Thankful for Three Sanford Leaders

In early May, the Sanford community gathered to honor three longtime leaders: Dean Judith Kelley, Associate Dean for Academic Programs Cory Krupp, and MPP Director of Graduate Studies Ken Rogerson.

These three Sanford leaders are stepping down after six years from these roles at the end of the academic year to return to faculty teaching and research.

Ken Rogerson, Director of Graduate Studies – MPP Program

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Ken Rogerson has been leading Sanford’s largest graduate program, the Master of Public Policy (MPP), since 2018. In honoring Rogerson’s time at Sanford, Phil Napoli, director of the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media and Democracy and Assistant Director of MPP Admissions Mitch Moste offered remarks.

 “Ken has grown and shaped the MPP program, not as artist with their legacy in mind, but with the care of a parent who seeks to ensure their children are taken care of. He has not sought to leave behind a static monument, but to leave behind a nourishing garden that will feed generations of future policy makers to come,” Moste said.

He summed up Rogerson this way: “Instinctively generous. Intentionally compassionate. A mentor. A friend. A guardian of the softest parts of people, and guide to their best selves. It is an honor to have served alongside you. Congratulations. And thank you.”

Cory Krupp – Associate Dean for Academic Programs

Assistant Dean of Career Services and Professional Development Nadia Chamberlin and Assistant Dean for Academic Programs and Student Affairs Jason DeRousie both spoke about the effect Cory Krupp has had on the Sanford School as a senior leader. Krupp has had many roles at Sanford over the years, most recently as associate dean for academic programs for the past six years

“She always tries new initiatives, ideas, and programs, she is never afraid to try new things,” Chamberlin said. “Furthermore, Cory empowered Jason and I and our teams to try new and innovative strategies, approaches, ideas and supported us along the way.”

Together, they shared remarks from students about Krupp:

“She is an excellent academic and exactly the kind of professor I expected to encounter at Duke University!” “She was incredible.” “She was an amazing lecturer… she made things incredibly clear.”

About her leadership, one staff member commented: "Her committed leadership has left a permanent mark, symbolizing a spirit of kindness, professionalism, and unwavering support that has enriched our Sanford community immeasurably."

Judith Kelley - Dean

Judith Kelley, dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy, is stepping down as dean and returning to the faculty at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. Kelley is the ITT/Terry Sanford Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and a Bass Fellow and has served as dean for the past six years.

Bruce Jentleson, the William Preston Few Professor of Public Policy, spoke about the hire of Kelley as a professor at Sanford in 2002. Jentleson remembered that there was great excitement about having Kelley join the faculty because “her work embodies what public policy is all about.”

He then explored the ideas of inheritance and legacy.

“We are celebrating 100 years of Duke University. Judith has tremendous appreciation for what others have done,” he said, adding that Dean Kelley “had respect for the former and is leaving us with the legacy of achievement and commitment to the future.”

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Professor Emerita Helen “Sunny” Ladd called Judith Kelley “a very strong and special person,” noting that under her guidance, the size of Sanford’s MPP program has doubled, and its students have become more diverse.

“I have taken great pleasure in watching her continue to build on the progress of her predecessors by further developing and expanding our programs and enhancing the school’s reputation to the point where we are now one of the top public policy schools in the country,” she said.

Ladd added: “For the first few years after I arrived at Duke, I was the only tenured female in the policy program. Although my colleagues treated me well, it was a challenge at times being the lone woman at our faculty meetings.” Speaking to Kelley she said, “Although the gender mix of the faculty has clearly changed dramatically for the better over time, you deserve great praise for being the first female dean of the Sanford School.”

Professor of the Practice Emeritus Tony Brown said that “in leadership, context matters,” and that Judith Kelley has been an “extraordinary” leader and is leaving the school “extremely well off,” especially considering that she led the school through challenging times, including the pandemic.

He then referenced a book The Gamesman by Harvard Professor Michael Maccoby. The book differentiated between qualities of the “head” (logical, practical, results-oriented, career-oriented, etc.) and qualities of the “heart.”  

Brown said strong-hearted leadership is not coldhearted leadership, nor is it hardhearted leadership. Instead, he said, “effective leadership involves strong-hearted people who combine caring with courage in acting to do what is right.”

“Judith Kelley,” he said, “is an extraordinarily strong-hearted person and her story of developing this leadership quality is remarkable.”