyteller and always willing to share her craft and offer advice.
SARAH DWYER, Office of the Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies & Bass Connections
- Sarah was involved in my interview process. Once I was on board, she immediately invited me over to her shop to discuss DIBS and Bass, and share what she knew about how the two programs collaborate. She also had suggestions for graphic design software. I appreciate her outstanding professional abilities AND her personal warmth and willingness to share. She is a gem!
- Shout-out to Sarah Dwyer, fearless leader of the Interdisciplinary Communicators group! The meetings she facilitates help us to learn from one another, share ideas, and discover useful university programs and channels. I truly appreciate the thoughtful approach and boundless energy she brings to our work together.
KARL BATES, University Communications
- Well, I can’t exactly compete with AAAS (thought that was TOTALLY deserved), but I can say how much I enjoy working with Karl around neuroscience research and other DIBS-related items. He is an ace writer and editor, with a gift for candor without being Grinch-like (nod to the season!). He has been generous with his time and insights and I am so glad to call him a colleague!
GEOFFREY MOCK, University Communications
- This time of year, it’s hard NOT to feel a sense of gratitude for the entire Duke Communicators community! I’ve known Geoffrey for years and worked with him while at the then-Sanford Institute, and now at DIBS. He is quietly effective, always working behind the scenes to produce an outstanding Duke Today. I am so happy to once again call him a colleague.
- Geoffrey juggles assignments and requests from leadership, faculty and beyond everyday with dedication and competence. He has a genuine concern for the well-being of his co-workers, whether it’s talking about home life or how to fix a photo you’ve incorrectly sized in the CMS. He also leads the communicators’ monthly feeding at the rescue mission, and even maintains the official ONC bird feeder. If anyone at Duke deserves a halo, it’s G-Money.
ANDREA MARTIN, TORI HALL & JENNIFER KORNBLUTH, Community & Family Medicine, Ophthalmology, and Neurobiology
- These three amazing women graciously assisted me when I was tasked with creating an online newsletter with a very short deadline. I was fairly new to Duke and never used the technology suggested for our newsletter. Each person met with me individually and offered their guidance, experience and helpful hints. I communicated in person, via email and phone with each of them. Miraculously met my deadline because of them! I will forever be grateful for their willingness to assist me.
TORI HALL, Ophthalmology
- Tori has been EXTREMELY helpful and generous with her time, information, and experiences about many facets of the communications job. Getting a sense of the role she plays for her department and for some specifics about newsletters and sources has been very timely for me to present ideas to my department. I greatly appreciate her willingness to help!
GREG WHITAKER, Communications Services
- I’m not sure on who would be eligible for the award, but I’d nominate Greg Whitaker for CommuniGREATER award if he is eligible. His extraordinary efforts helped Duke meet Tier 1’s November deadline for Duke’s Web Accessibility Guidelines. He owns more Tier 1 websites than anyone else at Duke. His efforts take “other duties as assigned” to the next level 🙂
JULIE SCHOONMAKER, University Communications
- Julie is the consummate professional who brings both mad skills and a cheerful disposition to Duke every day. Working with Julie on any project, however challenging, is always a joyful experience.
STEPHANIE SCHELLER, School of Nursing
- Stephanie has been with our team for just over a year. This was her first job in the Marketing and Communications field and she has done an excellent job of making a mark on our team. She has taken over our social media channels and has done a superb job in increasing engagement and adding life to this channel of communication. And even with her daily activities, she still finds time to volunteer and engage in other areas of our community, such as with a committee here within the School to help victims of the recent Hurricanes. And her own family, who live on the coast, were affected. I just wanted to submit her name to say thanks and job well done!
WENDY HOWER, Nasher Museum
- Wendy runs a stellar marketing/communications shop at the Nasher, and she always has time to give her fellow colleagues advice or a cheer!
KEITH LAWRENCE, University Communications
- Keith directs media relations, a task that has grown exponentially as media has become larger and less held in by boundaries. He is tireless in his dedication to his role and to Duke. The university is really lucky to have him.
KATY CLUNE, Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts
- Katy’s energy and dedication in her still-newish role as the arts communicator has really given the arts office at Duke a huge boost. She’s doing a terrific job.
JONATHAN LEE AND SAM HUNTLEY, University Communications
- Jonathan and Sam are some of the hardest working people in communications showbusiness. Bring the new brand guide and communicator toolkit online was a lot of heavy lifting on their part. They deserve the recognition for being rockstar coworkers. Duke is lucky to have them.
In her work, Blyth blends strategy and tactics, marketing and digital know-how, incredible people skills and world-class execution. Her leadership is a steady guide for Duke’s evolving brand, our visual imagery and our outstanding digital presence. She’s also just tremendously thoughtful and a lovely person to be around. This is my way of giving her a digital high-five and thanks for all she does.
James Todd, Duke Chapel
As newbie to the communication game, James Todd is always willing to share his thoughts, recommendations, connections, and tips. Always very friendly and happy to help other groups on campus improve their communication with students. (She left a while back, but his colleague Andi was also awesome!)
Jonathan Lee, University Communications
Jonathan is an extremely skilled designer with a great art style. I’ve always admired his creativity and ability to make just about anything.
Anne Light, University Communications
Anne spearheaded the redesign of the Duke Calendar and, over the past couple years, has trained countless others to add events and follow best practices. She thinks strategically and thoughtfully about how this university-wide system can help individual units and Duke engage with the public. I also want to give a shoutout to Anne for all the work she does as an Academic Advisor. I think she has two dozen advisees this year!
Justin Sharpe, Student Wellness
Justin has a lot on his plate yet he still finds time to come up with really novel campaigns. I admire his ability to come up with ideas that make me wish I’d thought of them first.
Susan Gallagher, Duke Global Health Institute
Susan is incredibly generous with her time and expertise! She initiated contact with me after seeing an Adobe Spark story I did and telling me how cool she thought it was (which was very generous of her), we met for coffee, and anytime I’ve reached out to her for communications advice, she’s always gotten back to me very quickly with great tips. I also appreciate her smart, open, down-to-earth friendliness! She’s also done some amazing Adobe Spark stories that I find very inspiring!
Carolyn Gerber, Public Affairs and Government Relations
Carolyn does so much communication work that goes uncredited — from Trustee minutes to the Duke Daily and so much more — Carolyn is the voice of Duke. She is a generous collaborator with a deep knowledge of Duke history, traditions, and culture. It is a great pleasure working with her and I am better at my job because I get to do so.
Megan Mendenhall, University Communications
I admire Megan’s photography immensely. I also appreciate her instruction and her willingness to make others better photographers. Megan is a major reason why I developed an interest in photography and I’m really grateful for her efforts.
Bill Snead, University Communications
Bill is a great photographer and a wonderful teacher. I appreciate his willingness to share tips and provide inspiration to photographers of every level. Bill and Megan have recently led a group of communicators on a photo walk through the Gardens and that was one of many times that they’ve both made the Duke photo community better.
Sonja Likness, University Communications
I’m very grateful for Sonja’s partnership in co-hosting the monthly AMA series for communicators. Her efforts have made the experience much more enjoyable for all involved and the program has grown since she joined. I also admire her creative abilities and think that the content she creates is great.
She works hard to keep up with the latest social media and video trends and is gracious, generous, patient and skilled in sharing her expertise with communicators across campus. I also appreciate her easy-going personality and sense of humor!
She is such a professional. And while she is in high demand for very important initiatives and messages from the University, she always makes times or incorporates our messaging when she can. She produces the Duke Social Group which is such a big help for us “out in the field”. She is so knowledgeable and even-keeled. A great leader!
Laura Brinn, University Communications
I abandoned my team for a month to go consult in China at DKU, and it just so happened that my team was already down in numbers. Laura picked up nearly all of my job duties for me, in addition to her regular job duties, so that I could focus on my work in China. She’s my hero, and she deserves alllll of the props for her hard work!
Laura did three jobs for several weeks when her office was between social media coordinators and another social media expert was away in China on an extended assignment. I honestly don’t know how she manages to get all her work done.
Kyle Fox, Student Affairs
There’s more to Kyle than meets the eye. That’s the first thing I want other communicators to know. He’s smart and strategic and creative, and he’s collaborative and generous and genuinely curious about you and your work and what you do and what you’re trying to achieve and what could be possible. He’s observant. He is thoughtful and he is kind. I appreciate all that he does, all that he brings, and all that he sees as possible. I really appreciate how he makes the people around him feel like we’re something special. It takes a special person to do that, and that’s why I’m nominating Kyle. Thanks.
Alison Jones, University Communications
She is an incredible storyteller and always willing to share her craft and offer advice.
Sarah Dwyer, Office of the Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies & Bass Connections
Sarah was involved in my interview process. Once I was on board, she immediately invited me over to her shop to discuss DIBS and Bass, and share what she knew about how the two programs collaborate. She also had suggestions for graphic design software. I appreciate her outstanding professional abilities AND her personal warmth and willingness to share. She is a gem!
Shout-out to Sarah Dwyer, fearless leader of the Interdisciplinary Communicators group! The meetings she facilitates help us to learn from one another, share ideas, and discover useful university programs and channels. I truly appreciate the thoughtful approach and boundless energy she brings to our work together.
Karl Bates, University Communications
Well, I can’t exactly compete with AAAS (thought that was TOTALLY deserved), but I can say how much I enjoy working with Karl around neuroscience research and other DIBS-related items. He is an ace writer and editor, with a gift for candor without being Grinch-like (nod to the season!). He has been generous with his time and insights and I am so glad to call him a colleague!
Geoffrey Mock, University Communications
This time of year, it’s hard NOT to feel a sense of gratitude for the entire Duke Communicators community! I’ve known Geoffrey for years and worked with him while at the then-Sanford Institute, and now at DIBS. He is quietly effective, always working behind the scenes to produce an outstanding Duke Today. I am so happy to once again call him a colleague.
Geoffrey juggles assignments and requests from leadership, faculty and beyond everyday with dedication and competence. He has a genuine concern for the well-being of his co-workers, whether it’s talking about home life or how to fix a photo you’ve incorrectly sized in the CMS. He also leads the communicators’ monthly feeding at the rescue mission, and even maintains the official ONC bird feeder. If anyone at Duke deserves a halo, it’s G-Money.
Andrea Martin, Tori Hall & Jennifer Kornbluth, Community & Family Medicine, Ophthalmology, and Neurobiology
These three amazing women graciously assisted me when I was tasked with creating an online newsletter with a very short deadline. I was fairly new to Duke and never used the technology suggested for our newsletter. Each person met with me individually and offered their guidance, experience and helpful hints. I communicated in person, via email and phone with each of them. Miraculously met my deadline because of them! I will forever be grateful for their willingness to assist me.
Tori Hall, Ophthalmology
Tori has been EXTREMELY helpful and generous with her time, information, and experiences about many facets of the communications job. Getting a sense of the role she plays for her department and for some specifics about newsletters and sources has been very timely for me to present ideas to my department. I greatly appreciate her willingness to help!
Greg Whitaker, Communications Services
I’m not sure on who would be eligible for the award, but I’d nominate Greg Whitaker for CommuniGREATER award if he is eligible. His extraordinary efforts helped Duke meet Tier 1’s November deadline for Duke’s Web Accessibility Guidelines. He owns more Tier 1 websites than anyone else at Duke. His efforts take “other duties as assigned” to the next level 🙂
Julie Schoonmaker, University Communications
Julie is the consummate professional who brings both mad skills and a cheerful disposition to Duke every day. Working with Julie on any project, however challenging, is always a joyful experience.
Stephanie Scheller, School of Nursing
Stephanie has been with our team for just over a year. This was her first job in the Marketing and Communications field and she has done an excellent job of making a mark on our team. She has taken over our social media channels and has done a superb job in increasing engagement and adding life to this channel of communication. And even with her daily activities, she still finds time to volunteer and engage in other areas of our community, such as with a committee here within the School to help victims of the recent Hurricanes. And her own family, who live on the coast, were affected. I just wanted to submit her name to say thanks and job well done!
Wendy Hower, Nasher Museum
Wendy runs a stellar marketing/communications shop at the Nasher, and she always has time to give her fellow colleagues advice or a cheer!
Keith Lawrence, University Communications
Keith directs media relations, a task that has grown exponentially as media has become larger and less held in by boundaries. He is tireless in his dedication to his role and to Duke. The university is really lucky to have him.
Katy Clune, Office of the Vice Provost for the Arts
Katy’s energy and dedication in her still-newish role as the arts communicator has really given the arts office at Duke a huge boost. She’s doing a terrific job.
Jonathan Lee and Sam Huntley, University Communications
Jonathan and Sam are some of the hardest working people in communications showbusiness. Bring the new brand guide and communicator toolkit online was a lot of heavy lifting on their part. They deserve the recognition for being rockstar coworkers. Duke is lucky to have them.