Notes from the Class of 2007

Several years ago Christopher Algea (Mktg’07) came up with the idea for “quick and easy quinoa.” He has three flavors in his Keen One Quinoa product line, Original, Pollo Picante and Garden Medley, which are available in 12 Whole Foods stores and at the Boulder Farmers’ Market. He is experimenting with different flavors and hopes to raise a larger awareness regarding the healthy grain. Chris lives in Boulder.

Elected to the board of directors for the nonprofit organization Environmental Learning for Kids, Joy Eagle (Acct’07) focuses on providing outreach activities and internal values to urban youth and their families. She writes she is looking for young professionals or CU graduates to serve as committee members. Joy lives in Greenwood Village, Colo.

Superior, Colo., resident Sara Lohndorf (Anth’07) married David Ibarra last June at the Delta Terra Mountain Chateau in Estes Park, Colo. The couple celebrated with a trip to the Caribbean. Sara works at Elevations Credit Union.

Offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks and former Denver Broncos player Tyler Polumbus (Mgmt’07) held a free football camp in Boulder last summer for people with developmental disabilities. The former Buff player frequently gathers some of his NFL teammates to do work with his organization, Tyler’s Kids Outreach, in Colorado and Seattle. He told the Boulder Camera that members of his own family are disabled and he enjoys helping a community that is close to him.

CU couple Ariel Simpson-Johnson (Art’07) and Christopher Lavery (MArt’03) married in Boulder last July. They celebrated with a stay at the Hotel Boulderado. Ariel is an artist and Christopher is an art professor.

A registered member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Payton Batliner (Mus’07, MBA’09) pursued his MBA to equip him with the necessary means to give back to Indians. He is an economic development specialist with the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development and collaborates with the Department of Energy concerning the development of tribal energy projects. He volunteers as a board treasurer for the Denver Indian Center, a nonprofit organization focused on providing services for the American Indian population of Colorado. Payton was featured in an article called “A Sense of Belonging” in Portfolio, the CU Leeds Business School magazine.

Boulderite Katie Crenshaw (Law’07) married Giji John in August 2011 at the Denver Art Museum. The couple celebrated with a trip to Belize. Katie is an attorney.

Last summer Lauren Gunderson (Math’07) and Ricardo Jimenez Martinez (MPhys’08, MEngr’10) married. Lauren is an executive assistant at the dean’s office of the CU law school, and Ricardo is working toward a doctorate in physics at CU.

Electrical engineer Zachary Miers (ElEngr’07, MS’10) will marry in Golden, Colo., on June 3 to Brittany Horlbeck. He lives in Boulder.

Chairlift band member Patrick Wimberly (Mus’07) has performed hundreds of times playing the drums, keyboards, base and vibes. The band’s song “Bruises” was licensed by Apple for an iPod commercial that aired worldwide.

Megan Badwan and James Krueger (Fin’07) were married in August. Megan is pursuing a master’s degree in education psychology at CU and is a graduate admissions coordinator at the Metropolitan State College of Denver. James is pursuing a master of business administration at Regis University and is an analyst at Charles Schwab.

Fairview High School graduates Brittany Horlbeck and Zachary Miers (ElEngr’07, MS’10) married in June. Brittany graduated from the University of Colorado Denver and is a teacher. Zachary is an electrical engineer. The couple resides in Louisville, Colo.

Poms & Associates Insurance Brokers announced in May that Robert Pesavento (Comm’07) will serve as vice president of business development in the Greenwood Village, Colo., office. He works with clients in aviation, construction, finance, manufacturing, national security, retail, technology and transportation. He has served as board member for the Denver Buff Club.

Mississippi College School of Law awarded Richard Vaughn Jr. (PolSci’07) the Wright Family Law Award in April. He lives in Memphis, Tenn.

On Dec. 1 Kristin Bugbee (PolSci’07) and fiancé James Hathorn (Law, MBA’11) will marry in Durham, N.C. Kristin works for Duke University in development and James works for Metabolon, a startup company.

Since graduating Meredith Clements (Phil’07) spent several months in rural Tanzania helping create a self-sustainable project for disadvantaged women. In June 2008 she started as assistant editor of the Sun Sentinel. She works as editor of the weekly section, which publishes a magazine-format paper for Broward and Palm Beach Counties. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

On Anna Maria Island, Fla., couple Jen Kuck and William Hensley (Fin’07) were married in April. William is a credit underwriter at Flatirons Bank. The couple celebrated with a two-week trip to Italy.

CU graduates Mary Isgro (IntlAf’07) and Tom McDonald (Psych’06) will marry Sept. 28 at Chatfield Botanical Gardens in Littleton, Colo. Mary is an international tour consultant and Tom is a product development manager.

In March Carey Kohout (Bus, Econ’07) traveled to Reykjavik, Iceland, to explore and learn about Nordic culture. She writes that on her trip she gained a better understanding of how the country is working to recover from the Icelandic financial crisis of 2008. Carey also visited the Blue Lagoon natural hot spring, the Gullfoss waterfall in Hvítá canyon and the geysers of Haukadalur. She lives in Greeley, Colo.

After more than five years of work, Arvada, Colo., resident Beau Beckley (Mgmt’07) published his first book Make Moves — Success Through Motion (Beckley Books). The book is a recording of Beau’s life journey as well as his observations on life. He has consolidated and documented 27 years of life lessons into seven values. Beau is one of the founding members of the university’s Colorado Creed, a code of values for students to follow.