Class Notes

Karly van Leer (StratComm) recently started an internship with Communications Strategy Group in Denver, where she will be working with fellow Buff Madison Thomas (StratComm’21).

Alexander Servantez (Jour) accepted a job at Fox 31 KDVR and is officially starting a career in broadcast media as an assignment editor. 

This fall, Areyana Proctor (CritMedia, Jour) enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Department of Communication Arts, with a focus on media and cultural studies. There, she will be a teaching assistant, starting with an introduction to digital media production class, while working toward her PhD and studying media representation.

Taylor Alton (StratComm) started a new job as a marketing specialist at Life Time Media & Events where she will be focusing on creating captivating content for their off-road cycling events. Alton attended Garmin Unbound Gravel to capture live social coverage of the event.

Aislin Khleif (StratComm) has been working for Oracle NetSuite as a business development representative in the Denver office for more than half a year. As a team leader, she created and executed a cohort-wide organizational workshop, joined the Oracle Women’s Leadership group and volunteered as a co-lead for a pro bono project to give back to a company in need.

Molly Hitchens (StratComm) moved to Nashville and is working as a marketing coordinator for the company Twelve Tables, which seeks to create a full-service marketplace for high-caliber agencies and independents. Hitchens now creates and manages social media tasks for a range of clients and is helping Twelve Tables’ CEO create a podcast.

Carly Duffy (StratComm) moved to Sydney shortly after graduation and joined the team at Now We Collide as a junior producer/social media coordinator. She has been working closely with their newest client, NBA Basketball School Australia, to help them grow their company and reach new audiences. She is thankful for all she learned through CMCI and to everyone who supported her along the way.

Together with her mother, Laura Carrillo (StratComm) established a real estate investing company in August 2022. Since then, they’ve successfully flipped two houses, and her degree has been invaluable as she continues this startup journey.

After graduating, Alex Borinstein (Comm) moved to Denver, joining Kroenke Sports and Entertainment’s partnership marketing department. After interning for six months, he transitioned into a full-time role. He’s grateful for the connections made at CU, which have helped him begin his career working in professional sports.

Olivia Gemmiti (StratComm) is a project manager at McCann, in New York City. She works across several global accounts and recently helped win a highly competitive New Biz pitch for a coveted spirits brand. Gemmiti loves being at a historic agency and being able to see the creative process from start to finish.

After graduating, Jessica Clarke (InfoSci) was hired by Booz Allen Hamilton as part of a team that supports NASA’s Artemis missions, and had the opportunity to see the Artemis 1 launch. She said she “couldn’t imagine where I’d be without the Info Sci department.”

Emma Yoder (CritMedia) is working as a producer for event management company LSAV Powerhouse, in Chicago.

Monique van Veenendaal (StratComm) is an account executive at Salesforce. She works with health and life science companies to help them create a better patient or customer experience, while maintaining relevance in the digital age.

This year, Shannon Mullane (MJour) joined The Colorado Sun as a staff reporter covering water issues and tribal affairs in the West. Previously, she worked as senior editor of the CMCI communications team and as a staff writer for The Durango Herald, where she received 15 awards for her reporting. She’s still based in Durango and loves exploring southwest Colorado. In the fall, Mullane won a first-place award from the Colorado Press Association in the Best Social Justice or Equity Reporting category.

After graduation, Ashley Hopko (Jour) was a general assignment reporter in Arlington, Virginia, for the Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship. During the pandemic, she became a Washington, D.C., freelance reporter with Urban Turf, Medscape and Greater Greater Washington. Hopko recently accepted a new job as a research and communications associate with the consulting firm Nexight Group, where she works for the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Since Audrey (Rodriguez) Holcomb (Jour) graduated, she has gone on to work in social media marketing for the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Lakers. She is now the social media manager for StockX, a live marketplace for exclusive sneakers, apparel, handbags and watches. During her time with the Lakers, she had the opportunity to experience winning a championship with the team in 2020. She was married in 2021 in her hometown of Laguna Beach, California, and moved to Fort Worth, Texas, with her husband, Reed, and puppy, Sushi.

Tessa Diestel (Jour) is an associate producer in event production with ESPN, where she has worked since June 2019. She primarily works on college football and tennis, but is also involved in production for golf, the WNBA and the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament. She has worked in college football for four seasons, including on the Emmy-nominated Saturday Night Football crew. When working on tennis, she produces features and creative content during the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Hannah Young (Comm) is chief marketing officer for Lockton’s transaction liability practice, where she manages all marketing activities to help ensure mergers and acquisitions for corporations and private equity companies. Young completed her master’s in communication and data from Northwestern University in 2022.

Danielle Seat (Jour) is a broadcast news reporter for the NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach, Florida (WPTV). Prior to WPTV, Seat was a reporter and anchor in Charleston, South Carolina, at CBS Live 5 News. She has reported on legislative sessions, PGA tournaments, the Murdaugh murders investigation and more.

After graduation, Catherine Marylander (Advert) moved to San Francisco and landed a position with GoPro. She is now the director of global social marketing, responsible for overseeing the strategy for organic social content worldwide. Marylander and her team have won awards for their social media content, all while traveling around the world looking for compelling stories and managing global teams. In her free time, she enjoys teaching yoga and spending time with her puppy, Bruna.