Our People

Shelly Bacon serves as Associate Vice Provost in the Office of Undergraduate Education and provides strategic leadership and oversight for a portfolio that includes federated academic advising and coaching functions across campus, the Program in Exploratory Studies, the Design Your Path Living & Learning Community, and transfer student success initiatives. Shelly began her CU Boulder career in 2000 as a professional academic advisor, after six years working at the University...

Lelei serves as the Assistant Dean for the Program in Exploratory Studies (PES) and Office of Undergraduate Education. The Program in Exploratory Studies is the academic home to over 2,500 students, including approximately 25% of each entering first-year class. In this role Lelei provides strategic leadership, manages the academic and administrative policies and processes of PES, and serves as the primary point of contact for dean’s office functions. While several...

Daryl Joji Maeda is Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is devoted to fostering a rich, supportive, and inclusive learning environment in which all undergraduate students can thrive. As a champion for undergraduate students, he leads student success initiatives and is involved in the development of recruitment and student support strategies that will enable CU Boulder to recruit, retain, and graduate a...

Lory-Ann (LA) Varela (she/ella) is an Assistant Vice Provost with the Office of Undergraduate Education, and provides leadership with academic support and enrichment initiatives since arriving at CU Boulder in 2023. Her supervision portfolio includes Undergraduate Enrichment Programs (with Norlin, Boettcher and Daniels Scholars), Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, Top Scholarships, the Writing Center, Education Abroad, Presidents Leadership Class, and Student Academic Success Center (with TRiO Student Support Services, McNair Scholars,...

A second-generation Marine, Rob Bodisch enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1991 serving as a Reserve Infantryman with 1st Bn 23rd Marines until his graduation and commissioning from Texas A&M University in December 1996. After completion of The Basic School, he was designated an Armor Officer and attended the Armor Officers Basic Course and the Scout Platoon Leaders Course at Ft Knox, KY. He has served in numerous Armor Officer...

Sylvie oversees operations for a portfolio of 400 education abroad programs in 60 countries. The EA team sends 2,000 students abroad annually for academic credit. Sylvie provides overall leadership of the education abroad operation and services, and serves as an advocate for education abroad on campus. Her responsibilities include strategic planning and policy development, collaboration with academic departments, program development and evaluation, crisis and risk management, finance and budgeting, and...

Jonathan (Jon) Colón was born and raised on the East Coast. After moving across country to complete an undergraduate degree at San Francisco State University, he completed a graduate degree at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. As a graduate assistant within an admissions office, Jon learned that teaching and education take place through various experiences on a college campus, not just in the classroom. In his current position, he brings years...

An east coast transplant, Joan has been at CU since 1987, first as a graduate student and teacher of writing and literature, then as the SASC writing coordinator, and now as program director. As Director of UEP she oversees programming and support for Boettcher, Daniels and Norlin Scholars . Calling herself an "advocoachator" (advocate/coach/educator/mentor) her work has crystalized into the key areas of human development, personal narrative and contemplative education...

Meghan Kepler is the executive aide for the Office of the Provost where she manages logistical items and supervises the administrative functions of the Sr. Vice Provost’s and the Dean’s offices. Prior to this role, Kepler held several positions at Regis University. Most recently she served as the Administrative Coordinator for the Division of Counseling and Family therapy. Kepler earned an MS from Regis University and a BA from Colorado...

Eric Klinger works in the Office of Undergraduate Education as the Faculty Director of the Writing Center, a campus academic support resource that provides one-to-one writing advice and feedback for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and university affiliates. Eric oversees a staff writing consultants composed of adjunct faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students who conduct over 6000 sessions per year. Eric’s responsibilities include developing, implementing, and assessing Writing Center curricula and...

Gina began her career at CU in July 2009 at the Anschutz Medical Campus working in research administration and finance. She transitioned to the CU Boulder campus in August 2017 working as Finance Manager in the Office of the Provost before moving to the Office of Undergraduate Education, where she shares an appointment with ODECE. Gina recently completed her MBA through CU Denver and is proud to be a part...

LTC Place was commissioned into the Army in 2006 and is a proud ROTC graduate from Montana State University, Bozeman, with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2005. In 2018, she earned a Master of Science in Nursing with a focus on Nurse Administration from Liberty University, followed by a Master of Science in Health Care Informatics from the University of San Diego in 2020. Her last assignment she...

Corinna is the Director of SASC, a multicultural learning community whose students, faculty, and staff are dedicated to the academic, personal, and professional success of CU Boulder undergraduates. Trained as a teacher and scholar in literature and philosophy, she holds her BA from the University of British Columbia and her PhD from Harvard University. She has a 25-year record of teaching and administration in higher education that focuses on serving...

Diana Salazar provides strategic leadership to the International Student and Scholar Services team and campus at large in matters related to international students and scholars. She feels privileged to be able to serve the approximate 3000 international students and 800 international scholars on campus. She oversees regulatory compliance as well as advocacy efforts in support of the university’s international student and scholar population. Diana has worked in the related arenas...

Col Bradley L. Spears is the Commander, AFROTC, Detachment 105, and Chair, Department of Aerospace Studies, University of Colorado, Boulder. As Commander, Col. Spears is responsible for developing AFROTC cadets to become the best Air Force leaders and citizens of character dedicated to serving our Nation. He commands, directs, manages, and administers a college-level training and commissioning program with 260 cadets, 5 officers, and 3 non-commissioned officers. As Chair of...

Deborah Viles works in the Office of Undergraduate Education as Assistant to the Vice Provost and Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor, where she has two primary roles. In her role as Director of the Office of Top Scholarships, Deborah works with students applying for nationally prestigious scholarships, like the Rhodes, the Truman, the Goldwater, and others. She advises students through the process from beginning to end, from identifying and...