Trinity announces two new members of Senior Leadership Team

Trinity College Dean Gary Bennett has announced two new members of the college’s Senior Leadership Team. Staci Bilbo, Haley Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, will serve as senior associate dean for research and Sten Swenson has joined Duke and Trinity as associate dean for technology strategy and solutions.  

Swenson began his new role on Monday, Aug. 24, and Bilbo will begin her service on Sept. 1.  

Staci Bilbo, Senior Associate Dean for Research 

In this role, Bilbo will lead Trinity’s research enterprise, working across the college’s three divisions to strengthen support for faculty scholarship and expand research opportunities for students. She’ll build on the strong foundation that Scott Huettel established as the inaugural senior associate dean for research, carrying forward both near- and long-term research priorities. 

Bilbo brings a strong record as a researcher, collaborator and academic leader. Her work looks at how the immune and endocrine systems interact with the brain to shape health and behavior, particularly during critical periods of development. Her research has helped clarify the role of microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells, in brain development, and how early-life experiences and environmental conditions can shape later outcomes in neural function, mood and cognition. 

A member of the Duke faculty from 2007 to 2016, Bilbo returned in 2019 as the Haley Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience. She also holds School of Medicine appointments in Neurobiology, where she’s been interim chair since December, and in Cell Biology and Integrative Immunobiology, and she’s a faculty network member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. Earlier in her career, she was director of research for the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. 

“Staci’s work reflects the kind of interdisciplinary ambition at the heart of Trinity’s research mission,” Bennett said. “She understands both the opportunities in front of us and the real challenges faculty face pursuing ambitious work: finding collaborators, securing external support, navigating research resources and creating meaningful roles for students. I’m confident her experience across Trinity and the School of Medicine, and her commitment to mentorship and collaboration will serve our faculty and students well.” 

Bennett noted that as Trinity’s second research dean, Bilbo will follow in the excellent path carved out by Huettel, who has provided strategic leadership to enhance Trinity’s research enterprise. “Scott has worked diligently to help ensure faculty have the tools they need to succeed, with a particular emphasis on building community and connection among junior scholars.,” Bennett said. “We will continue to benefit from Scott’s wisdom and expertise in his new role as Trinity’s social sciences dean.” 

Sten Swenson, Associate Dean for Technology Strategy and Solutions 

As associate dean, Swenson will lead Trinity's technology strategy, working closely with faculty, staff and our partners in Duke's Office of Information Technology, to keep our technology services and investments aligned with the college's priorities. 

Swenson returns to Duke after technology leadership roles at UNC-Chapel Hill and, most recently, North Carolina State University. He brings deep experience leading enterprise technology initiatives, building strong teams, and translating institutional priorities into workable technology strategy. 

“Everyone who met with Sten during the interview process noted his energy, his collaborative approach, and his ability to build trust across an organization,” Bennett said. “Paired with his strategic sense and familiarity with Duke, that made him the clear choice to lead Trinity's technology organization into its next chapter.” 

Swenson succeeds Ed Gomes, whose leadership and partnership helped shape Trinity’s technology organization over many years. Ed oversaw information technology planning, services, resource allocation and integration for over 80 departments, programs and institutes. “He leaves a deep legacy over his 40 years of service, and I am deeply grateful for Ed’s contributions and for the strong foundation he leaves behind,” Bennett said.