Admissions & Aid Staff

Todd walks with current and future church leaders as they discern their vocation, helps them determine if theological education at Duke Divinity is a part of their calling, and then helps them figure out how to fund their education. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, Todd has served as a community pastor at the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Downtown and has also planted a missional house church in Durham, N.C. Todd attended college at Olivet Nazarene University and has an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School and a M.P.A. from NC State University. Todd is married to Laura, and they have two young daughters.

Morgan Hendrix
Director of Admissions Operations

Morgan is here to help prospective students travel on their path through all stages of the admissions process. She is a native North Carolinian with more than 15 years of admissions experience. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and holds a master’s degree from Duke University. Morgan and her family are members of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Durham.

Minoka Gunesekera
Senior Admissions Officer

Born and raised in Blacksburg, Va., Minoka now calls Durham home. She received her B.A. from Virginia Tech in 2013 and has worked for residential life both at Duke and Virginia Tech. She received her M.Div. from Duke Divinity School in 2017 and was involved in campus ministry and interfaith work. Minoka looks forward to helping prospective students find their home at Duke Divinity School. She hopes to using her background and experience at Duke as a resource for prospective students who are considering a journey in theological education.

Ashley Cross
Admissions Officer

A native of Spartanburg, S.C., Rev. Ashley Cross has lived in North Carolina since 2011. She earned a B.A. in political science and philosophy at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2015. She earned her M.Div. at Duke Divinity School in 2019, having concentrated her studies in Christian education. Ashley is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and can often be found with a latte and a smile. She was ordained in 2019, and currently serves as a children’s minister at Union Baptist Church here in Durham, N.C. Her belief that faithful Christian witness promotes individual and world transformation motivates her to aid those who are interested in pursuing a theological education and those called to vocational ministry. Ashley is enthusiastic about working with prospective students who are interested in Duke Divinity School.

Brandon Holmes
Admissions Assistant

Originally from Chapin, S.C., Brandon moved to the Durham area after receiving his B.A. in religion from Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. Following a few years working as a barista in downtown Durham, Brandon is happy to call Duke Divinity School home. Brandon also calls Dirty South Improv Theater home, and he has been performing, coaching, and teaching improvised comedy there since 2011. He lives in Durham with his rambunctious dog, Miso. Brandon loves meeting new prospective students and helping them discover what Duke Divinity School has in store for them.

Kinsley Whitworth
Admissions Assistant

Kinsley Whitworth lives in Durham with her husband and over 450 books. She received a B.A. in English literature and philosophy from Taylor University, and an M.A. in literature from DePaul University, which means that she has spent her adult life reading and writing. She is particularly motivated by partnering with people to make their goals and visions into a reality and, more specifically, to come alongside prospective students as they begin their journey at Duke Divinity.

Cassandra joined the Office of Financial Aid as the director of financial aid in the spring of 2014. She has more than 20 years of financial aid and higher education experience, and previously served as the associate director of financial aid at Fayetteville State University and senior account executive for Sallie Mae Incorporated, providing higher education institutions with funding and technology solutions. Cassandra also previously served as director of financial aid for Duke's Fuqua School of Business.