Alumni Council

Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Enterprise Programs

Daniels Alumnus, BSBA International Business 2002, EMBA 2017

Tracie Sheppard has over 18 years’ experience leading corporate strategy and enterprise transformation teams across the Fortune 200 landscape, including financial services, non-profits, and service delivery industries. Having received her Executive MBA from the University of Denver in 2017, Tracie has become a trusted thought leader across multiple Fortune 200 companies.

Tracie discovered her passion for combining strategic planning with engagement and inclusion while serving as the Product Manager for a $303M fund of funds for Invesco Private Capital specializing in diverse fund managers and underserved communities. Elevating those in need became increasingly critical to her career when launching Dish Network’s “DISHCares” program to support victims of natural disasters, and the WU Foundation’s Annual Volunteer Campaign; achieving over 90% employee engagement within the community. Tracie also led Western Union's CEX program within AML Compliance; driving Compliance leaders to view regulatory activities through a global customer-centric lens. 

Tracie recently took over the Wells Fargo COO's DE&I Career Mobility program to enhance and elevate the career aspirations of the COO's ~90k employees. Previously she led the Strategic Initiatives Team within Wells Fargo's Corporate Real Estate org. She leads programs focused on diversity & inclusion efforts, mobility strategy, and is passionate about employee experience. 

When not working at Wells Fargo, Tracie can be found serving as Chair of the University of Denver’s Alumni Council, as an active member on the Daniels College of Business Alumni Advisory Board, teaching Corporate Real Estate for the Daniel's College of Business undergraduates, camping and hiking across the Rockies with her amazing husband, Wade, their two amazing daughters and their three dogs, or watching guilty-pleasure home renovation shows.

Michael D. West spent twenty eight years with Arthur Andersen, the last ten as Director of Human Resources, Administration and Recruiting for the Denver office. He was responsible for administrative and financial operations of the office as well as recruiting all new and experienced hire personnel and dealing with employee personnel related issues.  His final act with the Firm involved finding opportunities for almost all of the remaining 600 Denver Arthur Andersen employees, closing the Denver office facility, and having the distinction of being the last Arthur Andersen employee in Denver. Subsequent to the Arthur Andersen experience, Mr. West co-founded a firm providing project and permanent placement opportunities for senior level individuals in finance and accounting.  Moving on from that opportunity, in 2006 he joined Cheyenne Capital/Millennium Bridge Capital and is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of that $1 billion private equity fund of funds and Registered Investment Advisor based in Denver.

Mr. West is a CPA and his business and professional activities include memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants. Civic involvement includes past service on the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of Colorado and on the Board and as Chairman of the Board and Treasurer of Historic Denver, Inc., past service on the Board and as Chairman of the Board of the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants Educational Foundation, past service on the board of the Colorado Society of CPA’s including serving as its chair, on the local and previously serving as chair of the regional board of the American Lung Association-Southwest and at the University of Denver with past service on the Board and as Treasurer and President of the University of Denver Alumni Association, and current service on the School of Accountancy Advisory Board previously as its chair, past service as Treasurer of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity House Corporation and as a current Board member of the Lower Downtown Neighborhood Association. He was appointed by the mayor of Denver to the Lower Downtown Design Review Board and served from 2007 to 2014 and to the Denver Union Station Project Authority Board (DUSPA) in 2008 serving as a board member and as the secretary of the organization during the entire term of its existence. DUSPA was a public/private partnership responsible for the financing and build out of the $450 million Union Station redevelopment project.  For his involvement at the University of Denver, Mr. West was the 2003 recipient of the Randolph P. McDonough Award for Service to Alumni. 

Mr. West was co chair and completed a capital campaign to build a new $3.4 million Kappa Sigma Fraternity house at the University of Denver as well as a $1.2 million campaign to build the scholarship endowment base of the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants Educational Foundation, and served recently as a member of a capital campaign committee raising over $2 million for Historic Denver. Mr. West was the chair for the inaugural Run the Register, an innovative stair climb event raising $125,000 for the American Lung Association –Colorado. He also chaired the second year event attracting over 1,700 participants and raising over $220,000.

Mr. West received a BSBA degree in accounting from the University of Denver.  Upon graduation he joined Arthur Andersen in 1975 and began his career in the audit practice. He returned part time to the University of Denver and obtained and MBA in 1981.

His outside interests include sports, especially baseball and the Colorado Rockies, golf, traveling, real estate, and investing.  His interest in historic preservation led to active involvement with several other partners as pioneers in one of the first redevelopment projects involving conversion of a warehouse space in Lower Downtown into residential lofts and commercial space.  He and his wife Etta reside in another historic Lower Downtown loft project where they were involved in the original design and renovation of their residence.  In 2000, they satisfied a lifetime dream building a log cabin in a remote and scenic setting outside of Fraser in Grand County, Colorado. 

Gayor Geller has been a resident of Colorado ever since arriving at the University of Denver as an undergraduate scholarship baseball player. At DU, he earned a BSBA Finance and several post graduate degrees: Masters International Management, MS Real Estate Construction Management and Juris Doctor. 

For over a decade, Geller has been active in Colorado’s Real Estate Industry both as a broker and as an investor (residential income and commercial properties). One highlight of his real estate career included his conversion of a 1950s garage into one of Denver’s most beloved neighborhood establishments, Maddie’s Restaurant. Today, Geller enjoys a practice that has grown throughout the Front Range and Summit County.

Prior to entering the real estate industry, Geller managed and tour managed national musical acts, promoting special events throughout the country. He was also an adjunct professor at both CU Denver and at DU, teaching Music Business and Sports & Entertainment Contracts respectively. Geller continues to be active in the Colorado music scene with his annual productions of the Last Waltz Revisited, benefitting the Denver Rescue Mission.

A dedicated family man, Geller loves spending time with his wife, Stephanie, their daughter, Maddie, and their son, Asher. He also enjoys Colorado’s outdoor activities such as golfing and skiing.
 

Craig Harrison is the Managing Director of Teton Partners LLC, a diversified investment firm focused on water and natural resources. Prior to Teton Partners, Craig co-founded and sold Hydro Advisors – a water infrastructure firm, HouseFront – a real estate technology company, US Capital – a financial services firm, and Scout Cleaning – a residential and commercial cleaning company. Craig serves on the Board of Trustees for the University of Denver, the Advisory Board for the Denver Art Museum’s Petrie Institute of Western American Art, the Metro Council for the El Pomar Foundation, the Advisory Committee for the Coors Western Art Exhibit, the Board of The Center for Expeditionary Economics, and the Executive Advisory Board for Millennium Bridge Capital and Cheyenne Capital. Craig received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Denver.

Tim Hartwig joined ERES in 2019 serving as Vice President of Property Management, an important leadership position within the Asset, Facilities and Property Management division. In this role he oversees company-wide property and facilities management services across all offices and the full property portfolio, which totals over 4,000 units and four million square feet. Tim has over 20 years of diverse experience in real estate operations, asset management, investment and development. Prior to ERES, he spent ten years as the National Director of Asset Management for University Communities(UCOMM), where he led efforts in operations, asset and risk management, development, construction, due diligence, and financing and investment. Before that, Tim held leadership roles at AIMCO and Archstone Smith. At ERES, Tim is responsible for managing and growing all aspects of property and facilities management business across every market and asset classes. Working closely with the leadership team, he will provide strategic direction for the business line, while ensuring all property performance metrics, occupancy targets and budgets are met. In addition to full portfolio property oversight and leading strong relationships with our clients, Tim will also help develop and grow our team of supporting professionals. He holds a BS in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from The University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. For over ten years, Tim has held numerous certifications and is active in instructing the FEMA Community Disaster Response Preparedness Courses (C.E.R.T) throughout Colorado. In addition, he is the President of the Board of Directors for Spark the Change Colorado, an active Rotarian, chairs the Denver Southeast Club’s Community Service Committee and sits on the Club’s Board, is the Vice Chairman of the Daniels College of Business Alumni Advisory Board, is a Director of the Michigan Technological University Alumni Association Board, and sits on the Arapahoe County Board of Review. Tim has resided in Denver, CO for over 20 years and is married to the love of his life, Jayme.

Donald “Boomer” Hogoboom (BSBA ’74) is a passionate ambassador for the University of Denver – some say he bleeds Crimson & Gold. He and his wife consistently support DU’s student-athletes, holding season tickets for hockey and lacrosse, and he frequently hired students when he owned the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop by campus. His previous professional ventures also include being Senior Vice President of the Koll Real Estate Company, Newport Beach, CA. 

His work and volunteer service benefit disadvantaged individuals in numerous ways. He is the founder of Serena Food Bank and Gardens Food Bank, both in Aurora, Colorado. He also serves on the board of LOCO Foods, a nonprofit farm-to-table business in Fort Collins, and he is a board member and treasurer of VCCA Home Owners Association. Over the past 14 years, Hogoboom has renovated older apartments in distressed locations, earning recognition from the City of Aurora as the “Power of One” for creating housing for at-risk residents.  

In addition to his fervent support of DU Athletics, he has also participated in the Ammi Hyde interviews of undergraduate students, mentored incoming Japanese students and their parents, and served as president of Southern California DU Alumni Club. 

Dr. Matthew Brinton joined the DU Alumni Council in the spring of 2022. He is excited to connect fellow Pioneers back to their alma mater and to create opportunities for network building across the greater Seattle area and the broader DU family. He also currently serves as a member of the development committee for the Seattle Derby Brats, and as a member of the executive committee for District VIII of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. He believes passionately in the importance of educational attainment and growing a network of strongly connected community members and alumni. He credits his DU degree with getting him into a field that he loves.

Matthew is a higher education professional with more than 16 years of experience working in advancement, academic affairs, student affairs, and athletics. He currently works at the University of Washington as the Director of Advancement for the Division of Student Life. In his role he helps lead advancement efforts in support of student access, diversity and success across more than 15 units in the divison. Matthew and his wife relocated to the Seattle area in the summer of 2021 and have a high school aged daughter. Matthew holds a BS in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), an MA in Higher Education with an emphasis in Student Development from DU and a PhD in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership from UNC.

Paul Brooks is a retired professional trombonist and music educator. He is a graduate of East high school in Denver. As an undergraduate at The Lamont School of Music at DU, he was a founding member of the Colorado Brass Quintet, playing bass trombone, along with Lamont Trumpet Professor, Legh Burns, CSU Trumpet Professor, Jacob Larson, CSU Horn Professor Carlberg Jones, and Robert Funk, trombone, also a Lamont undergrad. Paul, as a freelance bass trombonist, was first call in Denver through the 70s, performing for Broadway shows, nightclub acts, The Denver Municipal Band, the Denver Bronco Band, and the Denver Symphony. For 26 years Paul was the bass trombonist for the Central City Opera Company Orchestra. From 1980 to 1985, Paul was the Adjunct Professor of trombone, euphonium, and tuba at the Lamont School of Music. In 1985, Paul started a new career in the Phoenix area as a middle school Band, Music, and Technology Lab teacher, from which he retired in 2004. Upon returning to Denver, he became active with the Lamont Alumni Association, serving as President for three years, and also served  as liaison between the Alumni Association and the Lamont Society Council. Paul is a Past President of the Lamont Society Council.

Paul holds BME and MA degrees from the University of Denver.

David Cable is Vice President, Treasurer of ATI Inc. He is responsible for ATI’s global treasury function including the company’s capital markets activities, bank and rating agency relationships, pension investments, and cash management. He also oversees ATI’s Insurance and Risk function. Dave joined ATI as Assistant Treasurer in 2018, bringing with him over 15 years of treasury and finance experience. 

Prior to joining ATI, Dave was Director, Global Treasury for Walgreens Boots Alliance based in Deerfield, Illinois, where he was responsible for meeting the company’s global funding needs as well as supporting the bank and rating agency relationships. 

Dave also spent 13 years at Western Union based in Denver, Colorado where he held a variety of roles with increasing responsibility.  These roles include treasury, capital markets and investments, M&A, and new product development.  He was integral in financing Western Union as a stand-alone company after its spin-off from First Data in 2006, as well as the 2011 acquisition of Travelex Global Business Payments.  At  $1 billion, this acquisition remains WU’s largest.

Dave graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Youngstown State University and earned an MBA from Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver.  

He has been active alumni with the University of Denver since 2015, having served on Daniels College of Business Alumni Advisory Board. Dave currently serves as Secretary on the Executive Committee for the University of Denver’s Alumni Council. He also serves as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Board of Directors.  Along with his wife Niki and two daughters, Allegra and Teagan, Dave calls Pittsburgh, PA home.

Information forthcoming

Matthew Brochin has worked in the medical device industry for over a decade, with experience in program management and broad technical expertise. He has been employed at companies of varying sizes, ranging from the world's largest publicly-traded medical device company to privately-owned small businesses. A self-described multipotentialite, Matthew has a diverse background in many fields. He believes in the principles of servant leadership, where the leader's job is best performed through serving others. Matthew has extensive experience in mentoring, coaching, tutoring, and consulting others. You can often find Matthew involved with networking and mentoring events with DU students, faculty, and fellow alumni, all in service of lifting others up.

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biological Sciences from University of Denver and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Colorado Boulder. Matthew holds several professional designations and certifications, including as a project management professional (PMP) and board-certified toxicologist (DABT). Matthew is involved in several professional affiliations with other organizations outside the DU alumni council, including global and local nonprofits which drive development of regulations, policy implementation, and corporate social responsibility.

Matthew is always up for learning something new. He enjoys playing the drums at his local church, creating new things, and spending time with his beloved wife and two dogs. 

Judge Alfred C. Harrell received a B.A. from the University of Colorado in 1966.  He commenced the study of law at the University of Denver in 1968. Judge Harrell worked for the United States Veteran’s Administration, International Business Machines and Honeywell Information Systems while in law school.  He graduated from the school’s night division in 1971 and promptly joined his father, Irving P. Andrews Esq. in the practice of law.  He was appointed Judge to the Denver County Court in 1985. He served with distinction 31 years, principally as a trial judge, and retired June 30, 2016. Presently he serves as a Senior Judge for Denver County Court. Judge Harrell is the longest serving Black judge in the history of Colorado. 

Judge Harrell’s commitment to excellence includes seeking the broadest possible view of the legal profession.  Since 1994, Judge Harrell has helped to promote the American Inns of Court system in Colorado.  He has served two terms on the Board of Trustees of the American Inns of Court and is past president of the William Doyle Inn of Court. 

His community activities are devoted to the betterment of society.  In 2014, the Judge Alfred C. Harrell Endowed Scholarship Fund was created to provide scholarship support for graduate students in the Sturm College of Law. In 2017 Judge Harrell cofounded the Symposium on Race. 

Judge Harrell served on the Board of Directors of the Denver Dumb Friends League for eight years, the Board of Governors of the Colorado Bar Association for several terms, the Board of Trustees of the Colorado Supreme Court’s Attorney’s Fund for Clients Protection for eight years and the President’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Diversity at the University of Colorado. He is presently serving his third year on the Board of Directors of Family Star Montessori. 

Judge Harrell has received numerous awards including, the prestigious University of Denver Sturm College of Law’s Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. Alumni Professionalism award in 2016 and the University of Colorado Alumni Association’s George Norlin Lifetime Achievement Award. 

He is a current member of the following bar associations and serves or has served on several committees within those bar associations: the Sam Cary Bar Association, the Denver and Colorado Bar Associations, the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado, the South Asian Bar Association, the Colorado LGBTQ+Bar Association, and the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. 

Information forthcoming

Maggie Kirchhoff (BSBA ‘05) has worked with individuals, people in business and families for many years as a Certified Financial Planner and owns the financial planning firm True North Partners. Her approach has always been comprehensive, as she takes into consideration her clients’ entire financial picture including taxes, insurance, estate planning, investments, retirement planning, and cash flow.

Kirchhoff is a member of the Financial Planning Association, participating in financial literacy campaigns including Junior Achievement, Money Smart Week, and Denver Financial Planning Day, and she also speaks to many different companies about financial planning. She is a published author, a judge for InvestWrite, a board member for the Girls on the Run organization, and a member of the Women’s Estate Planning Council. Kirchhoff is a proud graduate of the University of Denver, where she was a Division I athlete and continues to give back by serving as the chair of the Daniels Alumni Advisory Board and member of the Executive Advisory Board. Kirchhoff continued her academic career in the Accelerated MBA Program at The University of Colorado at Denver.

She lives in Golden and enjoys fishing, skiing, backpacking and any activity off-grid.

Fay Matsukage, one of the first Asian‐American female attorneys admitted to practice law in Colorado, began specializing in corporate and securities law early in her career. She currently practices at the Doida Crow Legal LLC representing both private and public companies with formation, capital-raising, compliance, and exit strategies, and holds a BA summa cum laude from Colorado College and a law degree from the University of Denver.

With a passion to help those of Asian descent in Colorado, Fay was a founding member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado 1990 and a founder of the Colorado Asian Pacific American Bar Foundation, which has endowed law school scholarships at both DU and CU.  She remains an active board member of both organizations.  Fay also devotes time and energy on behalf of the Asian Pacific Development Center, a Denver-based non-profit that serves and supports the immigrant and refugee communities with a whole health, community-based engagement approach through health, education, and advocacy.  She is also the vice-chair of the Sturm College of Law Alumni Council.

Her many honors include the 1999 Trailblazer Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the 2006 Minoru Yasui Community Service Award from the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado, the 2006 Mary Lathrop Trailblazer Award from The Colorado Women’s Bar Association, and the 2010 Outstanding Alumni Award from DU’s Sturm College of Law, and induction to the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 2018.

Andrea retired in 2013 after 25 years with State of Colorado working as a budget analyst with the Colorado Departments of Revenue and Public Health/Environment.  She earned her B.A. in Anthropology and Political Science from the University of Denver in 1985 and her J.D. in 1988, also from the University of Denver School of Law. 

Andrea is an active alum of the University of Denver.  She has been in leadership roles in the Latino Alumni Affinity (since its inception in 2004); she sits on the Chancellor’s Diversity and Equity Advisory Committee (2015 to present); is a member of the Latino Law Alumni Affinity (since its inception in 2016); participates in the Community and Values Initiative (since 2019), was a member of the Alumni Council Task Force in 2019 and is now a member of the newly formed Alumni Council.  She is actively engaged in mentoring and fundraising for the DULAA scholarship.

Andrea was a board member at El Centro Su Teatro March 2014 – March 2020.  She has volunteered with Reading Partners for 4 years at Joe Shoemaker Elementary and was named the 2019 Tutor of the Year for that school.  She has also participated in the Mujeres Valiente (Latino Community Foundation of Denver) program from 2018 to present.

Solomon Malekou (he/him/his) is a 2005 graduate of the University of Denver (B.A. International Studies). A Native of Ethiopia, Solomon came to America as an International Student to attend DU. He found out about DU when a recruiter from the International House showed up at his school.  That is when Solomon fell in love with DU, and it is the only college he ever applied for. During his undergraduate years at DU, Solomon served as President of The International Studies Student Association (ISSA) and held several jobs on campus, including being a student caller/fundraiser at the Crimson Call Center.

Post-graduation, Solomon embarked on an International HR career as an International Operations Supervisor for Graebel. Soon after he was promoted as the International Expansion Lead where he helped Graebel open a branch office start-up in Singapore expanding their business into the Asian market.

Upon his return from Singapore, Solomon went to work for the Xerox Corporation as Team Lead of International Operations where he authored brand new Standard Operation Procedures thereby optimizing the firm’s HR Operations.

He then joined the HR Team at CH2M Hill (which is now Jacobs) as Global Mobility Consultant. During his time at Jacobs, Solomon was one of the key founding fathers of a workplace inclusive culture. He served as the Global Chair of the Jacobs LBGTQ+ Employee Network and the Diversity Executive Council Global Representative with a seat in the C-Suite. As one of the key founders of an inclusive corporate culture, he served as a strategic thought leader, innovator, and influencer for the creation of an inclusive corporate culture where employees understood the importance of being able to bring their whole selves to work. He was responsible for Jacob’s Corporate Equality Index Score to rise from a failing 30% to a perfect 100%.

Solomon currently has taken an early retirement from the workforce and is highly engaged in his philanthropic endeavors. He is a volunteer English/French/Spanish translator, and meal delivery driver for a local non-profit, Project Angel Heart. He also volunteers on the University of Denver Alumni Council and on the DU Pride Alumni Affinity Group in an effort to help the University meet and exceed its social responsibility goals.

When not volunteering, Solomon enjoys dancing (which is how he met his husband) and traveling the world with his amazing husband of 14 years. 

LinkedIn- www.linkedin.com/in/lynneahutton/

Lynnea joined the University of Colorado Foundation in September 2022 as the Vice President of People & Culture. Lynnea is responsible for all the human resources functions of the organization, maintaining a healthy work culture and environment during the entire life cycle of the staff.

Before joining the Foundation, Lynnea was with the University of Denver in a Senior Director of Operations role at a nonprofit research center, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System. Prior to that, she was with the Boettcher Foundation as their Director of Operations. She brings more than 18 years of experience in human resources, business operations, business development, and strategic planning; overseeing communications, development, human resources, IT, event planning, facilities, and project management.

Lynnea’s community service includes the boards of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, the University of Denver Alumni Council, and the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University and has her MBA from the University of Denver.

Information forthcoming

Sid Simonson is a Finance and Business Operations (F&BO) lead in Lockheed Martin’s Space Protection Programs division. Before his current assignment, Sid was the F&BO lead in the United States for the Lockheed Martin United Kingdom Space Launch Program Grant. Sid was also previously an F&BO lead for Lockheed Martin’s Commercial Civil Space Company assigned to three international satellite programs. Before that, he was the deputy F&BO lead for the United States’ first asteroid sample retrieval mission, the OSIRIS REx Spacecraft Program, and the lead financial analyst for the Juno Spacecraft, which is currently orbiting Jupiter. Sid has worked at Lockheed Martin in increasing levels of responsibility since 2009. He graduated from the Lockheed Martin Financial Leadership Development Program in 2012 and has been awarded the Civil Space Integrity Coin, the Space Protection Programs Distinction Coin, as well as two Mission Excellence Awards from NASA. 

Sid attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where he was a “Ralphie Runner.” He also attended Colorado State University (CSU) where he earned a Bachelor Degree in Accounting and was awarded the Albert C. Yates Student Leadership Award in 2009. He was the first Chairperson of the Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation and interned in the Colorado Senate. He graduated with honors from the University of Denver with a Professional MBA in Finance and Economics in Public Policy in 2014 and a Master of Science in Management in 2015. Sid also earned a Certificate in Business Ethics from CSU and a Teaching Excellence Certificate from DU. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Daniels College of Business where he teaches “Leading with Integrity” (Business Ethics) classes in the MBA Programs. Sid has also taught international business classes for DU in Italy and Morocco. He serves on the DU Daniels College of Business Alumni Advisory Board, the Colorado Military Service Academy Review Board, the Front Range Community College (FRCC) Business School Advisory Board, the Colorado FRCC State Foundation Board, the Douglas County Cultural Council, a county Community Corrections Board, the Highlands Ranch Retirement Investment Advisory Board, and is chair of the Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) International Honor Society Endowment Investment Committee.  Sid serves on scholarship review committees for the Daniels College of Business, CSU, FRCC, the PKP International Honor Society, and he recently finished three years on the Highlands Ranch Scholarship Review Board. Sid is now in his 11th year of serving as a DU Race & Case judge as well as his 11th year as a DU mock interviewer. Sid has received nine President’s Volunteer Service Awards from the White House.

Sid grew up in Littleton, CO and has lived in Highlands Ranch since 2009. 

Anslem Elumogo-Gardner (PMBA ’16) is Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at One Hope United, a multi-state agency committed to ensuring every child and family has the opportunity to thrive. In this role, Anslem leads organization-wide transformation efforts that drive OHU’s mission forward — aligning strategy, growth, and leadership across programs, finance, and shared services.  

With over 15 years in nonprofit leadership, Anslem has held executive roles in strategy, operations, and program management. He previously served as Head of Strategy & Operations at AdvanceEDU, a career and education accelerator, and led operations at Greater Southwest Development Corporation, one of Chicago’s largest community development centers. He also served as Chief of Staff at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.  

Anslem earned his MBA from the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, where he developed a passion for integrating business strategy with mission-driven impact. He believes community investments are smart economic decisions—not just charitable ones.  

He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Cultivate Collective, a nationally recognized initiative revitalizing Chicago’s south side through sustainable development. Anslem now calls Chicago home, where he has volunteered as a DU regional ambassador and lives with his growing family. When he's not being called "dad", he enjoys trying new restaurants, traveling, and being on the basketball court or rugby pitch.  

Information Forthcoming

John Jarosz (BA '09) co-founded Sightglass, a product and technology studio in 2021 to help ambitious companies identify and create solutions that fulfil unmet needs. As Managing Partner, John provides funded start-ups and growth-stage, public companies with an innovation injection: uncovering new revenue streams, building new products and capturing new demand.

Early in his career, John helped kick-start the product design and strategy practice at Thoughtworks, managing over 60 design and technology consultants across the U.S. and Canada and delivering positive results for some of the firm's most innovative clients. After growing the division into one of Thoughtworks’ most profitable, John became a leading Principal at the firm, working with private equity and funded start-ups across North America, the UK, the EU, and Asia.

During his six years at Ultimate Software Group (now UKG), John led multiple business units, including Brand and Creative, Experience Design, Accessibility and Research, Global Strategy, and the UX Design teams. He led the software company’s first UltiPro suite redesign, created its enterprise design language system, and spearheaded its new product strategies, which contributed to Ultimate Software achieving a $1-billion valuation in 2019. When Hellman & Friedman Partners acquired Ultimate Software and merged with Kronos Incorporated at a valuation of $3-billion, John oversaw bringing the two giants together through a new product brand strategy and integrated suite experience delivered across several disparate products, resulting in more complementary and effective product offerings.

John earned his B.A. in Digital Media Studies from the University of Denver in 2009 and an M.Sc. in Human-Computer Interaction from DePaul University in 2011. In 2020, he returned to Denver, which he once again calls home. 

Currently residing in Louisville, Colorado, Dr. Shea is an active performer with Opera Colorado and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, continuing to share her passion for music throughout the region. A proud alumna of DU’s Lamont School of Music, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education before continuing to the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, where she received her Master’s degree in Clarinet Performance. In 2008, she completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Clarinet Performance at the University of Colorado Boulder. Linda’s multifaceted career as a performer, conductor, and educator spans over 22 years of public school teaching, along with academic appointments at the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, and Foothill College (Cupertino, CA). Having spent many years in Colorado, she relocated to the East Coast to serve as Assistant Director of the Catalyst Youth Orchestra in New York. She later became the Performing Arts Coordinator for Whittle School and Studios, a private international school in Washington, DC, where she was hired to design and lead innovative arts programming. Internationally, Linda founded the Prague Multicultural Music Project, which brought together musicians from across the globe for collaborative, cross-cultural festivals. She remains deeply committed to fostering community and connection through music and is excited to support DU alumni and students in meaningful new ways.

Maria Kuntz is a dynamic, growth-focused communications and marketing leader with more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit and higher education. She is known for building high-performing, inclusive teams and delivering award-winning strategies that drive engagement, elevate brands, and advance institutional goals.

An active contributor to her profession, Kuntz is a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), where she serves on the CASE District VI Executive Cabinet as communications chair. She frequently presents at national conferences, mentors peers, and volunteers on committees. Beyond her professional sphere, she is a founding member of the Boulder County Emergency Services Grant Program Advisory Committee and an assistant scoutmaster for Boulder Scout Troop 78. Her past service includes roles as fundraising and marketing advisor for Broadway For All in New York City and as faculty at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado Boulder.

Kuntz earned her master’s in International and Intercultural Communication from the University of Denver and her bachelor’s from Loyola University Chicago. She is pursuing a doctorate in higher education leadership at the University of Colorado and was a Fulbright Graduate Research Fellow in Greece. Her research on managing identity via social media earned a national award from the International Communication Association.

She lives in Boulder, where she enjoys skiing, mountaineering, travel, and time with her husband, three children, and two pups.

Hey there. I'm Michael Atkins, a proud product of Denver Public Schools (DPS) and a fierce advocate for student success. I've worn many hats within DPS, starting as a four-year-old student, serving as the former principal of Stedman Elementary, and now taking the helm as the Director of Black Student Success in Denver Public Schools.

My journey through DPS has been a whirlwind, from being a student to working as a custodian, paraprofessional, teacher, assistant principal, principal, and now, a director. Each role has given me a unique perspective on education, one that I carry with me every day.

My mission is deeply personal. I want to ensure that today's students don't face the same obstacles I did. I'm all about creating opportunities and support systems that empower every student to thrive, regardless of their background or the challenges they may face.

But it's not just about the students—it's about the educators, too. I'm passionate about guiding my fellow educators on a journey of intercultural development. Together, we can build a more inclusive and equitable learning environment that prepares students for the diverse world they'll step into.

I'm not just here to lead; I'm here to inspire change. I want us all to be the driving force behind the sweeping changes our communities need. And together, I truly believe we can make it happen. 

Zack, Managing Partner, Principal and Co-Founder at Narrate Holdings, focuses on business development, real estate syndications, and leading the new venture pipeline. Zack founded DRGINVEST Holdings LLC (“DRGINVEST”), a diversified holding company in 2008. DRGINVEST, formerly Denver Realty Group (“DRG”) was originally built around an all-service real estate company that offered broker services, property management and investment platforms. In 2018, DRGINVEST, restructured into a Holding Company as the company expanded to business acquisitions and pursued start-up ventures. Zack has transacted over $1 Billion in real estate and has acquired, invested, and started over 50 companies to date. In 2023, DRGINVEST, sold and merged, many of the verticals to pursue new ventures outside the umbrella company. In the same year, Zack, Co-Founded Narrate Holdings and Narrate Ventures, two Private Equity companies. Narrate Holdings focuses on Real Estate Development and Acquisitions while Narrate Ventures focuses on non-real estate investments in select industries. 

Nate comes to the Alumni Council with a long history of connection to the University of Denver, which includes three degrees, four years of full time employment with the University, and 7 years of active volunteering and community leadership. In his role as Executive Assistant, Nate helped the Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement to re-launch the Alumni Council in 2018 after a period of dormancy. Nate's involvement with the Alumni Council was consistent as a behind the scenes and logistics champion through 2022. Nate is now thrilled to be a member of the council, contributing to its important body of work.

After graduating with a performance degree in 2011, Nate was a dedicated educator in the Denver Metro area, teaching the piano privately, growing his local footprint and ultimately serving as the head of the Piano Department at Avanti Music Academy in Highlands Ranch, where he led a programmatic learning curriculum for ten years. Former students of Nate's have become local leaders in their own musical circles, key performers in High School musicals, and even pursued music in Higher Education themselves.

In addition to his work as an educator, Nate has a long career in leadership. After helping to grow a locally owned transportation business as its Chief Operations Officer, Nate reconnected with the University of Denver in 2018, where he became heavily involved in volunteerism and mentorship. He joined the Lamont Society Council and after several years was elected as President of the Council - a two year term which finished in 2025. 

Nate's current professional venture is in distribution management, where he has spent the last three years developing multi-million dollar accounts and building local wholesale businesses in the plumbing and HVAC industry.