Directory

Jessica Sperling, PhD, serves as the Director of Applied Research, Evaluation, & Engagement in Duke University’s Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) as well as the Office of Evaluation and Applied Research Partnership, a partnership between CTSI and SSRI. She is a mixed-methods evaluator and applied researcher dedicated to informing and improving initiatives through responsive and collaborative research, evaluation, and research/practice partnership.

Jennifer joined Duke CTSI in May 2017 as the nurse practitioner supporting research studies for the Duke Kannapolis office and Project Baseline Health Study team. Her prior nursing career spanned 15 years of cardiac critical care, including 3 years of virtual intensive critical care experience.

A native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Sydney joined the CTSI in December 2019. She works with the Integrating Special Populations core under the direction of K.K. Lam, PhD.

Prior to joining CTSI, Sydney worked as a consultant for Bohn Epidemiology where she collaborated with stakeholders to help produce manuscripts for several global pharmaceutical and biotechnical companies that required both strategic and project-focused work. Additionally, she helped enforce protocol and study report designs while assessing project work of other consultants.

In addition to her CTSI role as Co-Director of the Clinical Research Networks Pillar, Ms. Sutton is Assistant Dean, Clinical Research Initiatives and Alliances, in the Duke School of Medicine (SOM). She works closely with the Vice Dean of Clinical Research and other executive leaders to implement institutional initiatives in clinical research across the School of Medicine and in partnership with other Duke University entities.

Laura P. Svetkey, MD MHS, is Professor of Medicine/Nephrology, Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Diversity in the Department of Medicine, and School of Medicine Faculty Ombudsperson. She is also the Director of Duke’s CTSA-sponsored internal career development award program (KL2) and the Investigator Development Core of Duke’s REACH Equity Disparities Research Center.

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine

Dr. Swaminathan serves as the faculty director of the Clinical Data Research Networks (CDRN) program at Duke. In this role she helps the Duke research community leverage the CDRN program assets, that range from tools to assist with recruitment of study participants through longitudinal data collection using the PCORnet common data model. Her goal is to increase efficiency in community engaged research at Duke.

Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

In her role as program director, Terri manages physician-scientist pathway programs, the Office of Physician-Scientist Development (OPSD) Scholars concierge career mentoring program, and the Fund to Retain Clinical Scientists--among other contributions.

As Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Thomas leads the School of Medicine’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and serves as a key advisor and partner to the Dean to advance the School’s goal of cultivating an inclusive, welcoming, respectful and supportive working and learning environment. Dr.