Class Notes

1960s

1968 
Harry Hollines (BS ’68) has been selected for the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame class of 2026. Harry was an All-American basketball player for the Pioneers in 1967 and 1968. 

1980s

1982 
Eric Friedman (BA ’82), president of Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey, was awarded the Booker T. Washington Education Award from the NAACP Metuchen Edison Area Branch. Eric was recognized for his commitment to providing transformational educational opportunities for all members of the community. 

1988
Linda Conrad (BSBA ’88) has joined Adient in Plymouth, Michigan, as vice president of financial planning and analysis and investor relations.

1990s

1994 
Scott Campbell (JD ’94) has joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC’s Denver office as “of counsel” in the litigation department. Scott focuses on energy and natural resources litigation and has successfully litigated multimillion-dollar cases.

 

1994 
Paul Upsons (JD ’94) has joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC’s Denver office as “of counsel” in the firm’s energy and natural resources department. Paul has expertise in closing transactions and litigating cases involving water law, zoning, and land use.

1998 
Adam Agron (JD ’98) has been appointed to the University of Denver’s Board of Trustees. He is a shareholder in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck’s Corporate & Business Department. Adam is a founding member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Sturm College of Law. He has served on the Law Alumni Council and taught business and corporate law as an adjunct professor at DU.

2000s

2000 
Imran Khan (BSBA ’00) has been named a 2026 Horatio Alger Award recipient. The award honors leaders who have overcome significant adversity, achieved remarkable success, and demonstrate a deep commitment to expanding educational opportunities. Imran is the founder and chief investment officer of Proem Advisors. He was inducted in April in Washington, D.C. 

2001 
Rachel Keith Espinosa (BSBA ’99, MS ’01) was named National e-Sports Coach of the Year. Rachel coaches middle and high school esports at STEM School Highlands Ranch. 

Donna M. Stewart (JD ’01) has been appointed by Gov. Jared Polis to the 23rd Judicial District Court. Previously, she was a magistrate in the 18th Judicial District.  

Jennifer Viehman (JD ’01) has been appointed by Gov. Jared Polis to the 4th Judicial District Court. Previously, she was the chief deputy district attorney in the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

2002 
Christy Belz (MSW ’02) was named a 2025 Girl Scouts of Colorado Denver Woman of Distinction. Christy is a leadership and empowerment coach, author of the book, “Oh God of Second Chances, Here I Am Again,” and a TEDx speaker. She serves on various community boards and helps others navigate transformation with purpose.  

Amy Dissmeyer (MA ’02) has been named director of the Great Falls Public Library in Great Falls, Montana. 

Melissa Haapala (JD ’02) has been promoted to director of the Electronic Practice Group at Sterne Kessler, an intellectual property specialty law firm in Washington, D.C.

2003 
Justin Kidd (BA ’03) received the Marion County Bar Association’s Carson Award for his service to the community, in recognition of his sustained commitment to public service. Justin is a justice of the peace in Marion County, Oregon. 

2005 
Christina Papantonakis (BS ’05) has been appointed the Southern Colorado faculty executive associate director for the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. She will serve as a key liaison between Colorado Springs faculty and Department of Pediatrics leadership.

Jeremy Wescoat (IMBA ’05) has been appointed chief financial officer for EEI, a facility systems consulting firm. Jeremy has nearly 30 years of experience in finance, accounting, operations, and administration in the professional services, consulting, and global communications industries. 

Annemarie Vaccaro (MA ’05) shares stories of individuals with disabilities in her new book, “Disability Life Stories: Unfiltered Voices on School, Family, Career, and Finding Purpose.” Over the past 10 years, Annemarie met multiple times with individuals who shared deeply personal accounts of their everyday experiences from childhood through adulthood. 

2006 
Mark Hensley (BA ’06) has worked as a biostatistician for a contract research organization, analyzing safety outcomes in pharmaceutical trials. He started a biostats consultancy firm that designs and analyzes clinical trials for medtech companies. Mark also teaches piano and plays in small classical piano groups in the Seattle area. 

Bianca Miyata (JD ’06) has joined Denver-based law firm Olson Grimsley as an associate attorney. 

2008 
Aaron Ambrose (JD ’08) and his law firm Ambrose Lazarow received recognition for their work with Pay4Leads during the 2025 M&A Advisor Awards Gala in New York City. The award was presented in the “Debt Financing Deal of the Year” category. Aaron is a corporate and M&A lawyer, and a founding partner and co-chair of the Corporate Group at the boutique law firm. 

Spence Henderson (BS ’08) uses geographic information systems technology to map the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus, where he is a project manager in the facilities department. This work ensures the campus map is accurately reflected on all platforms, including Google and Apple Maps. 

Caroline Morrissey (MA ’08) has been named executive director of the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England. For nearly a decade, Caroline worked in post-conflict zones across Africa, most recently serving with the Carter Center in Liberia.

Kerry Roets (MA ’08) has been appointed to the Preservation Buffalo Niagara Board of Directors. Kerry has more than a decade of experience in real estate taxation and historic tax credits. In her new role, she will help identify, protect, and promote unique architecture in Western New York. 

Aaron Vandeford (MBA ’08) has joined RAD Intel as director of investor relations. Aaron has nearly 20 years of experience in investor relations, strategic finance, and capital markets. 

2009 
George Towers III (BSBA ’09) has been appointed director for the Southern California market for UBS Global Wealth Management U.S. He leads the La Jolla and downtown San Diego offices. 

2010s

2011 
Jesse Masloski (EMBA ’11) left corporate banking in 2024 to pursue a career as a financial advisor. He now is part of a private client wealth management practice in Denver recognized by Forbes and enjoys helping people across the U.S. define and accomplish their dreams. 

Katherine Ntiamoah (MA ’11) has joined the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University as director for policy engagement and strategic partnerships. Katherine is a distinguished U.S. diplomat with nearly two decades of experience in international affairs, public diplomacy, and strategic communications. 

2012 
Michael Ceilley (MBA ’12) has joined the University of Florida Athletic Department as the school’s first deputy athletics director and chief commercial officer. Michael previously was vice president and general manager of partnerships and media sales at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. 

2013 
Will Hanisch (JD ’13) was recognized as one of the top entertainment lawyers in the country by The Hollywood Reporter. Will is the managing partner at Greenroom Legal, an entertainment law firm.  

Tracy Moe (MS ’13) is the customer care/warranty manager for DR Horton Colorado. Tracy completed an addition and renovation of a vacation rental in Roatan, Honduras, by managing the construction remotely from Colorado. 

2014
Nick Ota-Wang (MA ’14) was appointed in October to the Colorado Historical Records Advisory Board by Gov. Jared Polis. He will serve until September 2029.

2016 
Jane Michalakes-Gunning (JD ’16) has joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC’s Denver office as an associate in the litigation department. Jane has expertise in professional liability claims, having litigated complex insurance defense and construction cases for nearly a decade. 

2018
Scott Caulfield (MA ’18) has joined Norwich University athletics in Northfield, Vermont, as the first director of strength and conditioning. Scott previously served as director of strength and conditioning at Colorado College. 

Christian Donato (BA ’18) has joined Begley Law Group in Morrestown, New Jersey, as an associate.  

Marlee Lewis (MA ’18) was promoted to major in the United States Army Reserve. 

2019 
Olivia Mendoza (JD ’19) was named executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado.

Melissa Peterson Schneider (PhD ’19) has served as the first female superintendent of the Parkway School District in Chesterfield, Missouri, since July 2025. The district serves approximately 17,000 students and is the second largest in St. Louis County.  

2020s

2020 
Peter Christopher Case (BA ’01, MBA ’20) has been selected to the 2025 Marquis Who’s Who, based on his position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field. Since 2020, Peter has served as the senior manager of strategic investments at Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, Texas.  

2023 
Nicki Bailey (MS ’23) has been named assistant director of hotel operations at The Mill at Zehnder Park in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Nicki has extensive hospitality experience including at Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth and the Walt Disney Company. 

Lucy Richardson (BA ’23) and Chris Fazzari (BA ’23) both worked on Get Loud Radio Lounge, a new podcast series from Youth on Record. The duo recorded artist interviews at the Underground Music Showcase mainstage in collaboration with Indie 102.3. Lucy was a producer, host, and engineer, and Chris was a host and camera operator. 

2024 
Ivan Nunes (MS ’24) passed the Certified Energy Manager exam and is completing work experience requirements to officially become a CEM. Ivan currently is an energy sustainability project manager working to maximize efficiency and demand-side decarbonization in Denver.