Notes from the Class of 2009

Patricia Krus (MClass) and Joshua Stanfield were married in May. The ceremony was held at the Sunrise Amphitheatre on Flagstaff Mountain above Boulder with a dinner and dance reception hosted at CU Boulder. Josh and Patty honeymooned in Costa Rica, then traveled to Germany in September to continue the celebration. They live in Boulder with their Aussie kelpie, Tessa.

Jeff Ruppert (MCDBio), co-founder and COO of Evo Hemp, one of the first hemp food companies in the U.S., has been leading the firm’s growth since 2011. He’s happy to support fellow CU Boulder students and currently works with senior Gabriela Moy (ChemEngr ex’17).

In October, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants appointed Diego Baca (Acct, MS) to the CPA Examination Board of Examiners and to the institute’s board for a three-year term. At 31, Diego is the youngest board member and hopes to contribute a fresh vision for the examination. Diego also is a member of the CU Boulder Latino Alumni Association’s board.

New Jersey native Blake Baldwin (Mktg) is one of 12 finalists competing on the latest season of Food Network Star, which premiered June 4. Blake recently switched careers, entering the culinary world after years of marketing and account management for tech start-ups.

Teju Ravilochan (IntlAf), a Forbes 30 Under 30 social entrepreneur and co-founder of the Unreasonable Institute, now known as Uncharted, a Denver-based incubator for entrepreneurs, received the Alumni Association’s 2017 Kalpana Chawla Award over Homecoming Weekend. The award recognizes outstanding career achievement, as well as significant contribution to the community or the university within 15 years of graduation.

Matt Kramer (PolSci) of Broomfield, Colo., co-founded The Application Authority three years ago in Ann Arbor, Mich. The business guides students on creating stand-out college applications. Last year, the firm opened a second office in Broomfield. Matt aims to mentor CU business students. His company is actively engaged in Boulder Startup Week.  

Jenny Simpson (PolSci) is still running strong since winning a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in 2016. She was inducted into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame this year and has been called the greatest American 1,500-meter runner. She also set an American record in the 2-mile race in April. She hopes to represent Team USA at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

A team of Buffs men’s basketball alumni competed in an amateur tournament this summer. Televised on ESPN, 64 teams competed for a grand prize of $2 million. Team Colorado included NBA veteran Chris Copeland (Pysch) and all-time leading scorer Richard Roby (Soc ex’08). The teamwas coached by Nate Tomlinson (Ethn’12).

Ali Greer (Film) and Eric Tomassini’s (Psych’13) urban farm, Avenue 33 Farm in downtown Los Angeles, is tucked away in a residential neighborhood on an idyllic hill. The couple met at CU Boulder, and their farm was the focus of an LA Times article last October. 

University of Delaware professor April Kloxin (PhDChemEngr) was awarded the Director’s New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health. With the five-year grant, April hopes to develop next-generation materials and tools to research lung fibrosis, an incurable, fatal disease. 

Last August, Allie Sandza (Jour) of Washington, D.C., was named senior producer of Meet the Press, the NBC political news show hosted by Chuck Todd.

French horn player Caitlin Brody (Mus) was honored as the U.S. Army’s top active duty band soldier. Currently serving as a corporal in the First Armored Division (1AD) band, Caitlin is stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. In just the three years since enlisting, Caitlin has completed a deployment to Iraq, approximately 300 missions with the 1AD brass quintet ensemble, a full-time role with the 1AD concert band and two tours with the U.S. Army Field Band, the premier touring musical representative for the Army.

Drawing experience from her Colorado upbringing, Stephanie Harper (Engl) wrote a novel, Wesley Yorstead Goes Outside, released in October 2020.

Lifelong horn player Maddie Levinson (MMus) has sewn over 1,300 French horn bell covers and “brass masks” to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while allowing wind and brass musicians to continue playing together. Maddie has donated many of her masks and covers to communities in need, with the mission of bringing band programs back to schools. “If there’s anything I can do to bring joy back to musicians, I’m on it,” she said.

As the leader of brand, enterprise and global social strategy at Adobe, Lauren Friedman Suits (Jour) manages social promotion and creative development. She also spends her time helping women achieve their goals through leadership and mentorship programs, exploring the Bay Area and hosting dinner parties. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, two cats and pup.

Along with two colleagues, Pania Newell (MCivEngr; PHD’11) — assistant professor in the mechanical engineering department at the University of Utah — has started a podcast called This Academic Life to support and inspire STEM educators and researchers.

Molly Rettig (MJour) is a reporter at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. She has covered oil and gas, Native culture and 1,000-mile sled dog races. Her first book, Finding True North: Firsthand Stories of the Booms that Built Modern Alaska, explores how Alaska transformed from a land of subsistence to a gold and oil paradise.