The Climate Leaders in Residence program brought three top thought leaders to Duke in 2024-2025 to help advance climate solutions:
- Alison Taylor, then chief sustainability officer at ADM, joined Duke in August 2024 for a 15-month residency hosted by the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability. Taylor, a Duke alumna, is working with faculty across several Duke schools on projects at the intersection of business, regenerative agriculture and nature. She is also engaging with students interested in her business, law and policy experience and advising Duke administrators on campus sustainability.
- Jessica Castner, Ph.D., RN-BC, a distinguished expert on nursing and health policy, began a yearlong residency at Duke School of Nursing in March 2025. Castner is working alongside health system and university leaders to systematically assess and refine Duke’s climate and health strategy. Among other projects, Castner is developing educational resources to strengthen student and faculty competence with environmental health nursing science. Castner is also serving as a Duke ambassador at prominent nursing and health policy events.
- Victoria Salinas, a globally recognized leader in climate resilience, risk reduction and disaster recovery, began a yearlong residency at the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Nicholas Institute in June 2025. In addition to mentoring students, the former Federal Emergency Management Administration official is focusing on unlocking new pathways for financing community climate adaptation and accelerating deployment of breakthrough resilience technologies. This work spans from developing investment-ready pilots in North Carolina to creating frameworks and tools that better connect climate solutions with resources to scale them.