Faculty and staff from the School of Medicine and Duke Health are among the recipients of the prestigious 2025-26 Duke Presidential Awards.
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 of Duke’s 2025-26 Presidential Awards faced moments of crisis, embraced new work challenges, piloted major projects and helped people excel. While the accomplishments differ, the winners are united in their commitment to upholding Duke’s shared values.
The five individuals and two teams among this year’s Presidential Award winners were selected from nominations from across the university and health system. They 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. on March 17 at Page Auditorium. A reception will follow at Penn Pavillion.
Presidential Award winners from the School of Medicine and Duke Health include:
Duke University Hospital Flood Response Team
On December 24, 2024, an 18-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 Thomas A. Owens, MD, 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.”
Kathryn M. Andolsek, MD, MPH
In over three decades at the Duke University School of Medicine, Kathryn Andolsek, MD, MPH, has worked to expand opportunities and enhance academic rigor. A professor in the Department of 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 Edward Buckley, MD, 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.”
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, Bridgette Kram, PharmD, BCCCP, FCCM, 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 Daniel Gilstrap, MD, 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.”
You can read about all of the 2024-25 Presidential Award winners in Duke Today.