CCFP 25th Anniversary Spotlight: Q&A with Barbara Pollock

As part of the Center for Child and Family Policy's 25th Anniversary celebration, we are honoring faculty, researchers, and staff who have contributed to the Center's work, culture, and impact.

Barbara Pollock was the associate director for administration at the Center from its founding in 1998 until 2017, and played a key role in the Center's development and growth.

Read on to learn more about her career with the Center, memories of shared service, and favorite children's books.

What year did you start working at the Center for Child and Family Policy and how long did you work here?

I began my role as associate director for administration in December 1998, a week or two before Center Director Ken Dodge moved to Durham. Being part of a startup, particularly one dedicated to children and families, was a perfect fit for me!

In August 2017, I transitioned to a part-time position as a research associate alongside Ken, who had stepped down as Center director. I retired from Duke in December 2018.

Can you briefly describe what the Center was like when you started working here?

We initially operated from temporary space in the Sanford Building while a section of its library was being renovated into suitable offices for our small core team: Ken, a staff assistant, two research scientists, and myself. The staff working on the Durham site of the FAST Track project, which had been ongoing since 1991, joined the Center and were housed in offices above the shops at Erwin Square.

As we secured additional funding for various projects, our team expanded. By fall 1999, we had opened a suite of offices on the second floor of Bay C in the Erwin Square Mill Building.

What were some of your earliest memories of joining the Center?

After seven years at Duke, my new role with the Center was an exciting opportunity to apply my existing skills while also learning new ones. As we were just getting started, I was deeply involved in every aspect of the Center's operations, including finances, grants management, communications, event planning, HR, policy development, and managing our certificate program.

I thrived on the variety of tasks, but I was also grateful when funding from the University and various grants allowed us to bring on additional administrative support.

What parts of your career with the Center make you proudest to look back on?

I am extremely proud of the grants management system and the team I assembled to assist faculty with submitting funding requests and managing awarded grants. Additionally, I collaborated with the Social Science Research Institute to establish their grant office. When the University decided to centralize grant services across Arts and Sciences, SSRI ultimately inherited the Center’s team.

I am also proud of my work in developing systems and procedures for hosting a wide range of Center events, including conferences, lectures, certificate graduation ceremonies, School Research Partnership poster events, staff meetings, and holiday gatherings.

What’s one of your favorite stories or memories from your years at CCFP?

With over 60 employees working on Center projects across three different locations, both on and off campus, I always valued the chance to come together for social events. These included our annual holiday party, baby and wedding showers, and Thanksgiving lunch with our Sanford School colleagues.

We also fostered community through various service opportunities, such as delivering Meals on Wheels, building a Habitat for Humanity house, and cleaning up K-ville after the Duke-Carolina men’s basketball game. Additionally, our team once renovated a reading room at the Families Moving Forward house in downtown Durham, where we painted, made curtains, reupholstered furniture, and collected books.

How did the Center change during your time here?

With strong University support and external funding, we experienced rapid growth. Before long, our yearly grant funding exceeded $7-8 million, and our staff included researchers, database analysts, interviewers, and project coordinators, along with faculty fellows from various departments across the University and the medical center. We established the North Carolina Education Research Data Center, hosted Family Impact Seminars, and developed the Child Policy Research undergraduate certificate. Our events featured notable figures, including a Nobel Prize-winning economist and five U.S. Secretaries of Education, among others. One of our most successful initiatives was Family Connects International, a nurse home visiting program that has since transitioned to a non-profit organization.

What’s one of your favorite local restaurants and what is one of your favorite things on the menu?

Our former Center colleague, Lynda Harrison, and I enjoy lunch at Catrina’s Tequila & Taco Bar in Mebane about 4-5 times a year. Lynda joined the Center as a Staff Assistant and worked closely with Ken and me for many years before retiring from Duke. Now in her early 80s, I am deeply grateful for our enduring friendship!

What was your favorite game as a child?

Baseball. I grew up cheering for the Phillies and often asked my dad to hit balls to me in the backyard when he got home from work. I played first base on my high school softball team.

Can you tell us a bit about your family?

I am the oldest of five sisters, and despite our busy lives, we remain close and continue our weekly Zoom calls, a tradition we started during Covid.

I have two amazing children. My son lives in Charlotte with his wife and their 13-year-old daughter, while my daughter resides in Mebane with her husband and their two children, an 11-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter.

What is your favorite children’s book and why?

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey is a favorite book that my mother read to my sisters and me. The beautiful illustrations and suspenseful storyline left a lasting impression. As a pre-teen, I was also an avid fan of the Nancy Drew series, which captivated me with its intriguing mysteries.

What’s something people might not know about the Center that you would want people to know?

The Center is an exceptional place to work, as demonstrated by the fact that many researchers and staff have been with us for over a decade. This enduring commitment speaks volumes, especially considering the nature of our 'soft' funding.