Over the years working in faculty development, Jessica Schonberg, M.Ed., has learned that when it comes to creating a sense of belonging in the workplace, connection is key. As director of educational programs in the School of Medicine’s Office for Faculty, Schonberg designs seminars and other events aimed at helping faculty make connections and develop skills that are vital to career development and creating an inclusive work environment.

As director of diversity and innovation in professional pathways within the Duke Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, Tomeico Faison, OTD, OTR/L, is helping future generations of occupational therapists of all backgrounds discover the joys of the profession.

Growing up in the rural South, third-year Duke medical student Dorothy Gheorghiu was often the only Jewish person in her school, her neighborhood, and other settings. These experiences made her keenly aware of the importance of inclusion and belonging, and she was grateful to find a welcoming community when she came first came to Duke as an undergrad. Now as president of Duke’s Jewish Medical Student Association, she is helping other Jewish students enjoy that same sense of community and belonging.

In this month’s spotlight, second-year medical student Samuel Ndukwe discusses his work as founder and president of Duke’s chapter of Black Men in White Coats. He shares how the organization is giving hope and inspiration to young Black men and his desire for the organization to help address the disparity in the number of Black men enrolling in medical school.

Before October 7, 2023, David Hasan, MD, MSc, professor of neurosurgery, never pictured himself doing humanitarian work overseas. But that all changed once the Israel-Hamas war began. The father of a young daughter, he was particularly saddened after seeing children on both sides injured and killed. Hasan, who was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, set out to do whatever he could to help, traveling to Gaza in late 2023 with a group of doctors to perform surgeries.

As a leader with the employee resource group, ¡DALHE!, Dalia Antunez is helping to build community and expand professional networks for Duke’s Hispanic/Latiné employees and allies.

PhD candidate Griffin Carter credits BioCoRE, a Duke program aimed at increasing diversity in the biosciences, with much of his success in graduate school. He has become a leader in BioCoRE, helping recruit future scientists into the program. Also, through his research, he’s working to give hope to people with a deadly brain cancer.

The human brain works in different ways for each of us. But Madhav Swaminathan, MD, professor of anesthesiology, says that shouldn’t be a reason for anyone to feel excluded. Witnessing his autistic adult son thrive as an office assistant at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development has been the motivation behind Swaminathan’s push to create welcoming, inclusive spaces for neurodiverse individuals at Duke.

In this month’s EDI Spotlight, we highlight a group that is working diligently to address the needs and challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community. The Sexual and Gender Diversity Advisory Council (SAGDAC) is a think tank that helps support collaboration and a wide range of innovative LGBTQ+ initiatives across Duke.