Duke BME Contacts
Administration

Chris Clark
HR Specialist
As the HR Specialist, Chris manages all payroll efforts for the department. She serves as a point of contact with new hires to provide information and answer inquiries regarding various payroll/HR policies during the onboarding process. Advises faculty, staff, and management on policy guidelines and eligibility criteria to include instructions and guidance regarding submission timelines. Also, she manages leave of absence applications and determinations for the department.
1439 Fitzpatrick Center
919-668-8009

Timothy Fields
Human Resources Manager
Timothy partners with the leadership team to understand and execute the organizations human resource and talent strategy particularly as it relates to current and future talent needs, recruiting, retention, and succession planning. Timothy leads and directs the routine HR functions of the department including hiring and interviewing staff, advises departmental management and faculty on pay issues, personnel problems, classification issues, performance appraisal, visas, employee relations issues, and/or grievances and determination of appropriate disciplinary actions.
1438 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5945

Sylvia Harris
Staff Assistant, Purchasing & Reimbursements
Sylvia is the primary point of contact for all corporate corporate card processes (corporate card setup, expense processing, resolving problems). She also coordinates AP check processing and all types of reimbursements.
1450 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5134

Rachel Karatz
Staff Specialist, Coulter Program
Rachel provides administrative support for the Duke-Coulter Translational Partnership director and associate director and assists the project leaders as needed. She tracks the budgets of Duke-Coulter projects and coordinates partnership events and meetings, including travel arrangements & reimbursements.
262A Hudson Annex

Alice Kessing
Staff Specialist
Alice manages all front office processes (greets & directs visitors, distributes mail and packages) and assists with corporate card expense processing and reimbursements. She is the first point of contact for scheduling BME conference rooms.
1427 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5131

Xavier Larkin
Program Coordinator, Duke Center for Quantitative Biodesign
Xavier makes operational and programmatic decisions that have a significant impact on the achievement of the Duke Center for Quantitative Biodesign. In his role, Xavier plans, coordinates and administers activities of assigned programs, including developing and implementing procedures, processes, services and systems within the Center.
(919) 660-5131

Michaela Martinez
Department Science Writer
Michaela works with faculty, staff and students to create a range of news and feature content to highlight departmental initiatives in research and education.
1453 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5155

Ellen Ray
Business Manager
Ellen oversees all the non-academic business activities of the Biomedical Engineering Department including finance, budget, personnel, space, academic support, visas and policy interpretation.
1429 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5122
Degree Programs

Beverly Gedvillas
Staff Specialist, MS and MEng Programs
Beverly provides administrative support to the Director of Master's Programs, and she serves the students by advising about course schedules, coordinating events for the master's community and connecting students with academic and career resources for continued advancement. Bev is the first point of contact for all BME master's students, MEng Committee and the Pratt master's programs, and she tracks student compliance for departmental and Pratt requirements and coordinates intern experiences.
1434 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5132

Danielle Giles
Program Coordinator, Sr., PhD Program
Danielle provides administrative support to the department’s PhD program. This includes assisting the Director of Graduate Studies, developing the graduate program budget, managing all recruitment activities, managing databases, and developing surveys. She coordinates all financial awards processes and ensures graduate student compliance with academic requirements. She is the primary point of contact for all PhD students.
1451 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5590

Cynthia Meade
Staff Specialist, Undergraduate Program
Cindy provides administrative support to the Director and Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies and provides support to the curriculum and associated committees. She assists with the development of the BME course schedules, maintains the undergraduate handbook, and faculty advisee assignments. Cindy coordinates undergraduate student events and assists prospective students with campus visits.
253 Hudson Annex
919-660-5133

Jamel Forbes
Staff Specialist, PhD Program
Jamel serves as the graduate staff specialist. He assists with the Duke BME PhD program through planning, coordinating, and administering activities.
1452 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5131
Grants & Contracts

Lindsay Abbott
Grants & Contracts Administrator
Lindsay Abbott manages pre and post award processes for an assigned portfolio of complex grants and contracts. However, her work is predominantly post-award. She has experience with NIH, NSF, ARO and many other sponsors.

Amberly Adams
Grants & Contracts Administrator, Sr.
Amberly is responsible for managing the department’s training grants, as well as sponsored research grants and contracts directed by the faculty who are principal investigators of the training grants. Responsibilities for all duties relate to pre- and post-award processes.
1452 Fitzpatrick Center
919-681-5067

Natasha Alexandrova
Grants & Contracts Administrator, Sr.
Natasha manages both, pre- and post-award processes for an assigned portfolio of BME faculty that include complex grants and contracts, multiple sub-awards and/or multi-investigators with the School of Medicine. As a part of the pre-award management, Natasha participates in submission of proposals for any sponsor, and her post-award management includes activities such as effort distributions, progress reporting, tracking expenses, summer salary payments to the faculty from the list of her assigned portfolio.
1440 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5522

Gina Briscoe
Grants & Contracts Administrator, Sr.
Gina Briscoe manages pre- and post-award processes for an assigned portfolio of grants and contracts. However, her work is predominantly post-award, with a concentration on proposals with multiple sub-awards and/or multi-investigators with the School of Medicine. She also serves as an informal consultant to all BME labs for procurement issues.

Sophie Cheng
Grants & Contracts Administrator, Sr.
Sophie manages both, pre- and post-award processes for an assigned portfolio of BME faculty that include complex grants and contracts. Her pre-award work has a concentration on proposals with multiple sub-awards and/or multi-investigators with the School of Medicine, and complex proposals (DARPA, ONR and International Foundations). Sophie’s post-award work includes all aspects of grants management activities such as projection report, effort distribution and RPPR submission.
1441 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5420

Erica Clayton
Grants & Contracts Manager
Erica provides supervision of the BME department grant personnel and their activities. This includes the assignment of faculty to grant manager portfolios based on the level of grant/contract complexity and the expertise of the grants staff. She tracks all grant compliance issues, and provides valuable input to the business manager on a wide range of grant related issues. In addition, Erica manages a portfolio of the most complex grants and contracts and takes the lead in resolving all difficult granting issues.
1437 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5121


Maria Scripa
Grants & Contracts Administrator
Maria manages pre- and post-award processes for an assigned portfolio of complex grants and contracts. Her work has a concentration on proposals with multiple sub-awards and/or multi-investigators with the Duke School of Medicine, and complex proposals (DARPA, DOE, International subcontractors).
Room 1427 FCIEMAS
(919) 660-5131

Instrument Design

Steven (Joe) Owen
Instrument Designer
Joe designs and fabricates precision instruments for faculty, research staff and students. He often begins with hand-drawn sketches, and then uses computer numerical control (CNC) software and specialty custom apparatus using a variety of different materials to produce the final instrument.
Room 0003, TelCom Building
919-660-5136
Teaching Labs

Matt Brown
Teaching Laboratory Manager
Matt supervises and coordinates administrative and technical activities of our Teaching Laboratories. His focus is the management and administration of courses related to electronics, signals and instrumentation. Matt also serves as an advisor and consultant for the design related courses.
1205 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-8817

Liz Feeney
Laboratory Administrator
Liz supports undergraduate and graduate level courses in the BME Teaching Labs that span topics including biomaterials, electrophysiology, and biomolecular engineering. Her primary role is to prepare materials for labs as well as maintain lab spaces and equipment.
TBD
919-660-5191

Maggie Gatongi
Senior Laboratory Administrator
Maggie coordinates and performs a variety of administrative and technical activities in support of designated lab courses. The focus of the courses Maggie oversees is quantitative analysis of biological processes for engineering undergraduates. She also maintains the teaching lab equipment and apparatus to ensure adequate quality control
P03A Teer Engineering Building
919-660-5780
PhD Program



Jamel Forbes
Staff Specialist, PhD Program
Jamel serves as the graduate staff specialist. He assists with the Duke BME PhD program through planning, coordinating, and administering activities.
1452 Fitzpatrick Center
919-660-5131
Master's Programs



Undergraduate Program


