CU Conference Services

CUCS had a blast at last weeks training sessions! The whole conference services team is prepared and excited to host 120 programs, totaling over 12,000 attendees! With the help of George Washington to read the ‘Declaration of Expectations’ our team is feeling our most prepared. The week closed out with a celebratory mock-tail hour, and a surprise snowstorm! What a difference a day makes in Boulder. ☀️❄️

We had a blast at last weeks training sessions! The whole conference services team is prepared and excited to host 120 programs, totaling over 12,000 attendees! With the help of George Washington to read the ‘Declaration of Expectations’, our team is feeling our most prepared. The week closed out with a celebratory mock-tail hour, and a surprise snowstorm! What a difference a day makes in Boulder. ☀️❄️

This week CUCS is thrilled to spotlight our very own “Queen of Green”, Virginia Schultz!

When not celebrating April as Poetry Month, Virginia occupies her time with writing poetry, running, observing, making connections, and planning conferences. She carries on a long tradition in her family of restaurants, wine making, and hospitality. Born along the Atlantic coast in Massachusetts, Virginia has lived in 12 different states and twice outside the United States. She attended the University of New Hampshire and Oklahoma State where she received her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Animal Science). After a two-year stint on a Limousin Cattle Ranch in SE Oklahoma she returned to higher education and received her Master of Science (Agricultural Economics) from Purdue University. Virginia also holds a Professional
Certificate in Sustainability Management from CU Boulder.

For the last three decades, she has lived in the mixed Ponderosa Pine/Doug Fir forests of the Front Range listening to the birds and watching the change of the seasons where she built a strawbale house and where she and her husband raised their daughter. She is active in her community’s fire preparedness and resiliency planning. An active road, track, XC, and trail runner you can often find her on a summer’s night at the Boulder
Road Runners All-Comers Track Meets at CU’s Potts Field. Her poems often free-wheeling romps about living on our Big Blue Ball without regret.

Virginia is most proud of Encouraging sustainability principles throughout our planning, helping to develop the Green Meetings Checklist, and
CUCS’s 7 Rs: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose, Recover, Reciprocate.

Thank you Virginia for guiding us to be better stewards of our beautiful planet and for your tireless dedication to Team CUCS!

CUCS staff had a blast bowling and playing pool at The Connection in the UMC as we celebrated our graduating interns: RJ and Simone! 🎳🎱

This week CUCS is celebrating our conference intern, RJ!

RJ will be graduating this spring with a BA in French Literature and recently returned after studying abroad in Nantes, France. Ooh la la! Following graduation, and a busy summer conference season ahead here at CU Boulder, RJ’s focus will shift to Dublin, Ireland where he will pursue a MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management at University College Dublin.

A word from RJ: “CUCS has been an incredible place to work throughout my time as a student at CU, and even allowed me to continue working throughout the pandemic. I have gained immeasurable experience as a conference intern and have decided to pursue my current career path in part, due to my work at CUCS.

Outside of work, RJ loves to cook, read, spend time outside with his dog Yeti, and travel whenever possible! Fun fact: RJ has enjoyed coffee in the crypt of a church, and has performed in a Barry Manilow concert . . . at the Copa, Copacabana! 🎶

Thanks RJ for all you have done for CUCS, and congratulations on graduation!

This week CUCS would like to spotlight our newest professional staff members, Meghan Murray!

Meghan grew up in Arkansas where she attended the University of Central Arkansas earning a double major in Speech Communications and Public Relations. Before joining CU Conference Services this spring, Meghan’s previous positions include working as a summer camp director in the Hill Country of Texas, a 4th grade math teacher, and an event planner for the University of Texas at San Antonio. When not at work, Meghan loves to ride horses, play golf, and travel with her husband, Conor. Fun fact: Meghan is a national Polocrosse champion! Go Meghan!!

Meghan and Conor are huge sport fans and love to attend any and all live sporting events and are Colorado Rapids season ticket holders. Meghan’s favorite thing to do is come home to the excitement of their two dogs, Jessie and Felix.

We are honored and excited to have Meghan on the team as we gear up for a busy summer 2022!

CUCS is excited to spotlight Conference and Event Space Assistant, Maddie Brown!

Maddie is from Magnolia, TX and recently moved to Colorado this past October. She graduated in May 2021 from Texas A&M with a BA in Sport Management. Maddie has been in event planning for a couple years now, including outside work in wedding planning. An avid traveler and Disney movie fan, Maddie enjoys spending time with friends and family, crafting, attending sporting events, and looking for somewhere new to go!
A word from Maddie: “I started working for CUCS in November 2021 and have loved every minute of it. I enjoy the atmosphere that The University of Colorado and CUCS have. I also love the team environment we have at CUCS and the fun events that we get to be a part of. “
Maddie is a great new addition to the team here at CUCS, thanks Maddie!

This week CUCS is pleased to put the spotlight on our Registration Coordinator, Amy Martinez! Born and raised in Loveland, Colorado, Amy attended CU Boulder for her undergraduate degree and started working for Conference Services when she was a sophomore in 2017. Amy spent the next two years working in various intern positions for CUCS, and became a full-time professional staff member after graduating in December 2019. Outside of work, Amy loves spending time outdoors camping, cycling and running and plans on running the Colfax Marathon in May. Go Amy!

A word from Amy:
“My favorite part of working at CUCS are the people on my team that I get to interact with on a daily basis. We are a close-knit team and everyone is very supportive of one another which makes work that much easier! In general, I am proud of all the different job positions I have held at CUCS as a student and as a professional staff member, and the general knowledge and expertise that I have gained over the years.”

Recognized by ACCED-I as the “Outstanding New Conference and Events Professional” in 2022, CUCS is extremely proud and grateful to have Amy on the team!

This week’s CUCS staff spotlight features Hilary Brenneman, Assistant Director for Conference Services!
Hilary (she/her) got her bachelor’s degree in Art and Art History from Augustana College and her master’s degree in Business Administration and Hospitality from Johnson & Wales. Hilary, who is originally from the Denver area, spent a few years in Chicagoland and a few more in Durango, CO before moving back to the front range and joining the CU Conference Services team in December of 2018.
Hilary’s grandma is her biggest role model; she was born and raised in Hawai’i and moved to the mainland to pursue her bachelor’s and later, master’s degree. She went on to meet her husband, adopt two children (including Hilary’s mother), all while playing cello in the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and managing a public library. She was an OG feminist who was kind and smart and most likely where Hilary inherited her love of the ocean.
In her free time, Hilary likes to read, take photos and travel and her favorite aspect of working at CUCS is her energetic and fun team of colleagues!
We are thrilled to have Hilary on our team . . . thanks Hilary!

Looking for a paid position this summer? Check out the link in our bio. Part-time positions available for spring, and full-time positions available for summer 2022. Click on our website! 👆

Looking for a paid student position? Check out the link in our bio! Part-time positions available for spring, and full-time positions available for summer 2022. Visit our website! 👆

This week CUCS will begin our weekly staff spotlight posts, starting with Jessi Follet!

Jessi was born and raised in Littleton, CO and graduated from Colorado State University where she worked in collegiate conferences and events as a student. After graduation, Jessi took a position at UNC Greeley, before taking her current role as conference coordinator here at CUCS in June 2019. Among her accomplishments here at CUCS, Jessi is proud of initiating the DEI Lunch & Learns within our office, helping educate and open discussions within our team on improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in our workplace and conferences. One of the things Jessi loves most about CUCS is the team she works with!

When away from the office, Jessi enjoys getting outdoors. With twenty 14ers under her belt, she also enjoys paddleboarding, reading, and spending time with her dog Elbert, cat Felix, and partner Chip . . . and rallying in Chip’s 1972 MGB Roadster!

We are so thrilled to have Jessi on the team here at CUCS and look forward to working with her in the future, thanks Jessi!