Faces of Leeds

Russell Jeans

Kelsey Cipolla — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 16:59:09 +0000

Russell Jeans Kelsey Cipolla Fri, 11/15/2024 - 09:59

Jane Majkiewicz

Lecturer at Leeds and Director of Accounting at ��Ƶ Boulder

Curiosity has always been a key ingredient in Russell Jeans’ life.

Growing up in Hawaii, he benefitted from being surrounded by native Hawaiians as well as people from Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Samoa and many other places. “It was great because I was exposed to and learned from so many cultures,” he said.

That sparked his fascination with exploring new perspectives and places. “It really shaped my mind. I thought, ‘There’s so much good out there. And I want to learn more.’”

Jeans’ desire to learn spanned careers and continents before he settled in Colorado, where he has served as the director of accounting for ��Ƶ Boulder since December 2022. Recently, he added another role to his repertoire: lecturer of financial accounting at Leeds.

From the corporate world to the classroom

When ��Ƶ Boulder’s CFO asked if someone on the controller’s staff wanted to teach a course at Leeds, Jeans immediately volunteered. He loved previous teaching opportunities, including a course exploring the WorldCom scandal that he taught in New Zealand, and an auditing class he taught in Hawaii. Although those were short-term roles, they ignited Jeans’ desire to be involved in higher education.

At Leeds this fall, Jeans taught financial accounting to a class of 60 Finance graduate students from diverse disciplines, many of whom he was surprised to find had never taken an accounting course before.

“The approach was if you didn’t know anything about accounting, you were going to get a great foundation … and if you already had a foundation, this would help you refine it, bring it forward and apply it.”

Accounting is an essential skill. At a time when industry reports bemoan an aging workforce and a CPA shortage, Jeans remains optimistic about the field’s potential. He said accounting pairs well with a variety of other disciplines, allowing people to specialize. The work is more varied than people might imagine, with hundreds of types of jobs, making accounting well suited to a range of personalities, whether someone is extroverted or introverted, he said.

“Companies are not putting enough of a premium on accountants and their invaluable skills.”

Russell Jeans

With AI increasingly able to handle repetitive tasks, he believes more young professionals will be attracted to the field despite the long hours and rigorous CPA certification process. Better compensation will make a difference, along with more accessible licensing.

“Companies are not putting enough of a premium on accountants and their invaluable skills,” Jeans said. “If we get that wrong, there are key, fundamental risks associated with it, such as inaccurate financial reporting, increased fraud and noncompliance with regulations.”

A self-made journey

Jeans’ career trajectory counters stereotypes of accounting as a boring profession. For starters, his college experience was far from traditional.

He put himself through his undergraduate studies in business administration and accounting while working full-time. He even survived getting shot in the neck during a drive-by shooting in California, where he was a student at Fresno City College. Through that traumatic experience he learned how precious life is and the importance of forgiveness and understanding. That fateful event prompted a move to Florida, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of North Florida.

Balancing full-time work and studying was challenging (Jeans quipped he didn’t get the partying experience, but his friends told him about it), but it proved to be an asset. His jobs as a credit manager for a produce company and as a staff accountant at a public company were instrumental in connecting classroom learning with real-world professional expectations.

“I was able to really use that knowledge with my career to quickly advance,” he said. “I could more easily ask questions and find information than people who didn’t have that experience.”

He earned his MBA and CPA while rising through the ranks at KPMG, which supported his goal of part-time work while completing his master’s. His ongoing curiosity about other cultures and travel eventually took him to KPMG in New Zealand, a transformational seven years of growth.

“At the time they had New Zealand GAAP [Generally Accepted Accounting Principles], were transitioning to IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), and they have a very complex statutory reporting structure, all of which I knew nothing about,” he explained.

Later, a move to Ernst & Young offered yet another learning opportunity, with a new network of clients, colleagues and industries. Each experience taught Jeans invaluable lessons in being adaptable, broadening his global perspective. “Now, I’m not afraid to walk into new situations,” he said.

Inspiring next-generation leaders

In his primary role as ��Ƶ Boulder’s director of accounting, Jeans oversees campuswide accounting, policy compliance and operational analysis. Working with numerous departments across campus, he helps ensure that ��Ƶ meets the standards set by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board and other regulatory agencies.

His curiosity continues to drive his approach to exploring improvements and innovations, asking questions that apply to both the classroom and the workplace. “How do we automate things? How do we take advantage of AI? What’s the best way to leverage what we have? What skills do we need?”

Seeing students wanting to understand and watching them realize how to apply their knowledge is one of the things Jeans loves most about teaching. “It’s really, really awesome when you see that process,” he said.

It’s like seeing Jeans’ five Green-Cheeked Conure parrots in his home office, darting in and out of the frame during a virtual meeting. Occasionally, one will perch on Jeans’ shoulder, looking at him quizzically.

It doesn’t faze Jeans in the least. Of course not. They’re just flying around, being curious.

For Russell Jeans, curiosity counts a lot. It has contributed to a meaningful journey across cultures, continents and careers.

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Lilly Justice (RelEst’27)

Kelsey Cipolla — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:08:55 +0000

Lilly Justice (RelEst’27) Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 11/12/2024 - 17:08

Anna Sheffer

On the surface, studying real estate and volunteering for a rodeo don’t have much in common. But sophomore Lilly Justice (RelEst’27) has found a way to combine her passions for both.

Justice earned a 2023 scholarship from the Carbondale Wild West Rodeo for volunteering for the organization, which donates its proceeds to nonprofits including the Calaway•Young Cancer Center.

“[Volunteering] was mostly being on the floor in the arena,” Justice said. “Being basically a performer too. You have to put some barrels out and keep everything nice. And we’re out there in sun, rain, snow, anything. No matter what, the rodeo goes on, and it really builds your character, especially at a young age.”

She loved volunteering at the rodeo so much that she began thinking of how she could combine this passion with a business career. She already knew she wanted to study real estate, so she narrowed her focus to ranch real estate specifically.

Justice found the Carbondale Wild West Rodeo after moving to Colorado. She participated in mutton-busting at the rodeo as a child and was once featured on TV. Knowing several people who were involved with the rodeo inspired her to volunteer the summer before her senior year of high school.

“A lot of my friends were in the rodeo, but it wasn't something that I had been into,” she said. “It was a different kind of discipline. I decided to start volunteering there, and I just fell in love with everyone there. It was so much fun.”

Colorado ties

Justice grew up on a farm in Virginia, where her family raised horses, dogs and chickens. She compared horseback riding in Virginia to skiing in Colorado, noting that, like many in the area, she spent her childhood riding English-style.

Despite living in Virginia, Justice was influenced by her mother’s love for Colorado. At 18, her mom followed the Grateful Dead out to Red Rocks and fell in love with the state. She went on to graduate from ��Ƶ Boulder with a degree in economics. For Justice, the story was both inspirational and aspirational.

“She’s always been really hardworking,” Justice said. “She built a construction company from the ground up as a single mom and really inspired me to follow in her footsteps. My whole life, I was like, ‘Leeds is where I want to go.’”

“No matter what, the rodeo goes on, and it really builds your character, especially at a young age.”

Lilly Justice (RelEst’27)

When Justice was 9, she and her mom moved to Snowmass, and she turned to horseback riding to make friends. That’s when she found a new discipline: Western riding, which she began learning at a ranch in Carbondale shortly after moving. Now that she’s at Leeds, she takes riding lessons at a barn just 10 minutes from campus on Baseline Road.

“It’s a lot more fun than English riding,” she said with a laugh. “Coming out here, it's like the Wild West, and I just love that. It’s such an awesome discipline and a whole new world out here.”

Life at Leeds

Thanks to the college-level international baccalaureate classes Justice took in high school, along with her mom’s advice, she felt well prepared coming to ��Ƶ. But upon arriving on the Boulder campus, the customization and individual attention available to Leeds students surprised her.

“You can focus on what you want to do,” she said. “I think everyone tries to make that their priority. Professors reach out. They just really want all the students to succeed. They give you every opportunity they can.”

Beyond her Leeds coursework, Justice stays busy preparing for her future. She recently completed a 160-hour online course for her real estate license. Her next step forward will be taking the real estate broker licensing exam.

“I think real estate is a great thing that literally anyone can do,” she said. “It’s an industry that’s never going to die. I find it fascinating.”

When she isn’t studying or riding, Justice is an avid skier and has recently been learning how to repair her car. She recalled spending two days on a car project—even sleeping overnight at the shop.

“Learning how to do my own work on my car has been really fun,” she said. “I like trying to do it myself.”

Back at the ranch

Justice stays connected to her horseback-riding roots. She has worked at a local barn for the past two years, caring for and training horses. The job has given her new skills in veterinary care as well.

Her rodeo experience has impacted her life in many ways, including her confidence. She described herself as “super shy” before volunteering.

“It helped me be OK with being in the spotlight and having people watching me do things,” she said. “I definitely built so many friendships and relationships through [the rodeo].”

Sophomore Lilly Justice knows how to grab the bull by the horns. A scholarship from the Carbondale Wild West Rodeo has allowed her to combine her passions for rodeo and real estate.

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Mallory Decker (PhD)

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 23:44:19 +0000

Mallory Decker (PhD) Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 11/12/2024 - 16:44

Imagine trying to land a helicopter on a ship in the middle of the night. It’s dark, so you wear night-vision goggles, narrowing your field of vision as if you’re looking through a straw.

For Mallory Decker, a doctoral candidate studying organizational behavior, this was part of her reality during the 11 years she spent as a naval helicopter pilot.

“That definitely was my least favorite part, flying at night,” she said. “It’s just kind of inherently scary.”

Decker deployed for about nine months to the USS Nimitz, an aircraft carrier. Despite how harrowing her job could be, she enjoyed flying and deployment.

“It’s like if you were on a sports team, and all you ever did was practice and never had a game,” she explained. “Deployment is like, ‘All right. Finally, I'm in the game. I'm doing the things that I trained for.’”

Of course, deployment came with some drawbacks. Decker recalled that toward the end of it, food supplies started to run low. She and the others onboard had to subsist on oatmeal and pasta. Due to its rarity, vanilla creamer was like currency, she laughed.

A Navy legacy

Decker’s ties to the Navy began in childhood. Her father, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, inspired her to attend the school.

“I liked the idea of how challenging it would be, not just in academics, but physically, mentally,” she said. “I was drawn to that, and then I was really hoping to make the same sort of close friendships that I'd seen my dad make.”

Decker graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and then embarked on a new venture: studying for a master’s degree in the United Kingdom. After obtaining her master’s in international and European politics from the University of Edinburgh, she owed at least five years of naval service.

When it came time to choose her discipline within the Navy, Decker was attracted not only to the prospect of flying but also to the aviation subculture, which she half-jokingly compared to Top Gun.

“Aviation, I think, is just a little bit more laid-back,” she said. “There are more rules about how much sleep you get, so you're a little bit better rested. Maybe that makes you a little bit happier. And then everybody loves to fly that goes to fly.”

“Deployment is like, ‘All right. Finally, I’m in the game. I’m doing the things that I trained for.’”

Mallory Decker (PhD candidate)

Working in a man’s world

Decker didn’t always envision herself as a researcher. By the time she left the Navy, her attitude had shifted. Expecting her first child, she knew that erratic shift schedules made staying in aviation out of the question.

In identifying a new field that would appeal to her as “a nerdy introvert who likes to read and write,” she landed on academia, realizing there was one subject she’d happily devote her life to: gender in the workplace.

While growing up, Decker never felt limited by her gender. During her naval deployment, she recalled feeling respected by the other pilots in her squadron, about a quarter of whom were also women. It was only toward the end of her military tenure, when she worked in the House of Representatives and then as a NATO aide-de-camp to a three-star British flag officer in 2017, that she first noticed gender disparity in the workplace.

“Some of my best girlfriends are also helicopter pilots,” she said. “On these lower levels, I was seeing women in these traditionally male-dominated spaces. And I'm like, ‘Yeah, women are here, what's the big deal?’ And then when I finally got up to these really high levels, it was like, ‘Oh, women are actually not here.’”

Decker stressed that she felt personally supported by her boss at NATO. But attending assemblies full of NATO leaders highlighted just how few women held high-ranking positions in the organization. Women were so outnumbered that she made a game out of counting them during assemblies. She would think to herself “There are more bald men in here than there are women,” noting that there were less than five women in a room of more than 100.

Life at Leeds

Decker’s experience in male-dominated workplaces informs her research passions. Some of her recent projects have focused on the gender pay gap, women working together in male-dominated industries and menopause’s impact on women leaders. The latter topic is the one she’s currently most excited about, partly because of the lack of knowledge about menopause and because of how much it varies from person to person.

“There are some women who have little to no symptoms,” she said. “And then there are other women who have symptoms for a decade that are debilitating or really interfere with their lives. There isn’t a standard menopause experience.”

Her next step in the doctoral program will be to propose her dissertation topic, which focuses on women’s relationships and identity in the workplace. Decker hopes her research will improve employees’ workplace experiences overall.

“We spend the majority of our lives at work, so I want to work toward making that experience better for everyone,” she said.

From landing helicopters on aircraft carriers to attending NATO assemblies as an aide-de-camp, doctoral candidate Mallory Decker’s 11 years in the Navy prepared her to rise to any challenge.

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Braden Stirrett (Comm’26)

Srishti Sharma — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:08:52 +0000

Braden Stirrett (Comm’26) Srishti Sharma Thu, 10/17/2024 - 14:08

Oct. 17, 2024 • By Jane Majkiewicz

Michigan native Braden Stirrett is open to inspiration whenever—and however—it strikes.

For example, his decision to major in strategic communication and minor in cinema studies sprang from an unlikely source. During the pandemic, Stirrett and his family (including his identical twin brother) loved watching the comedy series “Schitt’s Creek.” He was particularly moved by a documentary he saw about the show.

“It was very touching. It went over how they made the show, but also the impact that it had on the world,” he recalled. “Watching that, I was like, I want to be a part of something that can create that kind of impact, or actually can change people’s lives and give people something to relate to.”

That sparked his aspirations to work on the corporate side of the entertainment industry, perhaps in an advertising agency or a major media company. His dream job? Working for NBC Universal. “I love storytelling in general,” he said. “I love talking with people.”

Coming to ��Ƶ was also serendipitous. A high school trip to the Galapagos during his freshman year was disappointingly canceled multiple times due to COVID. Undeterred, it prompted Stirrett and his friends to plan a trip to Colorado instead. Since they were high school juniors by that point, they decided to tour the ��Ƶ Boulder campus.

“We all loved it and ended up going here.” Now in his junior year, he can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by. “It’s crazy. I feel like I just got here.”

Building a business foundation

Listening to various guest speakers who emphasized the importance of understanding business in his Strategic Thinking in Advertising and Public Relations class fueled the idea to pursue a business minor.

“You’re always working with businesses. Whether you’re at an agency or in a corporate setting, you need to know the basics of how a business operates. If you have to learn that on the job, you’re already behind.”

Stirrett enjoyed taking Principles of Marketing and Principles of Management classes, which he says were fast paced but extensive. He is currently taking Principles of Accounting, followed by Principles of Finance the second half of this semester. He believes the exposure to a wide range of business fundamentals provides a valuable “foundation of knowledge.”

Finding rewards in consulting

A chance conversation with a family friend, a consultant at Accenture, offered an “aha” moment. “She described consulting as being like a teacher—helping companies reach their goals.”

That aligned well with Stirrett’s friend’s experience with the Leeds Consulting Group (LCG), which inspired him to become involved. The LCG is a student organization offering workshops, info sessions, professional development, and casework training on projects with a wide range of clients, from start-ups and nonprofits to Fortune 500 companies.

“It’s not just a place where you can work on your business and career goals; it’s also a place where you can find a community,” he said.

“Aside from knowing that I could acquire skills in working with real clients and solving business problems, I knew I would also have an opportunity for personal growth.”

LCG selects qualified candidates through an application and interview process. Those selected must complete a semester of training as a junior analyst, culminating in the Impact Project Competition. Analysts are divided into teams assigned to a client engagement, with the client choosing the winning project at the end of the semester.

“You’re always working with businesses. Whether you’re at an agency or in a corporate setting, you need to know the basics of how a business operates.”

Braden Stirrett (Comm’26)

Stirrett was excited to serve as the project manager for his team on an engagement involving space optimization. “I organized meetings and handled all the communication with the client to get the necessary information for our research and analysis,” he said. “That was an incredible experience.”

This past summer, he tackled an even bigger challenge as a senior consultant: a three-month engagement with Goodie Bag Food Co., a startup founded by Leeds alumnus Eddy Connors and ��Ƶ alumnus Luke Siegert. It offers a marketplace for surplus food, allowing people to buy unsold items from local shops and restaurants at discounted prices for pickup.

The LCG team created a rollout plan for a new feature aimed at ��Ƶ Boulder students to provide “affordable access to quality food while fostering a stronger connection between the campus community and Boulder’s local businesses,” Stirrett said. The team’s research ultimately led to adjusting the timing of the launch, which was a valuable lesson in strategic decision-making.

“What the Leeds Consulting Group really emphasizes is making a positive impact on the community,” said Stirrett. One of his favorite parts of the engagements has been giving presentations and hearing clients express their gratitude.

“That’s what has made me feel like I was making a difference. It’s what I really love about consulting.” He’s now actively applying for consulting internships to expand his experience and skill set.

Next adventures

One reason Stirrett chose ��Ƶ was its study abroad opportunities. He sees both travel and entertainment playing pivotal roles in how his career and future unfold. He hopes to live on a coast in a vibrant city, and one of his goals is to travel the world.

He’s on course for launching that dream. At the end of December, he’s flying to Bangkok, Thailand, where he’ll join 500 students embarking on a Semester at Sea voyage. He doesn’t know any of the other students in the program, which he sees as a chance for doing what he loves—talking to people and being open to stories and new ideas.

In addition to living and studying aboard the ship, the group will set sail around the horn of Africa and into Europe, visiting 11 cities in 10 countries across three continents.

“I don’t want to sound dramatic, but I’ve never been so excited for something in my entire life,” he laughed.

Nope, it doesn’t sound dramatic. Just inspiring.

For Braden Stirrett, inspiration is always striking—it’s what led him to pursue a communication major and two minors—in cinema studies and business.

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Josh Cagwin (Acct’27)

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Josh Cagwin (Acct’27) Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 09/17/2024 - 09:00

Jane Majkiewicz

For Josh Cagwin, a sophomore at Leeds studying accounting, Crohn’s disease may be a defining factor of his life’s journey, but courage is the defining factor of his character.

It took courage for Cagwin to stand in front of several hundred people at the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation gala recently to deliver a speech, sharing his story of resilience and determination in dealing with Crohn’s, an incurable, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Cagwin was the Patient Honoree at the September 14 event, aptly named “Night of Hope: Sparking Change for a Brighter Tomorrow,” held at The Cable Center in Denver.

In some ways, Cagwin’s speech seemed like destiny. He has been involved with the foundation for a decade, since he was 9—not just as a member, but also as a dedicated fundraiser and advocate for its work.

“As soon as I got diagnosed, my mom was really into it. She found the organization right away. So, it’s always been a part of my life,” he said.

“I’ve seen people doing speeches at the events, and they always told me that I’d be one of the people going up there. I never thought I would be, but now, I’m doing that.”

Pushing through fear

Pushing through feeling nervous about public speaking is one more thing to add to the activities where Cagwin has proven his courage. He remembered feeling “terrified” when he was first diagnosed with Crohn’s. He had experienced a rapid weight loss of 20 pounds, and a sudden abscess required emergency surgery. Vivid memories include waking up in the hospital to a sterile smell, the sounds of beeping machines and an IV in his arm.

In an essay Cagwin wrote for his writing class last semester, he described a family trip to Hawaii that occurred right before his Crohn’s diagnosis. His dad was excited for the family to go out on an outrigger boat (like a canoe), even though the waves that day were higher than usual, and most boat owners were unwilling to take passengers out.

“The first time riding back on the waves was great; you got the same effect of a surfboard with less work. The second time back was the moment that my mom says was like how I got Crohn’s. We were riding a huge wave, and as we went over the wave, the tip of the boat went into the water. It all happened so fast: We were riding the wave, and the next second we were in the water,” Cagwin recalled.

“When I first got Crohn’s, I felt like I wasn’t going to be normal ever again.”

Josh Cagwin (Acct’27)

He got through his first infusion of Remicade, the drug Cagwin’s mother refers to as a “miracle drug.” The pinch of the needle, knowing that his mom had to leave once it was inserted, waiting two hours until the infusion was done, and then removing the tape at the end, which also inevitably took the hair off his arm, all added up to a "terrifying" first experience. Cagwin still has infusions every eight weeks now, but he is getting a drug called AVSOLA.

There were other scary firsts along the way: going to overnight camp alone to Camp Oasis, a camp for kids with Crohn’s—where Cagwin one day wants to return as a counselor—and starting college in a different state away from his hometown of Atlanta.

Cagwin, a cross-country runner since high school, also persevered when completing five half-marathons with Team Challenge, a fundraising arm of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. His first half-marathon was in New Orleans five years ago when he was only 14.

“By the end of the half marathon, I was chafing so bad I thought I was bleeding. But I always like to finish what I started. So, for the last mile, I was walking like a penguin ... I was still so proud of myself for finishing a half-marathon, no matter how much pain I was in.”

Learning from transformative experiences

Cagwin has found ways to turn his challenging experiences into lessons.

One lesson is that humor is helpful. For example, he wrote about his first experience at Camp Oasis: “I don’t know why they thought nine people with a bowel disease and only two bathrooms was a good idea.”

Connections with friends are invaluable, especially with those who have undergone similar experiences and can relate to the issues of chronic illness. Cagwin credits his Team Challenge friends and coaches for helping him realize his potential, achieving his personal best with each consecutive run.

Having the support network of family keeps life moving forward as Cagwin juggles full-time school, part-time work, running, and continued involvement with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. His family moved from Atlanta to Denver for his father to take a new job in finance (one reason Cagwin has chosen to study accounting), so he is glad that he now gets to see his parents every weekend.

Next steps

Cagwin is increasingly taking over more of his own medical care, arranging doctor’s appointments and following a vegetarian diet. He is hoping to pursue an accounting internship to help determine whether he definitively wants to major in it.

Running plays a pivotal role in maintaining his health and a positive attitude. Cagwin is planning to add a full marathon to his list of accomplishments this year.

“When I first got Crohn’s, I felt like I wasn’t going to be normal ever again … Even though I thought my life was going to be worse, I've had some of the best moments because of getting Crohn’s. So, I don’t look down upon it anymore because I’m happy with what I’ve got.”

He remembers to be grateful.

“I know a lot of other people that haven't been as lucky as me,” Cagwin said. He has been in remission for 10 years. “Some people had to get part of their colon removed, and they have a [colostomy or ileostomy] bag they have to use. And some people are in and out of remission, having to see a lot of doctors.”

His philosophy for running is a great tactic for continually finding the courage within to confront whatever comes next: “I pick a spot in front of me and say, ‘Make it to there.’ And then do it again. And then again."

Whether he’s running half-marathons or speaking in front of hundreds, Josh Cagwin (Acct’27) never stops advocating for people who, like him, live with Crohn’s disease.

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Lauren Hanley (MSBA’24)

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Lauren Hanley (MSBA’24) Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 09/06/2024 - 09:00

Anna Sheffer , MFA’25

Lauren Hanley is the definition of a changemaker.

The 2024 graduate of the Master's in Business Analytics program has an impressive track record of advocating for women’s rights—a record that garnered her an international scholarship.

Building nonprofit knowledge

Hanley got her undergraduate degree in international affairs from ��Ƶ. Service was a defining factor of those four years. She interned with the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Colorado-based nonprofit Locally Haiti, which supports economic development in the Nippes region of Haiti. On campus, Hanley also served as a fundraising coordinator for the Presidents’ Leadership Class.

An internship in her junior year with the United Nations Association of Boulder County (UNA-BC) shifted the focus of Hanley’s advocacy work.

“Women’s advocacy was something I knew I was interested in but hadn’t gotten specifically involved with until the internship,” she said.

During the seven months Hanley spent with UNA-BC, she championed local adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), a collection of policies considered to be an international bill of rights for women.

Hanley’s work involved contacting towns that had already signed local CEDAW resolutions and towns that had yet to pass resolutions of their own. Her hard work paid off: By the conclusion of her time with UNA-BC, Erie and Jamestown had both passed local CEDAW resolutions. Overall, the internship gave her “insight into how nonprofits work.”

“It was tough work, reaching out to cities and towns,” she said. “Doing advocacy work is not easy, but it was definitely rewarding and super worth it to get those resolutions signed.”

”Doing advocacy work is not easy, but it was definitely rewarding.”

Lauren Hanley (MSBA’24)

After completing her internship, Hanley had another life-changing experience: studying abroad in Costa Rica. She had never lived outside of Colorado, so studying in Costa Rica was both rewarding and challenging.

“It was really valuable for me to learn and be immersed in a different culture and see what the day-to-day life is for people living in a different place from what I'm used to,” she said.

The UNA-BC internship, coupled with her time in Costa Rica, inspired Hanley to write her undergraduate honors thesis about female presidential candidates in Latin America.

A new chapter

After obtaining her bachelor’s degree, Hanley pursued her MSBA at Leeds. She was eager to learn more about quantitative analysis to round out her existing knowledge of qualitative analysis. At Leeds, Hanley found not only the knowledge she needed but also a community of professors and students who pushed her to excel.

“It's awesome to be working with peers that are also motivated and smart and allow you to work toward a better version of yourself, academically and also outside of the classroom,” she said.

Leeds also helped Hanley find the Zonta International Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship, which is awarded to 37 female business students each year. After receiving an email from a Leeds advisor about the scholarship, she decided to take the leap and apply.

“I thought, ‘Well, I'm going to be studying business, and I am a woman, and I've done work for women,’” she recalled. “So I might as well apply. I didn't really think too much of it.”

It came as a surprise then in the summer of 2023 when Hanley not only received a district scholarship from the Zonta Foothills Club, the local chapter of Zonta International, but she also went on to win the Zonta International scholarship. In total, she received $8,000 toward her business education.

“I was super grateful for that, and it was really unexpected,” she said.

Looking ahead

Although Hanley hopes to find a position in market research now that she has graduated, she wants to stay connected to her advocacy roots. She also continues to encourage other women to get involved in advocating for women’s rights.

“Even if I'm not going directly into nonprofit work in my career, I think I'm able to take a lot of the things I learned from that experience and apply it to a career in business,” she said. “I'm really lucky and excited to be able to combine those things in the future and continue advocating for women and working toward progress.”

An interest in advocacy work fostered transformative experiences for Lauren Hanley (MSBA’24), including earning a prestigious international scholarship for her work promoting women’s rights.

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Kate Minnihan (Mgmt’18)

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Kate Minnihan (Mgmt’18) Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 08/16/2024 - 09:00

Anna Sheffer , MFA’25

Senior Employer Relations Manager, Leeds School of Business

Kate Minnihan (Mgmt’18) specializes in helping others live authentically—a quest she understands, thanks to the many turns her path has taken.

“At the end of the day, the goal is to just help people understand themselves and have empathy for others and understand others,” she said. “More purposeful and authentic living is what I strive for in my own life, and I hope that the services I provide can help give that to others.”

Finding a Place

Growing up in nearby Lafayette, Minnihan was unsure about attending ��Ƶ. She got accepted for engineering but quickly transferred to Leeds because she wanted to work with people and understood the value a business degree could provide.

As a student, Minnihan’s numerous extracurriculars included playing Ultimate Frisbee on the women’s club team, studying abroad in Prague, participating in the Leeds Scholars Program and creating a peer leadership program for the Presidents Leadership Class.

"When you're a student, there are so many opportunities to just go for it, and so many resources,” she said. “Even now, working at Leeds, I feel it’s crazy how much I see that.”

Although Minnihan was unsure what she wanted to do after graduation, her time at Leeds allowed her to test out a variety of options. She obtained a certificate from the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR), co-created a non-profit focused career fair and interned in HR with the resort company Intrawest.

“Even the power of figuring out what you don't want to do is amazing,” she said. “I had a lot of unpaid internships throughout my time at Leeds that were super helpful for understanding more about what I like and what I don't like.”

It took a few more years of experimentation before Minnihan found her passion. After graduation, she worked as an au pair in Switzerland before accepting a job with EF Education First, a company that organizes experiential learning trips overseas. After a year, she applied to a position at Leeds that would enable her to focus more on program management while still working in education.

“Even the power of figuring out what you don’t want to do is amazing.”

Kate Minnihan (Mgmt’18)

“Being at Leeds, I feel like I get to live out my passion for education in my work, while also being able to explore all these other avenues that I aspire to in the future,” she said.

Minnihan’s position at Leeds has focused on both experiential learning and employer relations. Working with recruiters and students inspired her to get her professional coaching certification through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and to launch her own business, Enneagram with Kate, which offers training for individuals and teams based on the Enneagram personality tool.

“Shifting more into coaching and getting my ICF certification was a big deal,” she said. “[So was] starting to work more with clients and think about, ‘What does it look like to help people achieve their goals, either career-related or just in general?’”

Inspiring others

In her Leeds role, Minnihan loves working with students. Although she works remotely from San Diego, Kate returns to campus throughout the semester for career fairs and events, and she also travels with students to major cities around the country for career treks.

"It's very cool to feel not only the more tangible outcomes that are helping place students in internships and jobs, but also the more human side and relational part of the journey of getting to see how students grow and change over time,” she said.

Minnihan’s search for authenticity is ongoing. Her most recent endeavor is obtaining a master’s degree in Learning Studies and Human Development from ��Ƶ Denver. Regardless of what she is doing, Minnihan strives to accept opportunities that come her way and inspire others to dream big.

“It's rewarding to say, ‘Hey, I saw the students’ needs and I was able to help them find the solution,’” she said.

Both a Leeds alumna and staff member, Kate Minnihan (Mgmt’18) specializes in helping others live authentically—a quest she understands, thanks to the many turns her path has taken.

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Tony Kong

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Tony Kong Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 08/02/2024 - 09:00

Anna Sheffer , MFA’25

Associate Professor, Organizational Leadership and Information Analytics

From Shanghai to St. Louis to ��Ƶ Boulder, Tony Kong, associate professor of Organizational Leadership and Information Analytics, has witnessed firsthand how vast the world is. As a result, he strives to unite people across differences.

“My passion is really bringing people together,” he said. “Then, hopefully, we can promote more positive behaviors for the greater good.”

Growing up in Shanghai, a city with a population of more than 26 million, Kong was surrounded by people. On top of that, his experience of singing in theaters in China and overseas in his teens exposed him to a diverse array of cultures.

“I just realized people are different and how people see things is different,” he said. “There was a lot of global awareness early on. The diverse experiences helped me appreciate human diversity more and more over time.”

A passion for people

Kong currently researches leadership and social psychology, but during his undergraduate years, he studied management science. An internship with Fortune Magazine in New York City changed his career trajectory, being the turning point of his life. Interviewing executives, managers, politicians and academics and working on the ranking of the "Most Powerful Women in the World" for the magazine made him realize that people are more complex and fascinating than he initially thought..

“In order to have an exceptional company, I think really it’s about people,” he said. “It’s about how to motivate and inspire people, how to support and empower people, and how to help people be more mindful of others’ presence and interests. So that gets me really excited about leadership and psychology.”

Kong went on to study Organizational Behavior during his PhD program at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. Later, he worked in Viriginia, Texas and Florida. He was attracted to ��Ƶ and to Leeds because he loves the school’s values and caring atmosphere, which make him want to do more for the school. Although business schools are often stereotyped as cold and profit-driven, he found the opposite to be true at Leeds.

“I do like that human touch portion of our culture because it makes people feel they want to contribute more to the place,” he said. “They feel they're valued as a unique entity rather than just another person they can replace anytime. This is something I truly believe in myself. That's why I do a lot of research on positive psychology of people and organizations.”

“My passion is really bringing people together. Then, hopefully, we can promote more positive behaviors for the greater good.”

Tony Kong, Associate Professor, Organizational Leadership and Information Analytics

Bridging divides

Kong brings his passion for uniting people to his teaching. As a Daniels Fund Faculty Fellow, he hosts workshops in which international students share their experiences while enjoying Chinese food to promote cross-cultural understanding. In the classroom, he encourages students to share their perspective even when others disagree. To Kong, the classroom is a place to be exposed to new ideas and take risks without the repercussions that might come elsewhere.

“It’s a community issue,” he said. “We need to help each other to see the blind spots of our understanding and the invalid assumptions we make about people, about places, about events, and also just give a little bit of room for people's experimentation and making mistakes.”

In the classroom, Kong appreciates the ability to receive instant feedback from students. His background as a singer has helped him overcome his anxiety in the classroom.

“I feel like it really helped me with my teaching. I used to perform in front of thousands of people in a theater. Now I don't feel afraid in front of students; rather, I enjoy teaching, and knowing that my teaching has a lasting impression on students makes me smile,” he said.

Kong still finds ways to apply his former singing career to his current life. He likes to unwind by singing karaoke and is an avid fan of Broadway musicals.

“Thanks to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, which brings Broadway shows to me! I don’t need to go to New York for the shows,” he said.

Whether in research, the classroom or his personal life, Kong’s respect for differing backgrounds and opinions is evident.

“My view is that we are all humans,” he said. “We are all flawed and feel insecure and vulnerable at times, but that makes us human and feel alive. Sure, we all think differently and value different things, but we need each other to make a better society. It’s human diversity that makes us resilient and interesting. It’s important for us to respect each other, lift each other up, leverage our strengths to address challenges, and unite for a better future.”

Singing in theaters and traveling internationally have helped Tony Kong embrace human complexity—whether as a teacher, a leader or a researcher.

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Regina Koetters (MRelEst’24)

Jane Majkiewicz — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 03:00:00 +0000

Regina Koetters (MRelEst’24) Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 07/12/2024 - 21:00

Anna Bedell (Mktg’25)

Executive Coach, ClientWise LLC; Executive Leadership Coach, Partners in Building Better LLC

From place to place, career to career, Regina Koetters has done a lot in her life. Now, after receiving a master’s degree from ��Ƶ Boulder, she’s happy to settle into work that she’s passionate about in the real estate industry.

A nontraditional path

Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Koetters entered the United States Naval Academy straight from high school. She went into aviation as a naval flight officer and was deployed in various places around the United States and Europe. She went to Iraq following the 9/11 attacks.

With all her Navy travel experiences, she developed an interest in real estate development. “I noticed just how incredibly influential the built environment is on the kinds of relationships people have with each other, the city, and ultimately, the lives that people lead,” she said.

Koetters decided to go back to school to get an MBA at the University of Michigan. Following a move to Pittsburgh to pursue an urban planning project, she was recalled to Iraq for a year and then returned to Pittsburgh, where she opened a business in 2012 to help address market inefficiencies with small farms. Although pouring everything she saved into the business, she ultimately made the tough decision to close it in 2016.

Then followed a few more years with the Navy. After that, she relocated to Louisville, Colorado, and began pursuing her master’s in real estate at ��Ƶ.

Helping business professionals

Koetters parlayed her life and work experiences into becoming a self-employed executive coach. She enjoys advising clients when their businesses are facing a problem, although she said she has never really loved the term ‘coach.’ “It infers that I have a playbook and I just say ‘go run these plays.’ That’s not what happens—I'm much more of a person that helps clients rewire what they believe is possible and what they believe is true about themselves.”

Koetters knows that being your own boss has its challenges, saying there’s no one to rely on but yourself. She can draw from that personal experience, empathizing with business owners about the stress of running a company.

“It’s like everyone in your life is mad at you or wants something from you,” she said. “Very few people are coming to you and saying, ‘Are you okay?’ Most business owners don’t realize how stressful it is.”

She considers herself to be a thought and accountability partner for her business clients. “They really are the ones who decide what's important and what they want to achieve. And I just help them do that—faster and with less pain.”

“I’m a builder at heart. I’m excited to join a great team that’s building great places to live and work, and to put all my skills into practice.”

Regina Koetters (MRelEst’24)

Diversity as a strength

Throughout her career, Koetters has often been a minority in the room—whether it has been as a woman in the Naval Academy, a young person within the commercial real estate industry, or as a nontraditional student. She’s used these experiences to learn and ensure that she’s building a culture of equity and inclusion in each industry she serves.

“Each one of us carries these biases,” she said. “We have to be aware of them so we're able to effectively navigate in a work environment.”

With her master’s degree in hand, Koetters is thrilled to be in the commercial real estate industry.

“I’m a builder at heart,” she said. “I’m excited to join a great team that’s building great places to live and work, and to put all my skills into practice.”

From place to place, career to career, Regina Koetters has done a lot in her life. Now she's excited to be in real estate development helping create great places to live and work.

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Rob La Trobe (MBA, MSupCha’24)

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 03:00:00 +0000

Rob La Trobe (MBA, MSupCha’24) Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 06/18/2024 - 21:00

Anna Bedell (Mktg’25)

Strategic Sourcing Analyst, Stack Infrastructure

Business wasn’t Rob La Trobe’s first career choice—nor his second. After a long journey, he found himself at ��Ƶ Boulder, leading to a career path that he loves. In June 2024, La Trobe landed his “dream job,” working as a strategic sourcing analyst.

Originally from Chicago, La Trobe was a first-generation graduate of Purdue University in 2015, getting a degree in premed with plans to go to grad school. After deciding that he didn’t want to commit to medicine, he joined the military and worked in intel until 2020. He was in operations and sales positions until he came to ��Ƶ Boulder.

“I had the opportunity to make my own path rather than have one carved out for me,” he said. “I ended up at ��Ƶ Boulder once I saw I needed to sharpen my tools in order to be ‘dangerous’ when it came to business acumen.”

Pursuing a Dream

La Trobe wasn’t sure what to expect coming into Leeds. He hadn’t studied business before, but he knew this career path was his passion, and he was willing to work hard to create the experience he wanted.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could be incredibly successful,” he said. “I held on to that dream and that goal. It took some iterations, failing in a lot of things that didn’t work out for me. But that's part of it—and that’s the fun part.” It helped that he felt surrounded by people who wanted him to do well, with a supportive culture that fostered connection. “It was a recipe for success.”

“It took some iterations, failing in a lot of things that didn’t work out for me. But that’s part of it—and that’s the fun part.”

Rob La Trobe (MBA, MSupCha’24)

A Delicate Balancing Act

Even with the stress of studying for two master’s degrees, La Trobe wanted to get involved in causes that he cares about. He joined Leeds’ Net Impact Club, which focuses on sustainability in business, and the MBA Veteran's Club, where he worked to inform veteran students of their benefits and connect them to different departments at ��Ƶ. He served as the president of both organizations, all while balancing his school work and personal life.

“I felt like I was spinning a million plates, and fumbling quite a few of them,” he said. “It doesn't feel like you're doing anything right when you’re spread so thin. But you don’t have to spin the plates forever. It's OK for some of them to fall—where they should be. Everything happens for a reason.”

Those reasons were abundantly clear when upon graduation La Trobe was named the MS Supply Chain Management Outstanding Student and he landed his current job. It has felt like the perfect fit. He especially enjoys being inspired by two bosses who encourage him to fail forward and experiment.

Gratitude and Giving Back

Reflecting upon his time at Leeds, La Trobe said he’s proud of and grateful for ��Ƶ Boulder. “I can't thank the school enough.” He's eager to keep giving back. “I feel like it’s hard to be successful. I'd love to help where I can,” he said. “I’m privileged to be here. I'm grateful for the position I'm in now.”

After exploring different fields, including military service, Rob La Trobe decided to pursue dual master's degrees at Leeds, leading to his current "dream job" as a strategic sourcing analyst.

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