Getting to Know Mattie Stevenson

Mattie Stevenson grew up in a small town in rural North Carolina, where “everyone knew each other’s business” (in the best way). Today, she says, people mind their own business, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. 

A proponent of “checking in” on people who may need it, Mattie believes you can show concern without being intrusive, and that it’s too easy to miss the signs of sadness and depression. She’s taught her children that the first words out of their mouths when they come home from school should be, “How was your day?” and that you never know how your “hello” or smile can help someone.

There’s no doubt that this attitude of compassion helps Mattie be great at her job as a staff assistant in Duke Neurosurgery, which requires helping patients navigate scheduling with Drs. Rory Goodwin and Muhammad Abd-El-Barr. 

Before coming to Duke, Mattie worked with adults and children with autism at Comprehensive Community Care in Durham. Before that, she spent six years as an administrative assistant at IBM and worked as an online adjunct instructor for Allied University in California. She holds a degree in business from Elizabeth City State University and an MBA from Liberty University. Her journey from college to career was not a direct one, however. After initially leaving Elizabeth City State after the first semester, it would be 10 years before she went back. In the interim, she did restaurant work and served in the military as an aviation operation specialist.

Mattie calls her life an open book – and has published one! From Piece of Mind to Peace of Mind, was written to bring awareness to the importance of mental health. She also speaks on this topic and more, and conducts workshops and networking events.

Share