Success Begins Here.
2001 Graduated Middle School
Kyle Barella
EDUCATION: Regis Jesuit HS; George Mason University, BA in History; Ave Maria School of Law, Juris Doctor (JD)
CURRENT POSITION: US Business Immigration Attorney, Ortega Medina & Associates, London Kyle’s law practice focuses on investor immigration visas, business expansion visas, and actor visas, among other business immigration matters. He places a strong emphasis on the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa which allows high net worth individuals to invest a significant amount of capital in the United States in exchange for a permanent residency. His firm has also sourced actor visas for the cast and crew of an original Neflix series. In addition to business immigration, he also represents clients attempting to seek entry into the U.S. who require a waiver of criminal or medical inadmissability, or who have general law enforcement issues needing to be addresses at the consular level.
“I absolutely enjoyed my time at SMA. I have fond memories of my time in Middle School and am still friends with many of my classmates. It’s great to see some of the same teachers still teaching Middle School even after fifteen years - including two of my favorites, Mr. Mayfield and Mrs. Schmitt. Mrs. Schmitt in particular took the time to help me when I was struggling with math. The SMA community was like a second family to me, and the staff and teachers took on the role not only of educator, but also mom and dad.”
2008
EDUCATION: University of California Santa Barbara, BS in Computer Science, College of Engineering
Graduated Middle School
Colin Biafore
CURRENT POSITION: Software Engineer at QAD, a company that makes Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software for global manufacturing companies Colin graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara with a BS degree in Computer Science from the College of Engineering. During his time at UCSB, he was involved in his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi as well as cutting edge research. He was nominated for an award of excellence in undergraduate research after successfully publishing a research proposal in a major academic journal. In 2016, he was a finalist in the SIGMOD undergraduate poster competition. SIGMOD is the largest data conference in the world. He is currently working as a software engineer in Santa Barbara and continuing his research endeavors.
“The thing I remember the most about SMA was the amazing teaching staff. All three years I attended middle school I always felt the teachers really cared about me and my development. It wasn’t just academic development, but personal and spiritual as well and I think it’s crucial to have a support system like that around that age. I was definitely prepared for high school after my 8th grade year—I think my favorite memory was the Sand Dunes trip we took at the beginning of 8th grade. I remember sitting around a fire with classmates and teachers and it just felt like a big family.”
1997 Graduated Middle School
Jeff Buesing
EDUCATION: Regis Jesuit HS; CU Boulder, BS in
MCDB/Biochemistry, minor in Chemistry; University of Colorado School of Medicine; University of Alabama Medical Center, Anesthesia Residency
CURRENT POSITION: Pikes Peak Anesthesia Jeff is a currently practicing anesthesiologist, board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology. He is currently serving as Anesthesia Medical Director at Colorado Springs Health Partners Surgery Center. He is also currently serving on the board of directors for Pikes Peak Anesthesia and previously served on the board of directors for Crestone Practice Solutions. He is an independent contractor for the Centura hospital system - supporting Electronic Health Record adoption and peer support. Previously he worked as a Critical Care Transport physician for UAB health services, worked as IT support for the UAB health system, and did research in molecular biology at the University of Colorado. His hobbies include skiing/snowboarding, hot-air ballooning, rock climbing, traveling, spending time with his wife and two sons.
“What made SMA great for me was that SMA was successful in bringing in teachers who allowed me to explore my personal strengths. I was able to develop and excel at my pace in subjects like reading, science, and computers. Elementary and middle school education sets a framework for future academic performance and success. In addition to being prepared I forged life long friendships with classmates.�
2002
EDUCATION: Regis Jesuit HS; Gonzaga University, BS in Mechanical Engineering. Currently attending CU pursuing a Masters of Engineering degree in Engineering Management
Graduated Middle School
Patrick Moore
CURRENT POSITION: Aerospace Systems Engineer at United Launch Alliance. Patrick is an Aerospace Systems Engineer at United Launch Alliance. ULA builds and launches rockets to deliver satellites into space for NASA and the Department of Defense. ULA has launched many critical science and defense spacecraft including GPS satellites, the Mars rovers, and even some deep space satellites such as the Pluto New Horizons satellite that just recently flew by Pluto and sent pictures back to Earth. Patrick works directly with NASA and the DOD to help them integrate their satellites safely on top of the rocket. He is currently working on one of NASA’s flaghip missions to launch a satellite directly into the sun to study the behaviors of the different layers of the sun’s atmosphere. “I have plenty of good memories of attending SMA from Kindergarten through 8th grade. I still consider some of my classmates from Middle School to be among my best friends today. However, I think that the best part about going to SMA was the relationships that I built with the teachers. The teachers always had a genuine interest in helping me develop myself academically, spiritually and socially and they made a large impact on my life. I’m also confident that some of my experiences in Middle School helped to put me on the path to my professional career. I still remember in 8th grade when Mr. Pattison offered to take some time during lunch break to teach some of the students some more advanced math concepts in his classroom. I remember starting to realize during those times that I had a deeper interest in math and science, which led me to pursue more advanced math classes in High School and eventually to enroll in an Engineering program in college.”
2006 Graduated Middle School
Ricky Vetter
EDUCATION: Regis Jesuit HS; Loyola University Chicago, BS in Psychology & Minor in Computer Science
CURRENT POSITION: Front End Engineer, Facebook As a Front End Engineer with Facebook, Ricky works specifically on Messenger web—that includes the little chat windows at the bottom of facebook.com and all of messenger.com. He also writes new features and reviews code while trying to make it easy for people to stay in touch with the people that they care about.
“St. Mary’s was a great experience for me. It was where I learned how to take in new information, problem solve, and how to be adaptable to a variety of different situations. This set me up for high school and college, but more importantly is a skill set that I still use every day. I attribute much of my curiosity and passion for learning to my time at SMA. Beyond the academics, St. Mary’s was a fantastic social environment for me - many of my closest friends today are my peers from St. Mary’s.”
1995
EDUCATION: Attended High School in San Antonio, TX; St. Joseph’s University (PA); Pepperdine University (CA)
Graduated Middle School
Joseph Fishel
CURRENT POSITION: President of The Fishel Group, Inc. Fishel Group Inc, a wealth management firm, is based in the Denver Tech Center and is comprised of Joseph and his father. They work with a core group of families and service them extraordinarily well. Many of the families they work with they have known and/or worked with for 30+ years and now expand relationships across second, third, and even fourth generations.
“To date, I do not know where I have been better educated in school, allowed to excel at my own pace while learning how to learn as exceptionally as my years attending St. Mary’s Academy all while developing some of my oldest relationships and dearest lifetime friendships. I came to St. Mary’s Academy after Christmas break in third grade because I still did not know how to read. I spent the remainder of the year and the following summer with Mrs. Ryan and Mrs. Peister catching up to my peers. In short order, I could read thanks to those two ladies. My experience through the remainder of elementary school along with sixth and seventh grades only continued the exceptional gift of knowledge.”
1998
Graduated Middle School
Curt Hansen
EDUCATION: Thunder Ridge HS; Colorado School of Mines, BS in Mechanical Engineering; University of Colorado, Boulder, – PhD in Mechanical Engineering
CURRENT POSITION: Senior Research Engineer While completing his Ph.D. at CU Boulder, Curt was a graduate research assistant on a DOD-funded project where he studied the near-field, aboveground and subsurface soil blast environment at accelerated gravity to simulate large-scale blast mechanics. He systematically integrated high-speed imaging, shock instrumentation, and laser profilometry into a geotechnical centrifuge domain to characterize the transient phenomenon. He also generated a predictive 3D multi-material computational soil blast model for validation of the experimental results.
“My Lower School and Middle School experience at SMA will always be cherished. Teachers were always kind and approachable. They pushed us academically to be our very best and encouraged us to express ourselves. SMA certainy prepared me for the next chapter in life and helped set the foundation for a successful academic career.”
CURRENT POSITION: Media Instructional Technologist, St. Mary’s Academy Middle School A favorite student while at St. Mary’s Academy, Geoff McVie returned to SMA in 2013 to be the Middle School Instructional Media Technologist. Geoff studied music education at the University of Portland. His experience as a student teacher in college confirmed for Geoff that teaching was the right career for him. At St. Mary’s Academy, he is a Media Instructional Technologist in the Middle School, where he also teaches robotics and band. Geoff also teaches Jazz Band in the High School. Geoff volunteers with the Loveland Ski Patrol and does trail work with several organizations such as the Headwater Trails Alliance, National Public Lands Day, and the Colorado Mountain Club. Geoff is also training to become an instructor with the National Sports Center for the Disabled.
2004
EDUCATION: Regis Jesuit HS, University of Portland, Teaching degree in Music Education
Graduated Middle School
Geoff McVie
2003
Graduated Middle School
Scott Csnrko
EDUCATION: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, BA in Peace, War, and Defense with minors in History and Military Science and a full ROTC scholarship. Graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate in top 20% of cadets nationally. CURRENT POSITION: Senior Manager of Projects, Cognizant Technology Solutions Scott was commissioned into the US Army as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from UNC-CH. His first assignment was to Ft. Benning, GA in 2011 to attend the Infantry Officer Leaders Course and graduated from the Infantry School in 2012. His next duty station was in Vilseck, Germany with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment from 2012-2015. While assigned in Germany, he was deployed to Kandahar Province, Afghanistan in 2013. In August of 2015, Scott separated from active duty and returned to Colorado to serve in the US Army Reserves with the 244th Engineer Battalion in Denver. From his time on active duty, he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, Afghanistan Campaign Badge, Basic Parachutist Badge, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, 2x Army Commendation Medals, and 2x Army Achievement Medals. Scott held positions from Platoon Leader, in charge of Soldiers fighting on the front lines of combat, to an Operations Officer, managing large scale military operations to support nearly 5,000 Soldiers. He currently serves as a Captain in the US Army Reserves and relocated to Washington, DC in 2016 to take a position as Senior Manager of Projects for Cognizant Technology Solutions providing project management and business consulting services. He managed the strategic focus across several development teams to produce project deliverables associated with client demands.
Scott Csnrko
(Continued)
“I came to SMA in the winter of 2003 after being evacuated from Kuwait City, Kuwait prior to the US military involvement in Iraq. My father served as an Army Officer assigned to the United States Embassy in Kuwait at the time and did not evacuate with the rest of my family. I attended an international school there; alongside children of other foreign diplomats and wealthy Kuwaitis. Courses were in English but most classes lacked an overall rigor that my peers were receiving stateside. I left Kuwait with my mother and younger brother to move in with my grandmother in Denver, Colorado. SMA took me in almost 2/3 of the way through the academic school year. I was behind in every academic subject of the curriculum and had spent the last year and a half learning Arabic, which didn’t translate well to Spanish. I was used to moving around a lot as a military brat, but this was a move I was not sure I was ready for. What I remember from my time at SMA most was that I didn’t have the choice to be unsure. Every one of my teachers went above and beyond to help me succeed; they tutored me outside of normal class time, implored me to work harder than my classmates, and fostered my sense of accomplishment in an environment where it would have been easy to fail. My classmates welcomed me as if I had been at SMA for years, and from day one I never felt anything but a part of the group. SMA became a second family for me, while a piece of my actual family remained a whole ocean and miles of sand away. I am grateful to this day for my experiences at SMA, however brief, my memories of that time endure. I played on the baseball team, went on the 8th grade East Coast field trip, participated in the MS play, and volunteered with my classmates and teacher in the community.”
1998 Graduated Middle School
John Goscha
EDUCATION: Regis Jesuit HS; Babson College
CURRENT POSITION: Founder and CEO, Finally Light Bulb Company John Goscha is an inventor, innovator and entrepreneur. While an undergrad at Babson College, John invented Whiteboard Paint, a roller applied paint that transforms any smooth surface into a highquality dry-erase surface. John founded IdeaPaint, Inc. which raised $15 million in venture capital and was awarded top “Innovation” and “Best Wallcovering” at the 2008 NeoCon, one of the design industry’s largest showcases. With this success behind him, John decided to tackle the newest paradox in consumer lighting: how to generate warm, pleasing, high quality light that is both energyefficient and affordable. He founded the Finally Light Bulb Company and successfully brought to market Tesla’s invention for a light bulb by combining it with modern technology—creating a light bulb that replicates the design, authenticity and warmth of the incandescent bulbs plus long life and energy-efficiency. In 2009, John was named one of “America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs” by Business Week and “30 Under 30” by Inc. Magazine. In December, 2011, Forbes listed John on their list of “Top 30 Under 30 in Technology.” “Pursuing my education at St. Mary’s was one of the best things my parents ever did for me! I believe we are many times a product of our environment and the teachers, students and SMA families I grew up with had a tremendous impact on my life. The friends I made at St Mary’s have given me some of my best memories and the exposure to families who were from backgrounds different from mine inspired me to work hard and reach for opportunities I previously thought were beyond me. They say “it takes a tribe to raise a child” and looking back the SMA Community had a big impact on who I became. As icing on the cake, I met the love of my life Susan Darrah as a former classmate at SMA, who now lives with me in Boston (it only took her 15 years to consider going out with me. SMA couldn’t have done more to shape my future. Big thank you to everyone at and in support of St. Mary’s!”
1992
EDUCATION: Mullen HS; CU Boulder, BS in Communications; University of Denver, MA in Education/Leadership of Organizational Change
Graduated Middle School
Roman Hollowell
CURRENT POSITION: Owner, Kids 4 Real, Inc. Roman received a football scholarship to CU Boulder and was named an All-American First Team All Big 12 Kicker/Punt Returner in 2001. After working on a college campus for seven years as an administrator, Roman took over as Director of Kids 4 Real, a company his mother founded in 1993. K4R Inc. offers a balanced program of mental, social, and emotional development for children. Their mission is to create a caring, safe, and developmentally appropriate environment for young scholars.
“I had a positive experience at SMA. My first year at SMA was foreign in a sense because not many kids/students/teachers looked like me. Living and growing up in a predominately black neighborhood, it was tough to adjust. And having to ride the RTD for 45 minutes to an hour to get to school was also challenging. Because the environment at SMA was inclusive, I was able to fit in and succeed there. The teachers and students did not care what I looked like. They were more interested about me as a person. I always tell others when I arrived at SMA that’s when I started taking my academics seriously. I don’t know if it was me or simply the teachers (Mr. Mayfield) constantly staying on me. Probably both. But I definitely appreciate to this day what SMA has done for me socially and academically. SMA has served as a launching pad for me to understand and know how to interact with a diverse group of people and has given me the confidence to be a critical thinker.”
1999
EDUCATION: Academy of Science and Technology, Spring, TX; Creighton University, BS; Kansas State University, DVM Veterinary Medicine
Graduated Middle School
Adam Ernest
CURRENT POSITION: Associate Veterinarian at Central Valley Animal Hospital, Rainbow City, Alabama Upon graduation from Kansas State University, Adam went on to do a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle. His specialty at Central Valley Animal Hospital is small animal medicine and surgery. He thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to help animals and people each and every day. Adam has a special interest in Internal Medicine and Surgery. He has a passion for Siberian Huskies and is the proud owner of Bo, a seven year old with blue eyes and a love for the outdoors.
“My education at SMA provided an integral role in my success to becoming a veterinarian by providing a strong academic and social foundation. My teachers, including Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Bee, Mr. Mayfield, Mrs. Heit, and Mr. Rodgers truly exemplified what it meant to be an educator for students and made my time at SMA one in which I will never forget. I am forever grateful to the faculty, staff and my friends at SMA for helping me to become the successful veterinarian I am today.�
2004 Graduated Middle School
Kevin Rigot
EDUCATION: Regis Jesuit HS; Loyola University Chicago, BA in History; Adams State University, MA in Education
CURRENT POSITION: High School Social Studies Teacher, Aurora Central High School Kevin teaches Psychology, Civics, and Economics to 11th and 12th grade students. He became a teacher as part of the Boettcher Teacher Residency, a teacher preparation program focused on improving the quality of eduation at high-needs school in Colorado.
“SMA gave me an unforgettable middle school experience. I remember feeling that I was always being pushed and challenged academically, but at the same time, was a part of an extremely supportive and caring community. I always loved learning so I appreciated the challenge and rigor, but looking back, I’m extremely grateful for the love and care I was shown by all my teachers who were always there to support me and help me grow as a person.”
1997
EDUCATION: Colorado Academy; Duke, BS in Biology; Yale, PhD in Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Graduated Middle School
Matthew Paul Gillum CURRENT POSITION: University of Copenhagen, Assistant Professor
Matt is a Research Assistant Professor specializing in Appetite Regulation and Metabolism. Prior to his current position, he was on the Neurology faculty at the Univeristy of Iowa where his group identified the first liver-hormone that regulates appetite.
“I loved my time at SMA, it was great prep for everything that came after, and I have many especially fond memories from Mr. Mayfield’s science class, where I got an early appreciation for how cool biology is.”
Let your son’s success begin at St. Mary’s Academy Middle School. Contact Admissions at stmarys.academy/admissions