News

Culture shapes how people move through the world, what they value, and often, the career paths they pursue. Three leaders from across Duke celebrated how culture has influenced their own experiences both professionally and personally during ¡DALHE!’s, Hispanic Heritage Month event on September 22. “Sometimes you have a big dream, but you don't know how to get there. Having events like this really helps people see the next steps they could take, and learn about potential pathways,” said, Magaly Guerrero, leader of the employee resource group ¡DALHE!  

Duke Health joined the Durham community to celebrate Pride: Durham, NC 2026. Duke showed its support at the event’s Pride Vendor & Food Truck Rodeo held at Durham Central Park on September 27.

Elizabeth Ramirez-Washka, JD, associate general counsel for Duke University and Duke University Health System, credits her grandparents with teaching her to work hard, value education, and pay it forward. Those lessons have guided her from advocating for her family while growing up in Texas to creating opportunities for others at Duke and beyond.

Bryan Sexton, PhD, chief wellness officer for Duke Health Integrated Practice, shares simple, research-backed practices that can improve well-being, reduce burnout, and fit into even the busiest schedules.

Victor Ayeni, MD, a resident in Duke’s Internal Medicine Residency Program, is bringing fellow residents closer to Durham — one connection at a time. Since arriving in 2024, he has helped residents engage with the community through hands-on service, creative programming, and meaningful partnerships.

Medical student Daniel Yang is building community through movement as president of Medicine in Motion. Through events that bring together students across Duke’s health professions programs, he is creating space for connection, wellness, and shared purpose.

The pandemic changed the way we work and relate to one another, bringing burnout and stress for many — effects that linger years later. In 2023, a group in the Duke Department of Pediatrics came together to do something about that. They were determined to find better ways to help people feel connected, build relationships, and address conflict, laying the foundation for what has become the Restorative Practice Ambassador Program.

The Duke University School of Medicine has announced the 2026 Michelle P. Winn Inclusive Excellence Awards honoring individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to inclusive excellence over the past year. 

They may lead different employee resource groups (ERGs), but Magaly Guerrero and Antonio Jones share a similar vision for what belonging at Duke can look like. It’s a vision that will guide them as the newly named leaders of Duke University School of Medicine’s two ERGs.

Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke, focuses on how the trauma of incarceration — whether from flooded cells during climate disasters or the “extreme deprivation” of solitary confinement — shapes people’s health long after release.