Notes from the Class of 1999

Lola Red PR, founded in Boulder in 2001 by Alexis Walsko (Mktg), won the Gold Picks and Grand Gold Picks award from the Public Relations Society of America in 2016 for its work with Boulder-based Sphero, a consumer electronics company focused on robotics.

Jeremiah Baronberg (IntlAf) was named senior director of marketing and communications at Blue Star Strategies, LLC, a strategic consulting and government relations firm. He will head the firm’s external relations, publications and media portfolio. Jeremiah also serves on the American Jewish Committee, which focuses on global human rights and diplomacy. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Sirena Rolfe (Advert) developed the AnytimeHood, a waterproof attachable nylon hood for rain or snow protection. The hoods are available at Tempushood.com. Sirena, a Colorado native who lived in New York for three years, then came back, writes that she loved CU and credits the school for her entrepreneurial attitude.

Boulder resident Kate Lacroix (Thtr ex’99) is owner of KONTENTLY, a digital content marketing company, and co-producer of Boulder’s restaurant week. Yet she considers her most important life accomplishment the donation of her kidney to someone in need. Currently Kate is working with legislation to pass a law that would provide tax compensation for organ donors.

Nick Massie (Econ, Mktg; MBA’10) joined the Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners as assistant director and CFO/COO. He and wife Holly Nelson Massie (EnvSt, Ger’00) live in Denver

In August, Vail Resorts named Geoff Buchheister (Fin) Keystone Resort general manager. Geoff was a three-time NCAA All-American racer on the CU ski team and grew up in Winter Park, Colo.

Nate Hukill (Fin) and Luke Düster (Fin’97) lead Boulder-based CRG, a healthcare-focused investment firm that manages more than $3 billion in institutional capital. The firm also supports technologies, products and services in the life sciences industry. Nate, the president, and Luke, managing director, studied abroad together in Shanghai in the ’90s.

Retired NBA player Chauncey Billups (Soc ex) announced that he will open a jazz club, restaurant and lounge in the Five Points’ Rossonian Hotel in Denver, which is expected to re-open as a 41-room boutique hotel after nearly two decades of vacancy. Chauncey played 17 seasons in the NBA and is a five-time NBA All-Star. Known as “Mr. Big Shot” for making late-game shots, Chauncey lives in Denver with his wife Piper and their three daughters.

Stephanie Mohr’s (PhDMCDBio’99) book First in Fly: Drosophila Research and Biological Discovery, was included in Smithsonian magazine’s list of the ten best science books of 2018. The book, published in March 2018, outlines a century of scientific research on the common fruit fly and how the model organism has expanded our understanding of human health and disease. Stephanie is the director of the Functional Genomics Resource Lab at Harvard Medical School, where she is also a lecturer on genetics.

Qin Liu (ElEngr;MBA’04) and Rong Pan (MBA’03) took their love for tea and turned it into Ka Chu Tea House, which offers more than 170 tea varieties. Originally named The Leaf, it moved twice before landing on Pearl Street. There are now locations in Fort Collins and Cherry Creek.

Karen Hertz’s (Psych; MBA’05) gluten-free brewery Holidaily Brewing in Golden, Colorado, took home gold at the Great American Beer Festival for its Boombastic Hazy IPA.

Los Angeles-based anesthesiologist Edna Ma (EPOBio; MD’03) published a series of bilingual children’s books written in both English and Mandarin. They were inspired by her son and his best friend, who met in a Mandarin Immersion school. Edna also has been a contestant on Survivor and Shark Tank.

Brandy Ferner (Advert) released her debut novel, Adult Conversation, in May. The book takes a comedic look at two women who embark to reclaim autonomy against the demands of marriage and motherhood. Brandy is a parenting expert writer and podcast host who has appeared on Good Morning America, the Huffington Post, Romper, CafeMom and TODAY Parents. Brandy is also a doula, childbirth educator and birth trauma mentor, who specializes in helping women through transitions into motherhood.

Known as the “Acoustic Ninja,” Trace Bundy (CivEngr; MS’03) has become recognized for his unique guitar playing style. After several clips of him made the rounds on YouTube, Trace was the subject of a short documentary in 2017, which premiered at Sundance. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in Boulder. 

Denver’s Caryn Hartman (Anth, RelSt) won the 2019 Nautilus Award for best children’s illustrated fiction book. Her book, Dorje the Yak, is a dual language book written in both English and Tibetan.

Caryn Hartman (Anth, RelSt) of Denver won the 2019 Nautilus Award for Best Children’s Illustrated Fiction Book for Dorje the Yak, a dual-language story in English and Tibetan.

Hunter Sykes (Geog, Hist) produced and directed an award-winning conservation documentary, The Hunter Legacy. The film examines 80 years of conservation and change in Kenya through the eyes of the descendants of big game hunters. The production was filmed in part by fellow Buffs alum Darren Campbell (EnvCon’94).

Steven Blincoe (Kines) performed dynamic maneuvers during a New School Flight University Camp at Hurricane Factory, Madrid. He founded the wind-tunnel school in 2002 and travels the world flying and instructing. He lives in Studio City, California.

Coast Guard commander Lance Tinstman (Mktg) was selected to serve as the senior defense official at the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica. He, his wife, Leah, and son, Lance Jr., relocated to San Jose, Costa Rica, from Washington, D.C., in September 2020. 

Former Buffs basketball star Chauncey Billups (Soc ex), who played 17 seasons with seven teams in the NBA, is now head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. Chauncey is the first Forever Buff to become an NBA head coach.