Class Notes

Who can resist the perfect powder day? Joel Gratz (MEnvDes, MBA’06) wants to make sure nobody misses a good day of skiing. He created opensnow.com, which gives users live snow updates directly from the slopes. When he’s not skiing, Joel hikes, climbs and bikes. He lives in Boulder.

Few people can say they were a part of a space mission. Kevin Heng (MAstro’05, PhD’07) can. He works as a professor for the University of Bern in Switzerland, which leads the CHEOPS — Characterizing Exoplanets Satellite — space mission and the PlanetS framework for exoplanet and solar system research. Kevin joined the university’s Exoplanets and Exoclimes Group after finishing a term at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton.

Each year no more than 2.5 percent of Colorado lawyers are selected as “Colorado Super Lawyers Rising Stars.” This year Ryan Kalamaya (Law’07) was honored with this award. Ryan works at the firm Reynolds, Kalamaya & Voboril in Eagle County. He is the only attorney in the central Rocky Mountains named to the list in the family law category.

Adam Barenblat (Film’08) works as a video producer for the website Polygon, which is part of Vox Media. This website is a major producer for the video game industry. Adam visits CU-Boulder annually as a guest lecturer and talks about the history of video gaming. He is based in San Francisco.

The Bivouac, formally the Allaire Timbers Inn, has become a popular destination in Breckenridge thanks to Bond Camp (Fin’08) and Worthy McCormick (Econ’10). They decided to turn the small lodge into a premium hostel. They hope the word “hostel” doesn’t distract people from checking it out. The Bivouac offers craft beer on tap and a rotating list of wines. Visit their website at thebivvi.com.

Philosopher Diana Hsieh (MPhil’08, PhD’09) specializes in the application of rational principles to the challenges of real life. Her Internet radio show on the subject, “Philosophy in Action,” airs live Sunday mornings and most Wednesday evenings. She lives in Sedalia, Colo.

The statistics on sex trafficking are shocking, yet many remain unaware the phenomenon exists. Maya Lea Osterman (Thtr’09) is trying to change this. She is performing a one-woman show, “For Sale,” to increase awareness on the subject in theaters, schools and conferences across the country. The fictitious characters are based on several years of Maya’s research.

Imagine this: A cookie sandwich stuffed with strawberry ice cream, a brownie and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. This heavenly creation can be found at the Baked Bear, an ice cream sandwich shop owned by Robby Robbins (Mktg’09) and Shane Stager in San Diego.

Forbes magazine named David Dinetz (Art’10) and Dylan Trussel (Film’09) to its annual “30 Under 30” list. David and Dylan cofounded Culprit Creative, an agency that specializes in branded storytelling for clients that include ESPN and Red Bull. Other clients include King, the maker of the Candy Crush app, and Legendary Pictures.

Torey deRozario (Fin’11) proves that with perseverance, one person can make a difference. She serves as executive director for Hope for Life Ministries, a home for street boys in Rwanda. After December she hopes to start a new international business.

Colorado native Danielle Kreutter’s (Jour’11) career has taken her all over the state. She has spent two years reporting in Grand Junction and some time in Aurora, where she helped cover the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting. Last September she joined KKTV 11 News in Colorado Springs.

After helping to develop the C-Unit, the popular student section at CU-Boulder athletic events, Zack Shapiro (Jour’11) co-founded Luna, a company aimed at making shipping more efficient and package delivery easier. The company was acquired by Doorman, a San Francisco-based package delivery service company. Zack continues as an adviser.

Jordan Darrington (Fin’12) and Emily Lindquist Darrington (Engl’12) moved to New Jersey last year. On July 15, they welcomed future Buff Jackson Lee Darrington into their family. The healthy baby boy was 9 pounds, 2 ounces, and 21 inches long. Jordan works for OppenheimerFunds as an equity and fixed income trading assistant in the company’s New York City office. Emily writes that she is blessed to be able to stay home with Jackson.

Rachel Dubrovin (Jour’12) and Morgan Aguilar (Jour’13) both work for KLEW News, the CBS affiliate in Lewiston, Idaho. Rachel is the Palouse bureau reporter and Morgan produces all three KLEW newscasts and anchors the 11 p.m. newscast.

Three former CU triathlon team members represented Team USA at this spring’s International University Sports Federation’s 12th World University Triathlon Championships in Brazil. Chris Braden (Fin’13), Michelle Mehnert (MCivEngr’13) and Ryan Bice, a University of Colorado Colorado Springs graduate, participated and took home 3rd, 9th and 11th.