About Us

Doing Business With Us

Who We Are

The Office of News and Communications is part of Duke's Office of Public Affairs and Government Relations. It works with the news media and others to highlight the activities of Duke's faculty, students and staff, both locally and throughout the world. The office is Duke's hub for campus news and events, scholarship and administrative issues.

What We Do

The staff of the Office of News and Communications interacts regularly with both the news media and members of the Duke community. Its activities include the following:

How we can help you

If you're a member of the Duke community, we're here to assist you with your questions about news and communications. Our staff has long experience working with reporters and planning effective communications strategies. We can help you to:

Develop a strategy for disseminating news about your latest project, book or research.
Respond when a reporter calls you with questions. Click here for tips on working with the media.
Place an op-ed article, following guidelines such as those posted here.

These are just a sample of the services we offer.

How you can help us be more effective

There's a lot going on at Duke, not to mention in the larger world, and it's easy for your event or idea to get lost in the noise. Here are two simple ways you can help the Office of News and Information get your activity the attention it deserves:

Call us. Our first recommendation is the most obvious: Let us know when you're doing something interesting, if you want to be included on our Experts List or if have other news. Don't assume we already know. Someone on our staff is assigned to your office - and we want to hear from you. Click here for details. If you're not sure who to contact, please call 684-2823 or e-mail dukenews@duke.edu.
Call us early. If you wait until the day your article is published or your event is occurring, you're too late. Timing is critical in the news business. The more notice you provide our office, the better we can assist you in coming up with an effective strategy

University publications:

The Chronicle, the student-run daily newspaper
Duke Today for faculty and staff news
Divinity Magazine for Divinity School highlights
Duke Magazine features stories and profiles of exceptional alumni, students and faculty
Duke Law Magazine for School of Law alumni
Duke Research for highlights of research at Duke
Duke University Libraries magazine for faculty members and library staff, members of The Friends of the Library and other libraries
DukEngineer, The, published in December and May by the students of the School of Engineering
DukEnvironment, a biannual magazine featuring research by the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
DukeMed Magazine focuses on trends in clinical care, research and education at the Duke University Medical Center and is published twice a year
DukeMed Alumni News provides news and features about Duke Medicine and its alumni
Inside DUMC newsletter for Medical Center and Health System employees
This Month At Duke is a monthly print publication focusing on upcoming events on the Duke campus. It is distributed on campus and in Durham.
View from the Chapel, newsletter published quarterly for Chapel and Religious Life staff, and Friends of Duke Chapel.
Working@Duke is a monthly publication that aims to inform and inspire university employees. The publication features employee spotlights and stories about benefits, policies, job resources, and university news.
Undergraduate publications overseen by students

Contact Duke News Staff Duke News writers, editors and staff: Alphabetical listing by last name Monte Basgall, Senior Science Writer, eDuke Editor Karl Leif Bates, Manager of Research Communications Maxine Borjon, Administrative Assistant Tamberly Ferguson, Web Producer Steve Hartsoe, Senior Editor Sally Hicks, Senior Writer Camille Jackson, Writer David Jarmul, Associate Vice President of News and Communications Keith Lawrence, Director of Media Relations Sakiya Lockett, Staff Assistant Geoffrey Mock, Manager of Internal Communications Ben Riseling, Web Projects Manager Cabell Smith, Radio-TV Services Manager James Todd, Writer/Producer Stuart Wells, Administrative Assistant
Monte Basgall Senior Writer, eDuke editor Phone: 919-681-8057 FAX: 919-684-5760		Monte Basgall Senior Writer, eDuke editor monte.basgall@duke.edu News Coverage: Chemistry, Computer Science, Geology (Nicholas School), Marine Lab (Nicholas School), Mathematics, Nicholas School of the Environment, Physics, Pratt School of Engineering Background & Experience: Spent 22 years as a daily newspaper reporter at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Miami Herald and Raleigh News & Observer. Was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989-90. Joined the media staff of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington in 1991. Came to Duke in 1992. BA from the University of Richmond. Back to Top
Karl Leif Bates Manager of Research Communications Phone: 919-681-8054 FAX: 919-684-5760		Karl Leif Bates Manager of Research Communications karl.bates@duke.edu News Coverage: Writes, edits and coordinates coverage of university research news from all units, including Arts & Sciences, the Nicholas School of the Environment, the Pratt School of Engineering and Duke Medicine. He also edits Duke Research a monthly online magazine. Background & Experience: Joined Duke in 2007 from the University of Michigan, where he was director of life sciences communications. A 15-year newsroom veteran and member of the National Association of Science Writers, Karl is a former winner of the AAAS science writing award. Back to Top
Photo Not Available Maxine Borjon Administrative Assistant Phone: 919-684-3973 FAX: 919-684-5760		Maxine Borjon Administrative Assistant maxine.borjon@duke.edu Responsibilities: Assistant to David Jarmul, Associate Vice President of News and Communications. Background & Experience: Came to the Office of News and Communications in 2001 after 20 years in the field of developmental disabilities in Missouri and California. 3 years as international trademark paralegal for largest intellectual property law firm on the West Coast. Bachelor's degrees in psychology and business administration. Back to Top
Tam Ferguson Web Producer Phone: 919-681-6740 FAX: 919-681-7334		Tamberly Ferguson Web Producer tam.ferguson@duke.edu Responsibilities: Supports the office of News and Communications in web operations and multimedia production Background & Experience: Arrived at Duke in August 2004 after working as a graphic design specialist for Cutting Edge Information. Tam has worked as a multimedia specialist on several documentary projects including, South Africa: Ten Years On and Life at the End of the Road. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Back to Top
Steve Hartsoe Senior Editor Phone: 919-681-4515 FAX: 919-681-7334		Steve Hartsoe Senior Editor steve.hartsoe@duke.edu Responsibilities: Co-editor of This Month at Duke; edit stories and news releases; write stories on a variety of topics. Background & Experience: Joined Duke in 2008 after 4 1/2 years as an editor-reporter with The Associated Press in Raleigh, N.C., and 11 years as a bureau chief, editor and reporter with newspapers in California, including The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, The Record in Stockton and the Sun-Star in Merced. Back to Top
Sally Hicks Senior Writer Phone: 919-681-8055 FAX: 919-681-7334		Sally Hicks Senior Writer sally.hicks@duke.edu News Coverage: This Month at Duke co-editor, cultural anthropology, documentary studies, Duke Press, education, English, Franklin Center, psychology, sociology Background & Experience: Joined Duke in 2002 after working eight years at The News & Observer as a reporter and editor. Before that, she was a reporter, editor and editorial writer at the St. Petersburg Times. She has a master's degree in journalism from Indiana University and a bachelor's degree in English and modern Greek literature from McGill University. Back to Top
Camille Jackson Writer Phone: 919-681-8052 FAX: 919-681-7334		Camille Jackson Writer camille.jackson@duke.edu News Coverage: African American studies, Asian and African languages and literature, library, political science, public policy, women's studies, photo essays Background & Experience: Joined Duke in 2007 after working as a writer for Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization based in Montgomery, Ala. Before that she worked as a staff reporter at the New Haven Advocate in Connecticut. She holds a master of science degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University and attended Yale University and Southern Connecticut University as an undergraduate. Back to Top
David Jarmul Associate Vice President of News and Communications, Office of News and Communications Phone: 919-684-6815 FAX: 919-684-5760		David Jarmul Associate Vice President of News and Communications, Office of News and Communications david.jarmul@duke.edu Responsibilities: Heads the news service, coordinates campus communications activities and oversees Duke's top-level web pages; news coverage of Trustees, Facilities and Construction, and University Finances and Budget. Background & Experience: Came to Duke in 2001 after working for more than 20 years as a science writer and communications specialist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Academy of Sciences and an international development organization in Washington. Honors graduate of Brown University and former Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal. Back to Top
Keith Lawrence Director of Media Relations Phone: 919-681-8059 FAX: 919-681-7334		Keith Lawrence Director of Media Relations keith.lawrence@duke.edu News Coverage: Oversees media outreach, including university news releases, news tips, expert lists and op-eds Background & Experience: Came to Duke in 1995 after working for 10 years for the Baton Rouge, La., Advocate, the last seven years as assistant city editor. Prior to that, he was a bureau manager for UPI and reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal. Graduate of Bucknell University. Back to Top
Sakiya Lockett Staff Assistant Phone: 919-684-2823 FAX: 919-684-5760		Sakiya Lockett Staff Assistant sakiya.lockett@duke.edu Background & Experience: Arrived at Duke in January of 2008 after 1 1/2 years as a payment processing clerk for a Durham collection agency. Other work experience includes 4 years as a front end processor at BCBSNC and 1 1/2 years as an administrative assistant at Standards Based Solutions-East. She will resume psychology studies at NCCU in the Fall of '08 Back to Top
Geoffrey Mock Manager of Internal Communications Phone: 919-681-4514 FAX: 919-681-7334		Geoffrey Mock Manager of Internal Communications geoffrey.mock@duke.edu News Coverage: Duke Today editor, This Month at Duke co-editor, faculty affairs, teaching issues. Background & Experience: Came to Duke in 1986, serving as assistant editor for the beginning of Dialogue. Became editor in 1987. Previously spent a year at the Have de Grace Record and two years at the Gastonia Gazette. Bachelor's degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Back to Top
Ben Riseling Web Projects Manager Phone: 919-681-8064 FAX: 919-681-7334		Ben Riseling Web Projects Manager ben.riseling@duke.edu Responsibilities: Manager of web operations for www.dukenews.duke.edu and www.duke.edu. Background & Experience: Came to Duke in June, 2002. Previously served as Production Director at Salon.com, and was a Web Development Specialist at Mix Media in San Francisco, California. Ben has a B.A. in American Studies from Wesleyan University. Back to Top
Cabell Smith Manager Radio-TV Services Phone: 919-681-8067 FAX: 919-684-5760		Cabell Smith Manager Radio TV Services cabell.smith@duke.edu Responsibilities: Manager of broadcast services, audio and video producer. Background & Experience: Has more than 25 years' experience in academic and corporate communications, and as a broadcast writer and producer. Came to Duke in 1994 and served as director of communications at the Fuqua School of Business before joining the Office of News and Communications in 1998. Bachelor's degree from the College of William & Mary and a master's from Duke. Back to Top
James Todd Writer Phone: 919-681-8061 FAX: 919-684-5760		James Todd Writer jtodd@duke.edu News Coverage: Economics, history, computer science, math, science and industrial equity; feature writing; audio and video production Background & Experience: Arrived at Duke in 2002 after working as a campaign coordinator at Vote For America and as a production assistant and commentator at WUNC-FM. Worked as a software salesman and holds a bachelor's degree from Duke. Back to Top
Stuart Wells Administrative Assistant Phone: 919-681-8066 FAX: 919-684-5760		Stuart Wells Administrative Assistant stuart.wells@duke.edu Responsibilities: News release production and distribution; news clippings coordinator, including E-clippings; covers Continuing Education Background & Experience: Joined the Duke News Service in 1995 with 16 years of experience as a weekly newspaper editor and reporter. Edited The Apex Herald and The Caswell Messenger. Bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Back to Top

Doing Business With Us

Who We Are

What We Do

University publications:

Contact Duke News Staff

Duke News writers, editors and staff: