By The Duke Chronicle
Publication Date: 2026-05-10 18:51:00
Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, Trinity ‘94, highlighted the power of adaptability and community in her Sunday commencement address to the Class of 2026.
Hood became Microsoft’s first female CFO in 2013 and has more than tripled the company’s revenue in her tenure. President Vincent Price introduced her to a packed Wallace Wade Stadium as a “thoughtful, visionary leader.”
But when Hood stood behind a podium to address the thousands of graduates sitting before her, she did not attempt to offer a foolproof path to success. She instead acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with starting a new chapter.
“Successful careers are rarely, if ever, a straight line,” Hood said. “… All the steps matter, and it took me decades to figure that out.”
When she arrived at Duke, Hood planned to be a biology…
