Notes from the Class of 1999

The city of Glendale, Colo., swore in two new councilmembers this spring, including Doris Rigoni (IntlAf, PolSci’99). Doris works as an assistant vice president for Mile High Banks Commercial Real Estate. She also has a Colorado real estate broker’s license and worked for Colorado Governor Bill Owens in economic development and for the Denver International Airport Partnership.

Carlos Hernandez (EnvDes) joined William Fox (CivEngr’86) and Steve Tuttle (CivEngr’94) as partner in the Fox Tuttle Hernandez Transportation Group. The firm is based in Boulder County and provides transportation planning and engineering support to communities across Colorado.

Amanda Kahlow (Advert) is CEO and founder of 6Sense, a San Francisco startup that received $12 million in venture funding. The firm, which is backed by Bain Capital Ventures, Battery Ventures, Venrock and Salesforce, also won the innovation showdown contest at VentureBeat’s DataBeat conference. Amanda previously spent 14 years as the CEO and founder of CI Insights, a big-data services company.

Uranium producer Energy Fuels promoted attorney Curtis H. Moore (Law, MBA) to vice president of marketing and corporate development for the Lakewood company’s holding and operating subsidiaries in the U.S. Curtis has worked with the company for more than seven years. In his position, he leads the uranium sales and marketing department.

Ryan Thompson (Jour) is assistant general counsel and an adjunct writing professor at Niagara University in New York. He was admitted to practice law in 2004 and previously worked at a Fifth Avenue firm specializing in litigation. He lives in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Lt. Col Brian Filler (InfoSys), commander of the 471 Missile Security Forces at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, reflected on his time spent at CU as a student employee in the housing and dining department in an essay written for the base. He explained that many of the people he worked with had a positive influence on his life. “People who are passionate make a difference,” he wrote.

Editor Katie Wilson Roberts (MJour) helped plan, write and edit the leadership book The Disciplined Leader: Keeping the Focus on What Really Matters for her client John Manning, the president/CEO of MAP Consulting.

CU basketball legend Chauncey Billups (Soc) was inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in November. In the 1996-97 season Chauncey led the Buffs to a 22-10 record and a second-place finish in the inaugural season of the Big 12, as well as to CU’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 28 years. As a Buff he averaged 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 55 games before declaring for the NBA draft. He played 17 seasons in the NBA, last for the Detroit Pistons, and retired in 2014.

In July Loren Brown (Hist) began a one-year term as president of the Colorado Bar Association. He is the youngest attorney to hold the position. He is a founder of Ciancio Ciancio Brown PC in Broomfield, Colo. The firm focuses on litigation along Colorado’s Front Range. Liquor licensing is one of Loren’s favorite practice areas.

Former Buff basketball player Erin Scholz (Comm) has been inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame. Erin has been on the coaching staffs at Utah State, Fresno Pacific and Grand Canyon University. A four-time letter winner at CU from 1993-97, she is one of three Buffs in the 1,000- point, 1,000-rebound club. Erin was selected by Portland in the fourth round of the 1997 American Basketball League draft.

In June 2015 Joe Ungemah (Psych) published his first book, Misplaced Talent. It details ways for organizations to make good decisions about employment and talent management. A psychologist and talent management consultant, Joe lives in Minneapolis. He has studied and worked in the UK, Ireland and Australia.

Entrepreneur Alexis Walsko (Mktg) launched the lifestyle apparel brand Happy Smile Good with a mission to inspire positive action. She previously founded the Minneapolis public relations firm Lola Red. Her clothing is available at happysmilegood.com.

Ed Chambliss (MJour) has been promoted to president of Phelps, one of the West Coast’s largest independently owned marketing agencies. Ed joined Phelps 16 years ago as a team leader and managed prominent accounts, including Petco, DirectTV and Public Storage. Most recently he was COO. Ed started his marketing career as a writer at BBDO and taught copywriting at the Portfolio Center in Atlanta.

In November Eric Rajewski (Fin) and wife Shannon welcomed their first child, Graydon Eugene Rajewski, who weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces. They reside in San Francisco, where they’ve lived for the last 15 years. Eric is head of institutional sales at B. Riley and Co., a full-service investment bank.

Steve Alvarez (MJour) wrote the book Selling War: A Critical Look at the Military’s PR Machine, which recounts the failed communication efforts of the U.S. military in Iraq, offering an insider’s view of military public relations. Steve, a Bronze Star recipient, was the public affairs officer in Iraq for General David H. Petraeus from 2004 to 2005, and supported the training of Iraq’s security forces. Selling War was published in March by Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press.

Registered dietician and certified executive chef Gavin Pritchard (Kines) aims to help individuals, groups, families and teams reach their health goals by promoting science-based nutrition messages centered on boosting confidence in the kitchen. He contributed to the Healthy Gut Cookbook and collaborated with Joseph Feuerstein on the book Dr. Joe’s Man Diet, which focuses on nutrition for middle-aged men. Gavin was inspired by the very first class he took at CU to combine professionally his passions for cooking and nutrition. Gavin lives with his wife and two daughters in Connecticut.

In February 2016 Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed Keri Yoder (Law) as a judge in the 7th Judicial District, which includes Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties. She previously worked as an assistant district attorney in the district. Keri and husband Kevin Geiger (PolSci’95) live in Telluride.

Inspired by a property tax bill, Chris Bullock (Mktg) of Massachusetts founded ClearGov, a company that helps citizens understand government spending. 

US News and World Report named Dan Lipman (PolSci) the Denver Area’s 2017 “Lawyer of the Year” for medical malpractice law – plaintiffs.

California science teacher Sandra Starr (EPOBio) and her students were recognized by the Entertainment Industry Foundation with a Think It Up Innovation Award. Along with $5,000 for her program, Sandi and one of her students also were recognized at the Teen Choice Awards.