Notes from the Class of 2006

Former businessman Andrew Wolff (MEdu’06) is co-founder of a school and women’s safe-house in northwest Cambodia called Children’s Future International, which houses more than 20 poor and neglected children. The school teaches math, Khmer literacy, English, computer skills, music, art and sports to 200 children. Andrew told the Boulder Camera he was inspired to start the school after meeting five siblings who were abused and living in poverty.

Tracy Wright Deshmuk (Soc’06) is an English as a Second Language instructor in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. She speaks fluent Portuguese and is an avid musician.

As part of the Japanese Government Invitation Program, Benjamin Erickson (Econ’06) visited Japan last fall to raise awareness of the situation caused by the devastating earthquake. While there he went to Ninohe City where he had spent two years teaching English with the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. He also volunteered in the disaster region and promoted tourism in the Tohoku region. Ben lives in Ellensburg, Wash.

In July Lucas Otten (Econ’06) married Alisa Wohlfarth in Beaver Creek, Colo. To celebrate their special day were Forever Buffs Coral Balcazar (IntlAf’04) of Dallas, Levi Pederson (Art’06) of Longmont, Colo., Adam Quanz(Mgmt’06) of Albuquerque, N.M., and Zach Mendozza (MechEngr’07) of Aurora, Colo. The couple lives in Denver.

Associate professor of geography Daniel Trudeau (PhDGeog’06) received tenure from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. His research experience represents his diverse set of interests in urban geography, including urban political economy, cultural landscapes and social justice.

In January CU alums Scott Washburn (Fin’06), Bob Wilson (Fin’06) and John Wilson (Jour’06) launched their startup winery in Chicago. Winestyr is a new wine platform that puts consumers directly in touch with wineries via the internet to facilitate sales. The model is a greener channel to purchase wine and has received positive responses from both wineries and consumers.

In the book Dig This Gig by Laura Dodd (Kensington Publishing) Drew Chafetz (Econ’06) is featured as one of the 32 individuals who is 20-something and navigating various career routes. He lives in Washington, D.C.

For three years Elise Crane (IntlAf’06) represented a media organization in Prague before pursuing a master’s degree. In May she graduated from Tufts’ Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and immediately began training with the Foreign Service. She is the press officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, Uganda. Elise vividly remembers attending a 2003 presentation on the Foreign Service in CU-Boulder’s Hale Science building during which she swore she’d never go through the hassles of the exam process. She writes she is glad she changed her mind.

On July 21 CU couple Melissa “Missy” DiSalle (IntlAf’06) and Richard Diehl III (Hist’07, MEdu’11) will marry. Melissa is employed by the CU Foundation at the Leeds School of Business, and Richard is a social studies teacher in Commerce City, Colo.

In November Monica Emerich (PhDComm’06) published her book The Gospel of Sustainability: Media, Market and LOHAS, based on her dissertation. She lives in Lafayette, Colo.

The ASHRAE society nominated Westminster, Colo., resident Rebecca Losier Reel (MechEngr’06) as one of its “New Faces of Engineering.” She received the recognition for her engineering contributions and the resulting impact on public welfare. She has participated in more than 10 LEED-registered projects, including serving as energy modeler for a housing complex for soldiers healing from injuries.

Working for the U.S. Agency for International Development has kept Michael Aguilar (IntlAf’06) busy. The former Alumni Association student assistant traveled in the spring to China to teach conflict resolution techniques at a Chinese university during a three-week period. He lives in Arlington, Va.

Wish of a Lifetime is the nonprofit organization of two-time Olympic skier and former NFL football player Jeremy Bloom (A&S ex’06). The foundation’s mission is to enrich the life of seniors and to grant their wishes. In April the foundation granted the wish of Russel Taylor by sending him and his wife to renew their vows where they first met in France.

Former CU football player Alexander Ligon (Soc’06) was diagnosed in the spring with acute myeloid leukemia. He and his wife welcomed their first child this summer. Friends and family members are raising money for Alexander’s medical expenses through the website rally.org/ligon.

After working six years at CU in the office of admissions Katie Malone Hartung (Comm’06) resigned to explore the world. She traveled to Africa last fall and writes that she is taking the opportunity to further her travels with her husband Tyler Hartung (Fin’06) who works for the Unreasonable Institute and was The Herd director at the Alumni Association for several years after he graduated.

In June Mike Aguilar (IntlAf’06) spent three weeks in China teaching conflict resolution techniques to students at their university. He resides in Arlington, Va., and is a former Alumni Association student worker.

Founders of The Unreasonable Institute Tyler Hartung (Fin’06), Dan Epstein (Phil’08) and Teju Ravilochan (IntlAf’09) were listed in America’s top 30 entrepreneur’s under 30 by Inc. Magazine. The Unreasonable Institute recruits 25 entrepreneurs for six weeks of mentoring, business development and networking in Boulder. The company helps international start-ups that aim to address an environmental or social need. Dan and Teju were part of CU-Boulder’s Presidents Leadership Class.

International Student & Scholar Services at CU-Boulder hosted Gaza journalist Rania Elhelo (MJour’06) who shared her campus experiences and how they helped her pursue her journalism career in Gaza. She works as communications officer in American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) Gaza and covers various programs from preschooler education to health to engineering and agriculture. Rania writes commentaries, profiling people to educate the public about her community. She says studying journalism enabled her to use the power of media in humanitarian advocacy.

Freestyle mogul champion Jeremy Bloom (A&S ex’06) was one of six to be inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. The induction took place at the Vail Marriott Mountain Resort in April. Jeremy lives in San Francisco.

In addition to purchasing his first home last fall in Denver Adam Creapo (Jour’06) and his wife welcomed a son, Colt, into their family. Adam is an English Second Language (ESL) teacher at Northglenn Middle School and just completed his third year at Northglenn and first as an ESL teacher. He expects to graduate in the fall from CU Denver with a master’s in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in linguistically diverse education.