One Duke, Many Voices,
Shared Purpose
One Year In.
Forward Together.
Welcome back to INSIGHTS, the annual gathering of Duke’s Professional Communicators: the writers, strategists, designers, marketers, and storytellers shaping Duke’s voice.
The purpose at the heart of INSIGHTS hasn’t changed: connecting those who carry Duke’s voice across our schools, units, and Health System entities. This year, we continue what we started. We gather to learn from one another, recognize the work that elevates Duke’s voice, and strengthen the connections that make every part of our work stronger.
Wednesday
September 30, 2026
Penn Pavilion
Open for Nominations:
Annual INSIGHTS Awards
Award Categories
Submit a nomination
Deadline: Friday, July 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST.
Showcase your work
Beyond the INSIGHTS Awards, we’re inviting Duke’s communications community to share photos, short videos, and team moments that capture our work in action. Selected submissions will be featured throughout the Summit.
Share:
- Standout photos of your work in action
- Team moments or celebrations
- Short videos (under 30 seconds; clips welcome)
Deadline: Friday, July 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST.
Your submissions become part of the Summit story, spotlighting the people, projects, and everyday work shaping Duke’s voice.
Volunteer to Support the Summit
The Summit comes together with the help of communicators across Duke. If you would like to lend a hand, let us know below and the planning team will follow up with details.
Volunteer by Friday, July 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST.
A Look Back:
2025 Communicators Summit
Meeting the Moment—Together.
Thank you to the more than 200 communicators, marketers, and public affairs professionals who joined us for the inaugural INSIGHTS Summit. It was a day dedicated to connection, collaboration, and inspiration across the Duke community. Special Thanks to our sponsor, Duke Health, for making this very special day possible.
The power of communication is realized when we come together to inform, inspire, and shape what comes next.
Frank TramblE, Vice President, Communications, Marketing & Public Affairs
Highlights from the Day
Opening Fireside Chat: President Vince Price and VP Frank Tramble launched the summit with a candid conversation about the evolving role of communications and the power of telling Duke’s story with clarity and trust.
Blueprint Series: We heard rapid-fire talks from leaders and communicators across Duke, each offering fresh perspectives on strategy, leadership, and innovation:
- Antwan Lofton, Duke Human Resources
- Fedor Kossakovski, Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs
- Kirsten Khire, Director, Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs
- Beth Berg, Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs
- Dave Hart, School of Medicine
- Stephanie Lopez, Duke Health
- Julie Schoonmaker, Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs
- Stephanie Worrell, Duke Health
Keynote Address: Dr. Aaron Dinin delivered an electric session on social media strategy—challenging us to think differently about how we build audiences, spark authentic engagement, and push Duke’s storytelling into new spaces.
INSIGHTS Awards: We closed the day by celebrating excellence across our community, with peers lifting up peers in recognition of extraordinary work.
Watch the Keynote Session
In a world of constant creation, attention spans are shorter than ever. So how do you make people care? Dr. Aaron Dinin, a professor in Duke University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship department, delivered this powerful keynote at the Communicator INSIGHTS Summit.
Dr. Aaron Dinin
Senior Lecturing Fellow, Duke University
Highlights of the creativity, campaigns, and storytelling produced by communicators in schools, departments, and units all across the university.
Duke leaders share their appreciation for the communicators who elevate stories, strengthen connections, and make the university’s mission visible every day.
Celebrate Our Awardees
Meet the winners of the first-ever INSIGHTS Awards, honoring excellence, ingenuity, and collaboration in communications across Duke.
The Emerging Communicator Award recognizes someone who has made a quick, meaningful impact through fresh ideas, strategic thinking, or early leadership.
Winner:
Alainna Liloia
AI Communications Manager, Learning Innovation & Lifetime Education
The Institutional Impact Award honors long-standing service with deep commitment, continuity, and sustained excellence in advancing Duke’s communications mission.
Winner:
Andrea Martin
Associate Dean for Digital and Brand Communications for the School of Medicine Strategic Communications Office
The Excellence in Digital Storytelling Award honors outstanding use of social media or digital platforms to engage, inform, or inspire audiences in innovative and effective ways.
Winners:
Connor Dunlap, Jeannie Naujeck, Maria Muniz, Valerie Marino
Duke Law Communications and Marketing
The Strategic Ingenuity Award recognizes a creative campaign or communications project that achieved outsized results with limited resources. It celebrates smart strategy, clever execution, and adaptability.
Winner:
Jennifer Carpenter
Associate Director, Marketing, School of Medicine
The Cross-Campus Catalyst Award goes to someone who exemplifies collaboration across departments, units, or teams to drive forward integrated communications efforts and shared institutional goals.
Winner:
Denise Miner
Sr. Digital Analyst, Duke Health Marketing and Communications
The INSIGHTS Vanguard Award is given to a standout communicator whose work best exemplifies the spirit of the Duke INSIGHTS community.
Winner:
Stephanie Lopez
Director, Communications and Marketing, Duke Health
The INSIGHTS Summit was a powerful milestone for communicators at Duke University. Bringing colleagues together across schools, departments, and disciplines fills me with gratitude—I’m inspired by all that we will continue to create, together.
Pamela Gibbs-Smith, AVP Operations and Strategy | Chief of Staff, Communications, Marketing & Public Affairs
See the Day in Photos
Explore our photo gallery capturing the people, energy, and moments that made the day unforgettable.
