Joyce Gordon
she/her/hers
Joyce Gordon
DirectorJoyce Gordon (she/her/hers) joined us as Director for Jewish Life in July of 2018.
As director, Joyce oversees all aspects of the Freeman Center and JLD’s work across campus. She sets the strategy for Jewish Life at Duke, cultivates alumni and parent partnerships through the advisory board, and manages our organizational operations. Joyce also serves on university searches and committees, among them the Campus Climate Committee (co-chair), the Racial Equity Advisory Council, and the Hate and Bias Working Group.
In every aspect of her role, Joyce’s primary focus is advocating for Jewish students at Duke. She loves connecting with students at this formative time in their lives and serving a resource for them on their personal Jewish journeys.
Previously, Joyce served for eight years as the Executive Director of Judea Reform Congregation, a 600+ family Reform synagogue in Durham, and also held roles at Meals on Wheels Durham, Spoonflower, and Duke University Medical Center and Alumni Affairs. Joyce has a breadth of experience in everything from Jewish program development, fundraising, and financial management to mishloach manot stuffing, envelope stuffing, and matzoh and mushroom stuffing.
Joyce received her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her Bachelor of Arts in English from Rice University. She lives in Durham with her husband and her two children, and enjoys reading, quilting, and board games with family and friends.
Students can schedule to meet with Joyce.