Class Notes

Michele Anderson (PolSci; Law’97) was promoted to associate director in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s corporate finance division. She previously served as chief of the division’s mergers and acquisitions office. She has been with the SEC since 1998.

Former NFL and Buff football star Mike Pritchard (Acct) was inducted into this year’s CU Athletic Hall of Fame. Named most valuable player on CU’s 1990 national championship football team and male athlete of the year, he had 47 career receptions for 1,241 yards and 10 touchdowns. Pritchard played for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons. After playing, he returned home to Las Vegas and provided sports commentary on UNLV’s radio network.

Denver resident Daphne Werth O’Connor (Law) joined the law firm Arnold & Porter LLP after working as vice president and associate general counsel for Altria Client Services LLC for seven years. She focuses on managing, litigating and trying complex product liability and mass tort cases. While at Colorado Law she was elected to the honorary scholastic society Order of the Coif.

In 2003 Jennifer Kuzma (PhDChem) joined the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and the Center for Science, Technology and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota. She works as an assistant professor at the university and as associate director of the CSTPP. After earning her degree at CU, she became a research fellow at Rockefeller University’s plant molecular biology lab. This September she co-authored a report that examined the potential applications, benefits and risks of nanotechnology-based food and agriculture.

Nicole Vranesh (ArchEngr) was inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame this November. As a Buff volleyball player, she was a two-time, first-team All-Mideast Region selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She helped bring the Buffs to the national stage in volleyball and as setter led the Buffs to the 1992 and 1993 Big Eight Tournament Championships and the 1993 Big East title.

CU couple Scott (Mktg) and Allyson Roach Berberich (Mktg’98) and their two children threw a dog birthday party in their hometown of Parkville, Mo., for their dogs Folsom and Ralphie, Allyson writes. Scott is a vice president at Commerce Bank in Kansas City and Allyson works for Bartlett Grain Company.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

On April 25, 2014, Michael Diaz (CompSci) and Lynne Diaz (ApMath’00, CivEngr’06, MS’08) welcomed their fourth child, Ethan Diaz. Michael holds a scrum master position at CA Technologies and Lynne is enjoying staying home with the kids in Timnath, Colo.

Principal and head of Boulder’s Studio B Architecture and Interiors, Mike Piché (Arch) was honored with one of Colorado Homes and Lifestyles‘ Five Under 40 Awards. He also was chosen as the 2013 AIA Colorado Young Architect of the Year and has been involved with the modern design of nationally recognized projects such as Christ Episcopal Church in Aspen, Aspen Middle School and the Linear House, also in Aspen.

After spending more than 14 years in the translation industry, Leo Durán (Fin) joined Magna Legal Services as general manager of its foreign language services department. Born in Spain and a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, Leo brings a multicultural viewpoint to the company and leads it into new areas such as pharmaceuticals and insurance.

After 21 high school indoor and outdoor track championships, Keena Schuler Wood (Soc) was inducted into the 2015 Virginia High School Hall of Fame for her achievements in interscholastic sports. She continued her running career at CU-Boulder and was a member of the Big 12 distance medley championship team and 4×400 team.

CEO and founder of Deep Ellum Brewing Co. John Reardon (Fin) was awarded the 2015 EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the Southwest region for entrepreneurial excellence in the emerging consumer category. The three-year-old company has grown from two employees to more than 30, and in the last year saw beer sales rise from 12,500 barrels to 35,000 barrels. Five hundred restaurants and retail locations carry Deep Ellum’s 50 different beers. Zack Fickey (Comm’02) serves as the company’s events and sponsorships coordinator.

Arnstein & Lehr partner Kevin H. Morse (Hist) was chosen to participate in the fifth annual Next Generation Program of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges. He represents various clients, from Chapter 7 financial trustees to financial institutions and large Chapter 11 debtors. Kevin previously served a one-year term as the judicial law clerk in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.

Mechanical engineer Peter Alspach (MCivEngr) was promoted to principal at Arup, where he’s worked since 2001. Peter leads the sustainability, mechanical and plumbing teams in the Seattle office and is the global skills leader for environmental and building physics. He has worked on more than 150 projects at Arup and is a specialist in the design of low-energy buildings.

Lindsey Wilson (Thtr) accepted the position of Dallas city editor at CultureMap, a digital magazine. She previously worked as the Texas regional editor for Where Traveler and as theater critic at D Magazine.

From his college apartment, Nathan Seidle (ElEngr) built and sold his first circuit boards. Twelve years later his company, SparkFun, sells 100,000 circuit boards a month, offers 2,000 different products and has annual revenues of nearly $33 million. This summer SparkFun opened its first offline store in Niwot, Colo., catering to small-scale buyers interested in kits and parts.