Member PRofile: Leanora Minai
Title and company
Executive Director of Communications, Duke University
Give a brief explanation of your job.
I lead a talented team and oversee the award-winning Working@Duke communications portfolio, which includes a digital news site, weekly e-newsletter, social media, and quarterly print publication that’s mailed home to 35K colleagues. Duke University and Health System is the size of a small city with many city functions, including a public safety unit, transit system, complex utility infrastructure, and more. Through communications, we foster a positive work culture and follow a corporate journalistic approach, connecting employees with news they can use in their work and life and telling real stories about their amazing work that supports Duke’s mission of education, research, and patient care. As part of my role, I also develop and execute strategic communication plans for administrative units at Duke.
How long have you been a member of FPRA and why did you join?
I joined the Orlando chapter of FPRA in October of 2022 after meeting chapter president Jose Luis Dieppa at a networking event. In the summer of 2021, my wife’s career brought us from Durham, North Carolina, to Orlando, where we bought a home. I work fully remote for Duke and enjoy being around people, so FPRA is one way to meet other PR professionals and make friends, too.
What has been your favorite FPRA event or experience so far?
From a personal branding event at Macy’s with stylists and a photographer for headshots to an engaging leadership panel for Women’s History Month, all of the programming has been fun and valuable. Kudos to the Orlando chapter’s events and planning team and Jose Luis!
Tell us about an exciting achievement.
I earned my master’s degree from Duke University in 2021 while working full-time and completed a 188-page thesis, "Fatal Automobile Crashes in North Carolina: A Historical and Present-Day Portrait of Grief."
What was your first job?
I’ve had a few “first” jobs – painting the exterior of houses over one summer, working the drive-thru at McDonald’s over another summer. But my first job out of college was for a newspaper, which launched my journalism career and led to my staff writer role at the St. Petersburg Times (now The Tampa Bay Times).
What's one fun fact about you?
I was born in Africa. From a young age, I lived in Africa and Southeast Asia and have set a personal goal to get my passport stamped annually. This global experience has provided a real-world education and ability to connect and empathize with people.
