Class Notes

In December the Boston Globe reported on Damon Corkin’s (BusAd, Span) love of Spanish and the tour company he founded. At age 26 Corkin booked a one-way flight to Ecuador, where he taught English and started Andean Discovery. The Massachusetts firm arranges tours in Ecuador, Colombia, the Galapagos Islands and Peru. Damon and wife Angela live in Sudbury, Mass. with their daughters Olivia and Stella.

Adam Brammer (Mgmt) is the new general manager of GKN Aerospace Aircraft Transparency Systems, a United Kingdom-based provider of military transparency systems. Adam and his family, wife Neena and two children, live in California.

Samuel Shekanena (Geog) runs an interpreting services company and is also involved in real estate. He lives in Grand Rapids, Mich., and travels to Africa and Europe every year to refresh himself. Samuel has six children — two living in Colorado, two in college in Michigan, a highschooler and a middleschooler, both in Michigan.

Jessica Feinstein (EPOBio) was named principal of law firm Jackson Lewis P.C.’s Omaha, Neb., office. She represents U.S. and multinational companies in employment-based immigration. Jessica speaks nationally on immigration matters and has presented to the American Immigration Lawyers Association at its annual conference.

Last fall Jennie Hornbeck Schmaltz (Psych) won the Milken Family Foundation’s $25,000 Milken Educator Award. Jennie received it during a surprise all-school assembly at Elkhart Elementary in Aurora, Colo., where she teaches third grade. Around Elkhart, Jennie is known for both her literacy teaching skills and for raising the school’s teacher retention rate.

Last November Ian Weintraub (Comm) was named vice president of marketing for Limelight Media, a Los Angeles-based entertainment marketing firm. He heads the company’s New York office. Ian has worked with A-list talent such as Sylvester Stallone and developed successful engagement programs for Samsung, TaylorMade-Adidas, Motorola and Lexus.

In January attorney Aron Beezley (PolSci) was made partner at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP in Washington, D.C. Aron focuses his practice on government contracts and construction law.

Alexander J.A. Garcia (Acct, PolSci) has been named partner in law firm Perkins Coie’s trademark, copyright, media and brand protection practice. He helps clients in the selection, clearance and maintenance of trademarks in the United States as well as abroad. Alex and wife Jennifer live in Denver with their two children.

After teaching for more than 10 years at Colorado State University, Lori Peek (PhDSoc) has returned to CU as a professor in the sociology department. She is also the director of CU’s Natural Hazards Center. Lori has done investigative research in the wake of many notable disasters, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, the BP oil spill and Superstorm Sandy. The Kansas native married her husband, Povilas, in November 2015.

In December 2016 David A. Brown (PhDIntPhys) was named associate professor of human nutrition, foods and exercise in the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He directs a laboratory that combines cardiac physiology and mitochondrial biology. David and wife Trisha live in Blacksburg, Va., with their two children.

In November Joseph A. Campbell (Psych) joined Plunkett Cooney, one of the Midwest’s oldest and largest law firms, as a member of its medical liability practice group. Before becoming a lawyer, Joe worked as a clinical case manager at the Mental Health Center of Denver. He lives in Michigan.

Ben Herrmann (PolSci) and Corbin Marr (Hist’98) have gone into business together in the wastewater infrastructure sector. Their firm has locations in California and on the East Coast. Projects include an inspection of underground pipelines in Boulder using cameras, sonar and laser equipment. The firm is also developing and implementing technology for inspecting and rehabilitating failing infrastructure.

Former CU football player Jeremy Bloom (A&S ex’06) will be inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. After high school Jeremy accepted a scholarship to CU, then delayed his enrollment to prepare for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. He is the only Olympic skier ever to be drafted by the NFL.

Ryan Connolly (PolSci) has made a living as the owner of Grassroots California, which sells hats with Jerry Garcia’s artwork, Jimi Hendrix’s face and Monarch, the California grizzly bear, depicted on the state’s flag. Ryan sells most of his hats online, but also through a store in Chicago and Denver, a popup store in Barcelona, Spain, and a warehouse in Stapleton, Colo. Ryan has 23 employees. He founded the company on the Venice Beach boardwalk.

Northwestern Mutual honored Los Angeles wealth management advisor Brandon Matloff (Fin) with membership in the company’s 2016 Forum Group for helping clients plan for and achieve financial security. This is the fifth time that he’s received the honor, which recognizes young company leaders who have eclipsed certain milestones. Brandon and wife Sarah live in California.

After moving to Argentina on a whim in 2010, David Burg (Hum) stumbled into his dream career. While looking for a season ski pass in the Catedral Alta Patagonia region, he ended up with a job for South America Snow Sessions, an adventure travel business. Today he is director of finance for SASS and serves as general manager for its backcountry program in Argentina. David splits his time between SASS’ global headquarters in Rincon, Puerto Rico, and his home base in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Christie Petrosino (Engl) married Roman Payan (Advert’11) on Oct. 22, 2016, at the Boulder Country Club. The couple met at Cosmos Pizza on The Hill in Boulder during their undergraduate years at CU. Many fellow Buffs attended the wedding. Christie and Roman live in Los Angeles and both work in advertising.

Last August Brett Miller (AeroEngr) and Megan Foster married at the Omni golf resort in Broomfield, Colo. Brett designs military jets for Boeing-Phantom Works. The couple lives in St. Louis, Mo.

Chelsea Thomas (Psych) has worked for Colorado credit unions since graduation. She handles everything from graphic design to switching online banking systems.

In January, Susan Whitehead (PhDEPOBio) joined the department of biological sciences in Virginia Tech’s College of Science as an assistant professor. Susan focuses her research on ecology and the evolution of interactions between plants and other organisms. Previously, she worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University