Our Team

Sh’Maughn is a National Certified Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate and has experience in working in various higher education based settings, as well as community work related to mental health. He has worked with the student body of NC State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as well as the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Sh’Maughn has a specialty in individual, family and couple’s counseling and is also an Imago trained practitioner. Throughout his collegiate and work experiences, he developed a passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for various cultures and analyzing ways to improve programs to advocate equality for underserved communities. It is with pride, he engages in a holistic approach to assist all communities in learning of their values, interests, skills, transferable skills and overall self-components to make informed decisions around careers and life. He enjoys helping students maximize their skills and values to make themselves marketable for their desired careers.

Raised in eastern North Carolina, Shakeerrah received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from North Carolina A&T State University. While attending East Carolina University, she received her dual Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Vocational Evaluation. Her desire to guide the next generation of practitioners led her to pursue her PhD in Counselor Education.

Before joining the Career Center, Shakeerrah worked for over a decade in a variety of settings, including community rehabilitation programs, government agencies, and higher education. She reveled in roles as a vocational assessment specialist, learning disability specialist, and licensed clinical mental health counselor. Shakeerrah has supported a very diverse population with vocational assessment and career development needs.

During her time at Duke, Shakeerrah has supported students in the residential quads with advising, programming, and connecting with campus resources. She remains committed to enhancing student wellbeing and is excited to continue this work through experiential learning and professional development opportunities. In her free time, Shakeerrah enjoys spending quality time with her family, getting lost in a good book, writing poetry, cooking, impromptu beach trips, and continuing to build her Lego collection.

Shakeerrah has completed the following trainings:

• Racial Equity Institute
• Duke P.R.I.D.E. Training
• Asexuality 101
• Pronouns Primer

Sandhya grew up in California and received their bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California. They have always been greatly invested in supporting and growing their community, and helping people flourish as the best versions of themselves. As Program Coordinator in the Career Center, Sandhya hopes to be able to continue to do so and mitigate the barriers to career and academic success faced by many students, especially those with marginalized identities, through events, outreach, support, and curating other resources. In their free time, they enjoy anime, K-pop, many aspects of transformative fandom, learning new languages, writing fiction, and digital art. They also miss dance and baseball greatly and hope to reconnect with both in the future.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Rachel earned an undergraduate degree in education with a minor in psychology. A former NCAA student-athlete, she went on to teach in the public school system. After completing a combined M.S./Ed.S. program in Counseling and Human Systems, she worked for more than six years at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, helping military service members navigate their career transitions.

Rachel is National Certified Counselor^TM (NCC^®) through the National Board for Certified Counselors as well as Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA) in the state of North Carolina. She is currently a doctoral candidate at NC State, pursuing her Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education.

Rachel has experience working in nonprofit and government sectors as well as primary, secondary, and post-secondary education. Additionally, she has experience with entrepreneurship and maintains a small private practice.

Trainings Rachel has completed:

• Duke P.R.I.D.E.
• UndocuAlly
• Neurodiversity at Duke
• Racial Equity Learning Arc
• Asexuality 101
• Trans 101
• Racial Equity Institute Groundwater Training
• Antisemitism 101

A native of Dallas, North Carolina, by way of Long Island, New York, Nicole (she/her/hers) received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Elizabeth City State University in 2006 and a Master of Science in Athletic Administration from North Carolina Central University in 2010. She currently serves as Associate Director, Career Readiness.

While pursuing her Master’s at NCCU, Nicole held multiple roles within the Athletic Department as the Graduate Intern later transitioning to a full-time position as the Athletic Academic Advisor and Champs Life Skills Coordinator. This would lead to a 16-year career within Collegiate Athletics working with HBCU, DII, DI, Mid-Major, and Power 5 institutions. In 2018 she joined the Georgia Southern Athletic Department as the Associate Director of Student-Athlete Services working as the primary academic advisor for the Men’s Basketball and Men’s Soccer programs and assisting the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Services manage day-to-day operations of the program.

With extreme excitement, Nicole is excited to continue to fulfill her passion for being a servant leader to students. In her free time, she dreams of becoming a contestant on The Great British Bake Off and is always in the kitchen baking. A lover of nature, if Nicole is not in the kitchen, she is outside soaking up as much sun as possible or finding new foodie spots!

Michael Rudisill—known as Rudi, a nickname given to him by his fifth-grade football coach – has been at Duke since the fall of 2021. He has worked with students ranging from first‑years to PhD candidates, specializing in healthcare and biomedical science career pathways. Prior to Duke, Rudi spent 11 years at Campbell University as an athlete, volunteer, student, and employee. A three‑time Campbell graduate, Rudi loves getting lost on hikes in the North Carolina mountains, cheering on the Carolina Panthers, and spending time with his wife, son, and dog.

He enjoys working with students and draws on his counseling background and M.Div. training to engage questions of purpose and fulfillment, all while helping students discover what brings them joy in their pursuits.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman.

In addition to healthcare, Rudi has a background in college athletics, religion (M.Div), and counseling. Rudi has completed the following training opportunities while at Duke: Mental Health First Aid, Duke P.R.I.D.E., and UndocuAlly

Career Communities: Business, Finance & Consulting | Data, Technology & Engineering 

Originally from the Buckeye State, Mariah attended The Ohio State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She continued her education at Clemson University where she earned her Master of Education in Counselor Education/Student Affairs. While at Clemson, she worked in the Michelin Career Center as the Graduate Assistant for the Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program. It was during that time that her passion for early talent programs began to flourish. 

Mariah joins the Duke Career Center from Zoom Video Communications, where she worked as a University Technical Recruiter for the Global Emerging Talent (GET) Program. She is excited to utilize both her corporate experience and institutional knowledge to create a seamless recruitment experience for Duke students and Employers.

When she isn’t working, Mariah enjoys trying new recipes, listening to podcasts, and spending time with friends.

Prior to coming to Duke in September 2015, Marcus served 22 years in the Marine Corps. While serving, his duties included a myriad of responsibilities ranging from communications and information systems to administration and logistics. He currently serves as the Administrative Assistant to the department and provides support to the Career Center Senior Leadership staff, including the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Fannie Mitchell Executive Director, and Associate Directors.

Career Communities:  Discovery & Exploration; Education, Government, Nonprofit & Policy Career Community

Role:  Employer Relations

Specialty Areas:

• Employers: Assistance with Early Talent Engagement, Recruiting Resources and Services, Internship Program Development, and recruitment within Education, Government, Nonprofit & Policy industries
• Students: Summer Internship Funding for Undergraduates, Professional Development Funding for Interview Attire

Leigh Ann Muth-Waring joined the Career Center in July 2013 with a background in career coaching, employer relations, academic advising, academic policy, and teaching. She is a member of the Employer Relations team and serves as the primary liaison to organizations that offer internships, early talent opportunities, or exploratory programs for first-year and sophomore-level undergraduate students. In this role, Leigh Ann works with organizations from all industries and locations. She also acts as a knowledge source for companies that are in the beginning phase of developing their internship program, as well as organizations that have established programs. Additionally, Leigh Ann is the co-liaison for organizations within the Education, Government, Nonprofit & Policy sectors. She is available to assist employers with recruitment strategy, student engagement opportunities, campus and virtual interviews, and promotion of internships and professional-level positions to the Duke community.

Along with her Employer Relations teammates, Leigh Ann is a resource to employers who are seeking insight regarding benchmarking, program development, compensation guidelines, campus branding, and recruitment strategies. In addition, Leigh Ann also oversees the operations, application and selection processes, and assessment of the Career Center’s Internship Funding Program and the Professional Development Fund.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Leigh Ann earned her Bachelor of Science in Child Psychology from Clarion University of PA and her Masters of Arts in Higher Education/Student Personnel from Slippery Rock University of PA.  Outside of work, Leigh Ann loves spending time with her husband and two children, traveling, gardening, cooking, and live music.

Since joining the Career Center in Spring 2020, Kai has enthusiastically served in multiple different roles across the department. As the Assistant Director for the Entertainment, Media & Arts Career Community, Kai works to develop and deliver training, content, resources, and events emphasizing the entertainment industry by effectively utilizing e-learning to educate, empower and support students in their intentional professional development.

Though the responsibilities and focus of his roles have changed over his time at Duke, at the core of his work is his desire to bolster the center’s mission to provide students and alumni with guidance highlighting the iterative nature of self-awareness, options knowledge, decision making, and career readiness processes across academic disciplines. A responsibility well-fit to his background in student affairs spanning across housing and residence life, student leadership, and university admissions.

Kai received his B.S. in Geography, B.S. in Community & Regional Planning, and certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from Appalachian State University and his Master’s degree in Youth, Family, and Community Sciences from North Carolina State University. In his free time Kai enjoys spending time with family, listening to music, streaming the latest media content, and engaging the Durham community through participation on a local commission.

Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Jared earned his MA in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership from Tufts University. Before joining the Duke Career Center, Jared worked to provide holistic care to first generation, low-income, and students with undocumented status at Tufts University’s FIRST Resource Center. 

As the Associate Director, Early Engagement, He is responsible for creating enrichment opportunities and access for all student populations at Duke. In this role, He will work closely with Student Leaders, Cultural and Identity Centers, and various offices tasked with supporting these student communities to enhance the resources for and experiences of career readiness and preparedness for Duke’s student communities. 

Jared strongly believes that supporting students starts with a holistic approach to their needs. He considers his work a supplemental support to every student’s eventual success. Outside of work Jared enjoys visiting new restaurants, reading, yoga, and dancing.

Trainings completed at Duke: Mental Health First Aid, Trans 101, Antisemitism 101, & UndocuAlly

Hal (he/him) is committed to supporting Duke’s global community. He develops programming and resources to enhance career readiness for international students, Duke Kunshan University students at Duke, and students interested in career opportunities beyond the USA. He collaborates closely with the Duke International Student Center, Duke Visa Services, and other global offices on campus to develop expertise in the specific career needs of international students.

Before joining the Career Center, Hal served as a Senior Program Coordinator with Duke’s Office of Global Affairs, where he managed international partnerships and initiatives. He received his MA in German & Higher Education Administration from Washington University in St. Louis, where he developed an institutional roadmap for supporting students underrepresented in study abroad programs. Prior to his master’s studies, he was a United States Teaching Assistant for the Austrian Ministry of Education in Vienna, Austria.

No preparation is needed to meet with Hal! Whether you are just getting started with your career journey, feeling lost or confused, have a quick question, or need assistance in weighing options, he is eager to collaborate with you.

Trainings completed at Duke: Antisemitism 101, Asexuality 101, Immigration Basics, Mental Health First Aid, Muslims & Islamophobia in the US, Pronoun Primer, Strengths Profile Strengthener, Trans 101, Veteran Advocacy Training

Degree: BA, Education and History, Le Moyne College; MS, Higher Education Administration, Syracuse University, School of Education

Hi, I’m Greg! My college journey was anything but a straight line—I changed my major three (okay, maybe four) times. As a first-generation college student, I had no idea what kinds of careers were even out there. But somewhere along the way, I discovered a passion for helping others learn, and that led me to a degree in History and Secondary Education.

I originally hoped to jump right into higher education, but without a grad degree, options were limited. So, I found myself teaching 7th grade Social Studies. That job came with more stories than I can count—some heartwarming, some hilarious, and some downright wild—but it confirmed something big: I was meant to be an educator.

Since then, every role I’ve had has involved teaching in some form. My path’s taken me from colleges across upstate New York (Le Moyne, Syracuse, Colgate), to New England (RISD and Tufts), and eventually down to Durham, NC, where I landed at Duke in 2020.

At Duke, I wear a couple of hats: I’m the Executive Director of the Career Center, and an Instructor in the Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) program. One of my favorite Duke roles is teaching Design Your Duke Journey—a course that helps first-year and sophomore students apply design thinking to big life questions, like: “How do I know I’m on the right path if I’m not totally sure where I’m going?” (Spoiler: it’s okay not to know yet!) It’s fun, eye-opening, and I’d love for you to join.

Outside of work, I’m a big fan of exploring Durham—especially its food scene. I love cooking (and eating), walking through the gardens or downtown, and cheering on the Blue Devils at every chance I get. I grew up in upstate New York, so I’ve definitely had my fill of snow. These days, my happy place is anywhere near water—be it an ocean, lake, or stream. On Saturdays, you’ll probably find me browsing the Durham Farmer’s Market, and on Wednesdays, grabbing dinner at Geer Street Garden with friends. Come say hi!

Fun fact: One of my all-time favorite gigs was being “Scooch,” the mascot for the Syracuse Mets (formerly the Syracuse Chiefs), a AAA baseball team. I got to be as goofy as I wanted while bringing laughter and energy to the fans—a perfect fit for someone who loves to make people smile.

Grace Athy (she, her, hers) is an Assistant Director in the Duke Career Center and works with the Business, Finance, and Consulting Community. She is joining Duke with over four years of experience within Career Services. Most recently, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, within Kenan-Flagler’s Business School and University Career Services.

She achieved her BSW from Spring Arbor University and shortly thereafter, her MSW from the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley. She is originally from Michigan, but has since lived in many other states, such as South Dakota, Texas, and now North Carolina. Prior to her time at UNC, she worked at the University of Texas at Austin within the Moody College of Communication as a Career Coach for the Radio-Television-Film department. (Fun-Fact: One of the professors within the RTF department is actor and UT alum, Matthew McConaughey, whom Grace was able to meet during a staff meeting).

She is passionate about equipping students for success within their future careers and empowering them during their educational journey. When Grace isn’t working, she loves trying new foods and spending time outdoors with her husband, Calvin, and dog, Rocket.

Trainings Grace has completed:

• Duke P.R.I.D.E
• Strengths Profile
• Racial Equity Learning Arc
• Antisemitism 101
• Trans101
• Pronoun Primer: A Path to Inclusion

Christina Plante (she, her) is an Assistant Director of Employer Relations and manages Duke career fairs and new employer outreach for

• Energy, Environment and Sustainability
• Entertainment, Media, and Arts
• Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Design

She has 10 years of experience in career services and focuses on employer development. Most recently, she was the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Design Community Manager where she coached students interested in startups.

Christina joined the Career Center staff in August 2014 and advised master’s students in the Pratt School of Engineering. Here she managed job search work groups and predominantly coached international students through recruitment in the U.S. In August 2016, Christina transitioned to advise first years and sophomores on the undergraduate team. In this role, she developed strategy, branding, and programming for the “First Year Initiative.”  She then managed the Science and Sustainability Career community where she coached students interested in research, energy, and environment. Christina also helped lead a sophomore women’s first-generation, low-income career development group for 4 years.

Christina received her M.S. in Counseling with a concentration in College Counseling and Student Development at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also holds a B.A. in Psychology from North Carolina State University.

During her free time, you can catch Christina practicing yoga, playing beach volleyball, or enjoying the outdoors with her family and dog.

Trainings and certifications completed:

• Duke PRIDE
• Trans 101
• Antisemitism 101
• Been Here, Still Here: Muslims and Islamophobia in the U.S
• Racial Equity Institute Groundwater Training
• Mental Health First Aid Certified
• Strengths Profile Certified

With experience ranging from advisor and instructor, program developer, and employer relations, Catherine (she/her) joined the Duke Career Center in 2019. As an Assistant Director, she oversees assessment projects and data management. She also manages the Data, Technology & Engineering Career Community including advising undergraduate and graduate students with interests across all areas. Catherine grew up in Seven Lakes, NC. In her first career as a licensed K-12 School Counselor, she worked at the middle school and district levels in Albuquerque, NM, with a focus on college and career readiness. Career development and education remained a primary focus for Catherine as she transitioned to Higher Ed career services in 2017 at UNC Chapel Hill. A fan of music, podcasts, food, and sewing, Catherine is always interested in discovering new bands, shows, and restaurants. Feel free to share your favorite listens or local eateries.

Carl Thompson, a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Economics from Argosy University.

Before joining the Duke Career Center, Carl accumulated over seven years of experience in higher education, serving as a Career Services Director at Alamance Community College and as a Student Services Coordinator across various institutions. His earlier career includes roles in the private sector as a Professional Development Specialist and as a Career Specialist with the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

In his current role as the Senior Career Specialist for the energy, environment, and sustainability community, Carl has committed himself to building strong industry connections and gaining valuable insights that directly benefit the students he supports. Beyond his specialized focus, Carl is passionate about providing comprehensive life and career guidance to all Duke students. He thrives on helping individuals identify and achieve their strategic goals while emphasizing the importance of motivation and self-care throughout their educational journeys.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Carl enjoys reading historical fiction, playing the piano, cheering on the Carolina Panthers, and spending quality time with his loved ones. His diverse interests and experiences contribute to his well-rounded approach, making him an invaluable asset to the Duke community.

Originally from Winston-Salem, NC, Ängela received a Bachelor of Arts in Athletic Training from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2005 where she was also a Student-Athlete on the Track & Field Team. She continued her education earning a Master of Science in Athletic Administration from North Carolina Central University in 2007. During her time as a Graduate Assistant, she had dual roles within the Sports Medicine and Compliance units of the athletic department. After completing her studies, she worked with the NCCU Student-Athlete Academic Support Services. Her interest in student academic success and development propelled her into academic advising and program development for first time freshmen, sophomore, and transfer students. Ängela joins us from North Carolina Central University where she most recently served as interim Academic Advising Coordinator. Ängela truly enjoys engaging with students assisting them in creating their pathway of success and seeing them reach their full potential. Ängela is also a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and when not working she enjoys traveling (especially to a beach), crafting, going to an athletic event and spending time with family and friends.

Originally from Trenton, NC, Alicia attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where she earned her Bachelor of Art in English. Her undergraduate years were a pivotal moment in her life as she navigated college as a first-generation student. While at A&T she had the pleasure of being a part of student groups and pledging Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She continued to further her education and has earned a Masters of Business Administration in Human Resource Management from Strayer University and a Masters of Career Counseling & Placement from North Carolina Central University.

Prior to joining the Career Center, Alicia worked at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment as a Career Coach and at Duke University’s Career Center as an Undergraduate Career Counseling Intern. Before beginning her career in higher education, she spent over 10 years working in private sector organizations fulfilling customer interfacing roles.

Alicia loves helping people explore, reflect, and identify and accomplish their goals. When she’s not working, she enjoys taking peaceful walks, spending time with her family and friends, exploring new places, and watching movies.