The Center for Pathway Programs launched in 2021 as an initiative of the Duke Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. The Center was co-founded by Drs. Tony Fuller and Charles Muiruri. The administrative team includes Dr. Charles Muiruri and Amber Richardson. Contact the team at thecenter@duke.edu.
Amber Richardson serves as interim co-director for the Center for Pathway Programs. Amber earned a BA in Psychology from Duke University and has spent most of her career working for advocacy organizations that address the needs and interests of historically marginalized communities. Prior to joining the Center, Amber led communications efforts at the Center for Native American Youth at The Aspen Institute and Management Leadership for Tomorrow, two DC-based nonprofit organizations. She currently leads the Center by coordinating stakeholder engagement, developing strategies for effective program administration, and guiding the development of The Center’s flagship offering, YOJO. Amber’s role at the Center is heavily informed by her previous involvement with BOOST, a pathway program founded by the late, great Dr. Brenda Armstrong that gets Durham students excited about STEMM. Amber is an alumnus of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, originally from Hollister, North Carolina, and a proud citizen of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe. Connect with Amber on LinkedIn or at amber.richardson@duke.edu.
Charles Muiruri, Ph.D.Charles Muiruri co-founded The Center for Pathway Programs. In addition to his roles as a medical instructor in the Department of Population Health Sciences and Assistant Research Professor of Global Health at Duke, Dr. Muiruri is a visiting lecturer at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College in Moshi, Tanzania. Prior to joining the Duke faculty, Dr. Muiruri worked in various administrative capacities within the KCMC–Duke Collaboration for 15 years. Broadly, his research interests seek to improve the quality of healthcare and reduce disparities for persons with multiple chronic conditions both in and outside the United States. His current projects focus on people living with HIV who have or are at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Muiruri received his master’s degree in public health leadership and a Ph.D. in health policy and management from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. Connect with Dr. Muiruri on LinkedIn or at charles.muiruri@duke.edu.
Tony Fuller, MD, MSc.GHAnthony Fuller, MD, MScGH, is co-founder of The Center for Pathway Programs. Dr. Fuller most recently served Duke as the Director of Research and Uganda Operations for the Division of Global Neurosurgery and Neurology (DGNN), having co-founded DGNN in 2014 as the first U.S. division exclusively dedicated to global neurosurgery and neurology.
Dr. Fuller’s research efforts focused on strengthening and developing health systems in neurosurgery and neurology in East Africa. Publications from this work cover expanding neurosurgery access, outcome assessments from international partnerships and interventions, and epidemiology research on the burden of surgical diseases in low- and middle-income countries. His research has also explored epilepsy in Uganda, with a focus on strengthening health systems through a multi-faceted research approach that uses epidemiology, health facility-based, and community belief research for intervention and advocacy development.
Dr. Fuller plays a pivotal role in several pathway programs at Duke, including the BOOST Program, SALUD, and HPREP. He now serves as founder and CEO of Fuller Health Solutions, where he works to make healthcare systems efficient, accessible, patient-centric, deeply engaged with the communities they serve, and free from inequities. Connect with Dr. Fuller on LinkedIn or at anthony.fuller@duke.edu.
J. Spencer Hauck, Ph.D.Spencer Hauck supports marketing and product development efforts for the Center for Pathway Programs. Spencer earned a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Pennsylvania State University and was thrilled to help raise funds for children with pediatric cancer by standing for 46 hours at Penn State Dance MaraTHON in 2013. After his undergraduate degree, he studied muscular dystrophy for his Ph.D. in molecular biology at The Ohio State University.
Spencer decided to research prostate cancer since his father is a prostate cancer survivor. He started projects in the Duke Pathology Department in 2019 that investigated cellular metabolism to discover new ways to treat therapy-resistant prostate cancer. Spencer identified a method to selectively kill the most aggressive form of prostate cancer and was awarded 2 fellowships during his post-doctoral studies, including a TL1 fellowship through Duke Clinical and Science Translational Institute and a Department of Defense Early Investigator Award. His research efforts have led to 13 peer-reviewed publications.
Spencer joined Duke Clinical and Science Translational Institute in February 2024, and he also supports the Duke Office of Physician-Scientist Development. He enjoys hiking, rock climbing, Brazilian Zouk dancing, and DJing for the local Durham community. Connect with Spencer on LinkedIn or at jsh86@duke.edu.
