The Hart Leadership Program is pleased to announce the selection of new Fellows for the Leadership in Arts Policy Internship – LAPI Program. These thoughtful students will explore the intersection of arts policy and leadership through their experience as LAPI Fellows this year.
Their journey with the gateway course “Arts Policy, Leadership, and Engagement” (PUBPOL 213), taught by Professor Andrew Nurkin. This community-engaged course introduces contemporary issues in US arts policy and cultural sector leadership across various themes. In this course, students will engage with creative institutions, cultural equity and accessibility, creative place-making, community development, and the creative economy. In the summer, LAPI Fellows will further their learning through arts-policy internships and critical reflection, with the opportunity to make their work public when they return to campus in the fall semester.
Introducing the 2026 LAPI Fellows:
Annabel Tang (she/her) is a junior from Richmond, Virginia pursuing an interdisciplinary major through Program II titled Storytelling as Resistance: Healing Cultural and Diasporic Trauma through Narrative. She is interested in narrative and poetry as sites of healing for diasporic communities whose pasts have been made unrecoverable through the archival record. Annabel has spent her summers teaching and organizing youth with the Sunflower County Freedom Project in the Mississippi Delta and doing community health work with Asian Health Services in Oakland, California’s Chinatown—experiences that have deeply shaped her praxis and theory of change. On campus, she is involved in affinity/student organizing spaces and Duke Presidential Ambassadors, and is a student worker for the Hart Leadership Program and Asian American & Diaspora Studies Program. She is excited to learn and grow alongside the other LAPI Fellows this year.
Lauren Huggett is a dedicated advocate for inclusive leadership, gender equity, creative empowerment, and community-driven policy. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Cultural Anthropology with a minor in Economics at Duke University. Lauren’s academic interests center on how equitable policy and cultural understanding can shape stronger, more empathetic communities. A lifelong participant in the arts through music, theatre, and dance, Lauren believes deeply in the power of creative expression to foster confidence, belonging, and self-esteem among young people. At Duke, she continues to explore this connection as a choreographer and teacher for Synergy Dance and as a volunteer with Ballet and Books, a dance and literacy mentorship program serving children in the Durham community. Through the Hart Leadership Program, Lauren hopes to deepen her understanding of how leadership and arts policy intersect, continuing to bridge creativity with social impact.
Mia Paz is a sophomore at Duke University from Miami, Florida, majoring in public policy with certificates in human rights as well as innovation and entrepreneurship. Mia is a singer-songwriter and released her debut album Mia’s World in high school. During her freshman year at Duke, she was signed by Duke’s Small Town Records, leading to the release of her sophomore album Back To Life and performances at campus events including Heatwaves and Welcome Back Bash. Beyond her music career, Mia is deeply engaged in campus leadership. She served as President of East Campus Council freshman year and currently holds the position of Quad Traditions Chair on Few Quad Council. This past summer, Mia participated in DukeEngage in Chicago, working at the Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum and conducting research at the University of Illinois exploring the powerful intersections between community activism and hip-hop culture.
Sarah Campbell Brown is a sophomore from Columbia, SC, majoring in Psychology with a Markets and Management certificate and a minor in Visual Media Studies. On campus, she serves as Head of Communications for the Duke Business of Retail Society, is both a Chapel Scholar and Chapel Ambassador, a Capacious Minds Fellow, a member of Business Oriented Women (BOW), and a writer for The Chronicle. In her free time, Sarah Campbell enjoys spending time at Perkins Saladelia, curating outfits, working on art projects, and attending concerts. She is passionate about the intersection of fashion, design, and sustainability and hopes to explore ethical and innovative solutions through her work as a LAPI Fellow.
Tali Sigal is a junior from New York City double majoring in Theater Studies and Psychology, with a minor in English. She is passionate about creating inclusive theater that represents the human experience, with a particular interest in playwriting. Tali currently serves as the New Works chair for Duke Players, the Chair of Kilgo Quad Council, is a tour guide, and is a Bass Connections student researcher in Fostering Climate Resilience Through Education and the Arts. In her free time, she likes to play guitar, visit Duke’s Puppy Kindergarten, and read.
Yinuo Tong is a sophomore from Beijing, China majoring in Public Policy and Art History. On campus, she is involved with Bench and Bar Pre-Law Society, Duke Tech for Change, DUU Speakers and Stage, and Duke Tour Guide. In her free time, she enjoys reading (especially memoirs), running, and watching musicals. As the daughter of two avid travelers and museum enthusiasts, Yinuo shares her parents’ love for exploration and art, which inspired her to pursue art history. She is particularly interested in the intersection of AI, art, and policy, and is committed to exploring how art can be made accessible to all. She is excited to learn from her LAPI peers’ diverse perspectives on arts and leadership as a LAPI Fellow this year.
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