This year, Teresa Fisher is celebrating 39 years at Duke and 24 years as part of the Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences staff.
A financial management analyst II, Teresa works closely with Beth Glascock, MPA, the department’s vice chair for administration, and Kent Stone, MBA, the associate chief administrative officer, on Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP) payroll and budgets, University financials, faculty compensation, and special projects.
Prior to joining our department, Teresa spent seven years in payroll, five years in accounts payable, a year and a half in the Fuqua School of Business, and a year and a half focusing on budgets and reporting for the now-defunct Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC). Over the years, Teresa has had to become adept at a range of systems and processes—a common challenge across her varied roles that she enthusiastically embraces.
She recently shared some reflections about her time at Duke.
What do you enjoy most about working in Duke Psychiatry?
Life in Psychiatry is never boring! I enjoy the fast-paced work environment and learning new systems. I also really enjoy working with our providers. Our admin team is the BEST!
How has your role evolved over the time you’ve been in Duke Psychiatry?
When I first started in Psychiatry, I was responsible for all of the PDC operations—budgets, payroll, financials—along with University budgets and financials. I was a grants manager for a few PIs for a while. Both the PDC and the grants world were growing, so a new position was created to handle the grants management, and I went back to clinical and university roles. We have seen a lot of systems changes, especially with the shift from PDC to DHIP.
What’s your best memory of your time working in Duke Psychiatry?
I really enjoyed the days when I was in the same office suite as the grants staff on the fourth floor Blue Zone at Duke South. It was a fun work environment and I enjoyed being on campus. I think my favorite part was all of the potluck lunches and birthday celebrations we had—thanks, Bonna Robbins and Kim Caldwell, for all of the yummy cakes and cupcakes!
What has your favorite role been at Duke, and why?
I think my favorite role was the assistant manager for the accounts payable department. I helped to develop, train, and implement an interim system to connect purchasing and accounts payable to bridge the gap until the SAP system was up and running. It was fun but challenging to keep that department running for about 1.5 years until SAP was fully operational.
What brought you to Duke … and what keeps you here?
I moved to Durham to work at Duke in February 1985. The job brought me to Duke, but I have stayed because I love the area. Between Durham, Raleigh, and the surrounding areas, there is a lot to do. It’s also an easy trip to either the beach or the mountains.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
When I’m not working, I’m a pet mom to my two dogs—Roxy is a 14.5-year-old pug/chihuahua mix and Gracie is an eight-year-old French bulldog. I also enjoy line dancing, listening to live music (this area has a LOT of fantastic local bands), eating out, and vacationing at either the beach or the mountains.
Teresa is a wonderful person and amazing team member. She is always at the ready to help and her many years of service at Duke and broad base of experience make her a “go-to” resource. Teresa has a great sense of humor, caring spirit, and a real zest for life!
— Kent Stone, MBA, Associate Chief Administrative Officer
This article is part of a series of spotlights on Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences staff members who have worked at Duke for 30+ years, developed in honor of Duke's Centennial celebration.