Roadrunners

ROAD RUNNERS

1997

LISA TATUM (B.A. history, ’97) is the manager of circulating materials — academic services program manager for the University of Colorado Boulder.

1999

MARK WHISTLER (B.A. individualized degree program, ’99) was employed in the restaurant industry before using his degree as a professional trader in the financial sectors of Chicago, Baltimore and New York City. He went on to work on the floor of the Chicago Board Options Exchange and in investment banking, trade currencies, write six books, open art galleries and walk 600 miles across Spain. Three and a half years ago, Whistler opened the Goods Restaurant on Colfax Avenue. He is happy to be back in Denver and looks forward to reopening the newly renovated restaurant this summer.

2005

MEGHAN VAN PORTFLIET, Ph.D. (B.A. journalism, ’05) worked for several years in Denver’s telecom industry after graduating with her undergraduate degree from MSU Denver. In 2014, she was accepted to the Queen’s University Belfast MBA Program in Belfast, Northern Ireland. After graduating at the top of her class, she was offered a full scholarship and stipend to pursue a Ph.D. at Queen’s, which she completed last December. Van Portfliet says her journey started on her first day at MSU Denver when professors and classmates showed her the opportunities education provides. She is grateful to MSU Denver for getting her started on her educational path and to the faculty and staff members who make bright futures possible.

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2009

BENJAMIN CARR (B.S. meteorology, ’09) graduated from Iowa State University in 2014 with an M.S. in agricultural meteorology. In 2017, the Washington State Department of Ecology hired him to work in water rights for the Office of Columbia River. He is the primary contact for technical assistance for county water conservancy boards managing water rights. Carr says water rights are a fascinating blend of water resources, geography and history, and he appreciates being able to use all of his educational experiences in his daily work.

2016

STACI VAGHER (B.A. human performance and sport, ’16) is the manager of events and promotions with the Denver Nuggets at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Vagher creates unforgettable experiences for those working in the sports and academic industries with strategically executed corporate and special events. She also helps university students gain reallife business experiences through an in-house internship program. In her downtime, Vagher loves to travel, take on outdoor adventures and spend time with her family and friends.

2017

JESSICA WOOD (B.A. psychology, ’17) is a research coordinator at the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. This fall, she will begin working on her Ph.D. in cognitive psychology at Florida State University, where she will research functional connectivity between networks in the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the

MSU DENVER Week of Caring

SEPT. 28 – OCT. 4, 2020

Roadrunners take care of Roadrunners. It’s what we do.

Join us for MSU Denver Week of Caring as we celebrate our Roadrunners who give back to their communities.

Learn more at msudenver.edu/alumni

Cognitive-Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. Wood hopes to continue her career in academia, researching brain anatomy and function and as a professor. She is thankful for the amazing faculty and opportunities she experienced during her time at MSU Denver.

2018

JESSICA CHAPMAN (B.A. hospitality, tourism and events, ’18) is a restaurant manager for Sage Hospitality in Boulder.

MARCIANO (MARCO) OLIVO (B.S. brewing operations, ’18) is a packaging technician for Left Hand Brewing Co. in Longmont. He previously worked with the Boulder Beer Co. as a lab intern and production worker. Olivo is taking courses with the internationally renowned Institute of Brewing & Distilling and plans to complete the final modules of his program this fall.

2020

MARY CHRISTINE PEARSE (B.A. speech, language and hearing science, ’18; master of health administration, ’20) is a customer-order and -insurance advocate for Cochlear Americas. She says this spring was the most interesting semester in which to graduate and is grateful she had the opportunity to develop her thesis, “Effects on Coverage for Diagnosis and Treatment for Hearing Loss and Deafness.” Pearse is thankful to her family members and her MSU Denver family for helping her reach her goals and supporting her throughout her educational journey. Todd Thurman, an award-winning and experienced administrator and coach with a record of success, is the new director of athletics at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., touted Thurman’s success as a coach, leader and mentor when she announced the hire in May. He had been the director of athletics at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) since 2008.

“Todd’s commitment to supporting department staff and encouraging students’ academic and athletic development aligns perfectly with our values here at MSU Denver,” Davidson said. “His experience as a successful coach, leader and mentor makes him an ideal addition to the University community.”

As athletic director at SWOSU, Thurman spearheaded efforts to found the Great American Conference and develop a new event center and athletics facilities, achieving $27 million in fundraising. Under his leadership, the university celebrated championships in golf, soccer, baseball, rodeo, volleyball and women’s basketball. He also established initiatives such as reading programs, community cleanups and game-day pride events.

Thurman, who played professional basketball in Argentina and the United Kingdom, also served SWOSU as head coach of the men’s basketball program from 2006-09. During that time, the team qualified for the conference tournament all three years and the program achieved a 100% graduation rate.

Joining MSU Denver amid a pandemic has made for an unusual transition, but Thurman is committed to quickly building relationships with employees and engaging student-athletes.

“During this unprecedented time, our priority is constant communication with our student-athletes to make sure they remain focused on social distancing while also preparing for the future so we can hit the ground running once we are cleared to resume operations,” Thurman said.

Thurman replaces former athletic director Anthony Grant, who left the University this year to lead the athletics, physical education and recreation programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

MSU Denver welcomes new athletic director

BLAKE RUBENSTEIN

Todd Thurman

director of athletics