CU Denver School of Public Affairs

The University of Colorado Denver, the School of Public Affairs, and the Center for Community Safety and Resilience invite you to join us for the final panel of four public panels to explore and address gun violence and its intersections coming up tomorrow! Register now at https://cvent.me/yVRenZ

“Su***de Among Veterans: A Growing Problem in Colorado"
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Terrace Room (2nd floor), Lawrence Street Center
1380 Lawrence St, Denver, CO 80204

According to the Colorado Health Institute, almost 2,600 veterans in Colorado have died by su***de between 2004 and 2017—nearly 200 veterans per year every year for over a decade. Veterans in Colorado are disproportionately impacted by su***de, as they comprise 9 percent of the state’s population and 20 percent of su***des in the state. Veterans in Colorado are also almost twice as likely to die by su***de than the national average (52.1 per 100,000 compared to 30.1 per 100,000).

According to the VA, almost two-thirds (64.7%) of Colorado veteran su***des are by firearm. Su***de among veterans is preventable.
Issues like barriers to mental health care services, a lack of community-level initiatives (particularly in rural areas), and a shortage of coordinated strategies to address veteran-specific needs need to be addressed to lower the su***de rate among veterans.

Join us for a discussion on this important issue, the final event in the partnership between the Center for Community Safety and Resilience and the Chancellor’s Office to raise awareness and promote civil dialogue around issues related to gun violence prevention.

Panelists include Ryan Holliday, a Clinical Research Psychologist at the Department of Veterans Affairs for Rocky Mountain MIRECC; Joe Simonetti, a Physician, researcher, and educator at the Veterans Health Administration and University of Colorado School of Medicine; and Matt Wetenkamp, a United States Marine Corps combat veteran and Collaboration and Partnerships Coordinator for the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The discussion will be moderated by Deserai Crow, Program Director for the Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs and the Interim Co-Director for the Center for Community Safety and Resilience here at CU Denver School of Public Affairs.

“We’re in an era where talk is cheap. It’s just not enough to say that democracy is good, and we should support it … For me, it’s about governing—and not trying to fight, but figuring out how we can govern and who can you partner with … The only things that are getting done are bipartisan things. Period. So, if we want to show results, if we want to show that governing works, and democracy can work, then we actually have to make it work.” -Representative Jason Crow (CO-6)

The School of Public Affairs at CU Denver had the honor of hosting Representative Jason Crow on Monday, April 8th. The Congressman discussed democracy and current affairs for Colorado.

Thank you, so much for your visit. Congressman Crow. We appreciate all that you do for us and District 6. In addition, we say thank you to our students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community for joining us for the discussion.

We 💛 our friends at CU Denver LynxConnect at University of Colorado Denver!

We’re out at the Tivoli Turnhalle today tabling from now-2pm for the Careers with Impact: A Public Service Career Event in partnership with Metropolitan State University of Denver and Community College of Denver.

Come see us today and check out opportunities with nonprofits or at local, state, and federal government agencies where civic impact is made. Federal agencies, local and state government, and nonprofits will be promoting careers and recruiting for open positions. The public and nonprofit sectors need talent from every academic and industry area, so if you are interested in exploring unique pathways for your career, stop by and learn how you can get involved.

Our graduate program ranks #1 in Colorado as well as the Rocky Mountain Region, and is one of the top 30 in the nation!

CU Denver Graduate Programs Gain in Rankings in Latest U.S. News and World Report - CU Denver News Education program emphasizes workforce development; Public Affairs program ranks No. 1 in Colorado; and MBA Part-Time Program tied for No.1 in

2024 is finally here! All of that gift planning you've been doing over the past few weeks can finally be turned into action. Just remember that every dollar, no matter how big or small, is important and goes towards enriching the academic and collegiate lives of our students now and in the future. Now is the time to make a gift to support our Scholarship Fund! Your support will (insert impact language here).

AND GUESS WHAT- The School of Public Affairs Advisory Board is matching donations, up to $2,600 in total, to support scholarships for SPA students. Join these community leaders in empowering SPA students to Make It Real and transform the world around them.

Head on over to the CU Denver Giving Day website to make your gift and be sure to spread the word using

School of Public Affairs Scholarship Fund

Alumni Profile! Maria Diaz Mize (BACJ ‘20 and MCJ ‘23) is Dominican-American and has lived in New York City, Ohio, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Maria is currently on her fourth year of working for City and County of Denver as a Pretrial Services Officer. In addition to her duties, Maria is the co-chair of her agency’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee. Previously, she has worked in the technology and media industries. Maria currently lives in Denver with her husband and their 8-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever. Maria is getting ready to pursue a doctoral degree in Criminology at Florida State University. Read more at link in bio.

Photography credit: From the Hip Photo

Gun violence and racial justice cannot be separated from one another. The Chancellor’s Office at University of Colorado Denver and the CJ Series events, now hosted by the Center for Community Safety and Resilience (CCSR), partnered to develop an event series focusing on the prevention, solutions, and intersections of gun violence. This series is comprised of four events, the first of which was held on 9/26/2023.

Our most recent event, the third in the series, was on gun violence and racial justice in community gun violence prevention. The event featured three panelists: Johnnie Williams, the Executive Director of GRASP; Dr. Erin Kelly, the Director of Research and Evaluation with the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative; and Theolonius Crews-Yearick, a Youth Advocate and employee for FamilyStrong. The event was moderated by Dr. Lucy Dwight from the School of Public Affairs.

Panelists discussed where policy efforts have been focused around racial justice and gun violence prevention issues. They also talked about the stakeholders and resources that they believe will be necessary to reduce gun violence victimization, particularly in communities of color. The next part of the panel involved a discussion of the root causes of the disproportionate impact of gun violence on communities of color and how people, organizations, local government, and others could work together to make a meaningful impact. Finally, the panelists described their viewpoints on how criminal justice agencies and law enforcement in particular could strengthen trust and improve outcomes, including the reduction of fi****ms violence.

The next and final event in this series will be held on April 30th and will focus on veterans and su***de. More information to come!

Alumni Profile! Yazmin Castillo (MPA ‘22) currently works on the development team at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, where she has had the privilege of contributing to impactful projects aimed at inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Her journey with Girls Inc. began nearly 8 years ago as a work-study student through CU Denver, and since then, Yazmin has worn many hats within the organization.

Before joining Girls Inc., Yazmin managed a weekly volunteer base of nearly 300 individuals at Metro Caring. Currently, she serves on the Associate board for the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce supporting the advancement of women in business, and the SPA GOLD board where she plays a role in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. This committee’s focus is on advancing educational interests, promoting social diversity, and providing professional development support to students, alumni, and other communities served.

Yazmin’s commitment to personal and professional growth led her to complete the Impact program with the Denver Metro Leadership Foundation, a leadership program for emerging leaders in Colorado. This experience has further equipped her with the skills needed to make a lasting impact in her community, and she will be returning as a coach to support others going through the program. Read more at link in bio.

Criminal Justice Series: “Racial Justice in Community Violence Prevention"
Tuesday, February 20, 2024

The Center for Community Safety and Resilience (CCSR) in the School of Public Affairs and the Chancellor’s Office at University of Colorado Denver have partnered in their commitment to highlight gun violence in America as a racial justice issue.

According to Bradyunited.org, 93,262 people in America were victims of gun violence over a 14-year period, from 1999-2013. Black people in America are 10 times more likely to die from gun violence than white people. Black children in America have even worse outcomes: they are 14 times more likely to die from gun violence than white children.

Panelists include Dr. Erin Kelly, Director of Research and Evaluation, University of Colorado Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative; Research Faculty, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Johnny Williams, Executive Director, Gang Rescue and Support Project. The panel will be moderated by Lucy Dwight, Associate Professor, Clinical Teaching Track, University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs.

Please join us for this important panel discussion on root causes of gun violence, their intersection with race, and potential community-based solutions.

Register online at https://cvent.me/AXxwDB

Dive into the dynamic world of local economic development!

Check out the latest article “Come Together, But How? Zooming Into Economic Development Collaboration Between State and Local Governments, and Nongovernmental Organizations” co-published by Pepe Sánchez, PhD, our Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs in the Economic Development Quarterly.

This study investigates the interplay between competition and cooperation in local economic development, shining a spotlight on state-level agencies' involvement and collaborative mechanisms with local actors. The piece explores the economic development agreements in Iowa for over a decade, focusing on the balance between competition and cooperation.

Find the link below:

Come Together, But How? Zooming Into Economic Development Collaboration Between State and Local Governments, and Nongovernmental Organizations - José Sánchez, Haifeng Qian, 2023 Economic development at the local level presents an intrinsic tension produced by competitive and cooperative dynamics. While empirical studies have identified ...

Big news today! announced the 2024 Programs and we’re No. 19!!! https://news.ucdenver.edu/cu-denver-online-bachelors-and-graduate-programs-earn-top-rankings-in-2024-u-s-news-and-world-report/

It's only a day away!
Join us tomorrow for the first panel series: First Fridays of the Spring '24 semester!

First Fridays-Federal COVID/Stimulus funds and Colorado: How did it flow?

With panelists Pat Meyers, a CU Denver Alumni, who was a key member of Colorado’s initial COVID response and then became the Chief State Recovery Officer and Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), joined by Michelle Halstead, Director of the Commissioners’ Office, Arapahoe County Government, and Dr. Janet Lopez, from The Denver Foundation.

SPA Professor Deserai Crow, an expert on resiliency and government response will moderate the panel.

FUN FACT- This event features an all CU Denver Alumni panel and moderator, you won't want to miss it!

In person
Terrace Room (2nd floor), Lawrence Street Center
1380 Lawrence St, Denver, CO 80204

Virtual
Zoom

Program
Friday, February 2, 2023
8:30 – 8:50 a.m.
Check-in and breakfast buffet for in-person attendees
8:50 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Programming for in-person and virtual attendees

Register today at

First Fridays: Federal COVID/Stimulus funds and Colorado: How did it flow?

Alumni Profile! As a Director at Community Solutions, Melanie Lewis Dickerson (MPA ‘09) works directly with communities and partners to build and improve systems to end homelessness using data, quality improvement and problem-solving tools from multiple sectors. She is a leader on the Built for Zero team, where she oversees a portfolio of large-scale change partnerships and social impact investments in the United States and abroad. Prior to joining Community Solutions in 2014, Melanie spent six years with the City and County of Denver where she served as the Partnerships Manager for Denver’s Road Home, focusing on policy development, regional collaboration and strategic partnerships.

In the community, Melanie is the Past President of the Junior League of Denver, Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and Mile High Young Professionals. She is a graduate of the 2015 Downtown Denver Leadership Program and Leadership Denver Class of 2017 and a current participant in the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Leadership Lab. Melanie was named one of Colorado’s Top 25 Most Influential Young Professionals by ColoradoBiz Magazine in 2020 and one of Denver Business Journal’s 2022 “40 Under 40” class. Read more at link in bio.

We love our CU Denver Alumni! Register now for next Friday’s event: Federal COVID/Stimulus funds and Colorado: How did it flow?

Join the CU Denver School of Public Affairs for First Friday on February 2 discussing Federal COVID/Stimulus funds and Colorado: How did it flow? Virtual and in-person options available. Register today: bit.ly/3vHvF1G

BONUS: The event is featuring an all CU Denver alumni panel and moderator

Alumni Profile! Over the past decade, Deena Duwaik (MPA ‘22) has directed unwavering commitment towards serving diverse communities, spanning regions across the globe – Jordan, Morocco, Thailand, and Kenya. Coming from a family of Palestinian refugees, Deena has a special place in her heart for immigrant and refugee communities that feeds her passion for this work. In her current role with the Human Rights and Community Partnerships Agency at the City and County of Denver, Deena is dedicated to supporting government entities in cultivating the most inclusive and accessible processes for their programs. This involves navigating the intricate web of policies to ensure that services effectively reach and serve diverse community members.

Deena currently serves as the Director of Advocacy on the United Nations Associations Denver Board, holds positions on the Women’s Chamber of Commerce Board and the SPA GOLD Board, contributes to the Executive team for the Denver Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Commission, and teaches yoga. In 2022, Deena achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first in her family to pursue a post-graduate degree, earning a Master of Public Administration. Read more at link in bio.

Alumni Profile! Beginning as a Traffic Engineering intern in Englewood in 1989 and leaving as the Assistant City Manager 5 years later, Chuck Reid (MPA ‘91 and Rocky ‘00) also served as Fraser’s town manager from 1995-2004 and Federal Heights’ City Manager from 2004-2007. Hopping then to the private sector, he spent 13 years at CliftonLarsonAllen providing outsourced management to mainly Title 32 entities, and then spent two years working full-time for the Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority. Following the pandemic, Chuck took a couple years off from work, and this year opened The Choice Is Yours, LLP, which provides contract services to local governments and nonprofit organizations. Read more at link in bio.

Alumni Profile! Colleen Maleski (DCLF '20) is a ­­­public affairs and management consultant for GBSM, supporting nonprofit and government clients to improve organizational processes, effectively communicate with key audiences, and meaningfully include community members they serve in their decision-making processes. Previously, at StriveTogether, she supported more than 70 communities to facilitate cross-sector collaboration to improve student outcomes through continuous improvement, events, trainings, grants, and community co-design. Colleen started her career in corporate social responsibility, executive communications, and public affairs at Raytheon.

Colleen earned her Master of Public Policy at Vanderbilt University and her Bachelor of Arts in strategic communications and business marketing at The Ohio State University. She is an alumna of the Denver Community Leadership Forum (DCLF) through CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs and earned a certificate in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business. Colleen serves on the advisory council for BookGive, a Denver-based book access organization, and the Advisory Committee for Community Impact for The Denver Foundation. Read more at link in bio.

We’re so proud of Queen'Esther Pompee! She is a Public Administration major and just won honorable mention for her poster at ARNOVA. Read more about her research on Colorado’s housing crisis and how she has influenced legislation at the link in our bio!

Before we left for winter break, our Faculty and Staff had a great time celebrating an “Ugly Sweater” potluck. We were also proud to recognize Hansen Millison as our Fall Outstanding Staff member. Congratulations, Hansen!

Alumni Profile! Kharis Eppstein (DCLF '19) is an audit manager with the City and County of Denver Auditor’s Office and will celebrate her seven-year work anniversary in January 2024. She works primarily on performance audits and has audited topics such as Homeless Encampment Response, Affordable Housing, Parks Management, Mental Health Services in Jail, and the Denver Botanic Gardens. She has also been a field active volunteer with Alpine Rescue Team — a backcountry search and rescue team based out of Evergreen — since 2019 and has been the President since January 2022. When she has a spare minute between those two positions, she loves to read and cook, play piano, hike and backpack, and spend time with her boyfriend, family, and many nieces and nephews. Read more at link in bio.

Alumni Profile! Thanks to her credentials from CU Denver as a Master of Public Administration and Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP), Alaina McWhorter (MPA '17) catapulted her public service career from an entry- and mid-level financial analyst to a government affairs specialist advising executive leadership at the State Legislature, the City and County of Denver, and numerous nonprofit partners on best practices to achieve policy goals and program outcomes. Much of her time is spent processing vast amounts of information and data to prepare recommendations for decision makers to easily digest the details of a complex social issue, consider potential solutions, and determine next steps to achieve strategic goals and outcomes. She then takes decisions and socializes them across stakeholders, staff, and partners to build momentum in knowledge sharing, issue advocacy, and the ex*****on of timely calls to action.

As a leader in this capacity, she is the project manager assigned to the design and implementation of organizational strategic plans, city-wide and cross-agency policy initiatives, and high priority partnerships and contract negotiations.

Following five years in issue advocacy at the state legislature, Alaina is now the Special Projects Manager at the Denver Department of Parks and Recreation where she advises leadership and stakeholders on best practices to achieve strategic goals and priorities. She currently supports DPR and the Mayor’s office in Denver’s administrative transition to advocate for DPR’s accomplishments and strategic priorities, educates leaders on various regulatory challenges and potential solutions, and ensures continuity of park and recreation services through this time of significant operational change city-wide. Read more at link in bio.

Alumni Profile! Joel Gunn (BACJ '18) is a Deputy Coroner and Coroner Investigator for the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office in Golden, Colorado and has held this position for the past three-and-a-half years. Prior to working for Jefferson County, he was a Deputy Coroner for the Douglas County Coroner’s Office in Castle Rock. While enrolled in school, he did his internship at the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner as an investigations intern. During that internship and before graduating, he applied at Douglas County and accepted a position with them. Joel also works on-call for the Gilpin County Coroner’s Office and is a Medical Investigator for the National Disaster Mortuary Response Team, which is a deploy-as-needed federal team that responds to areas around the world impacted by natural disasters, mass fatalities, transportation accidents, terrorist attacks, pandemics, etc. Joel is a registered Certified Death Investigator with the Colorado Coroner’s Association and a Diplomate for the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators. He also is a member of the following boards: American Academy of Forensic Sciences, International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, Society of Medicolegal Death Investigators, and International Forensic Medicine Association. When he's not working, Joel enjoys travel, boating, and taking care of his four rescue pointers. Read more at link in bio.

Alumni Profile! Naureen Singh (MCJ '21) is a Youth Support and Development Specialist at the Asian Pacific Development Center and the Policy Director of Colorado Sikhs. Naureen has also earned her commission and currently works on addressing claims of unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment in the United States Air Force. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder. She went on to earn her Master of Criminal Justice degree from the University of Colorado Denver. Singh has extensive professional experience with grassroots organizing, interfaith coalition building, and community building. Recently, she has been selected to lead the Colorado Sikh History Project. Additionally, Singh contributes as a member of the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs’ GOLD Board and provides consultation services to various education and civil rights organizations. Looking towards the future, Naureen aspires to run for public office, driven by her desire to shape policies, advocate for important issues, and foster meaningful change within communities. She also has a keen interest in K-POP music and loves exploring different parts of the world. Read more at link in bio.

Only one week to go until the Herrick Roth Community Seminars on Democracy event! Come join us in an Evening in Conversation with Deanne Criswell FEMA Administrator & Michelle Marks CU Denver Chancellor on Monday, November 20th. Refreshments and Networking at 5:00pm with Programming beginning at 5:30pm. Register now at https://ucdenverdata.formstack.com/forms/rothnovember

Do you have plans for Fall break? We do! We’re absolutely honored to host FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell and University of Colorado Denver Chancellor Michelle Marks on Monday, November 20th.

Ms. Criswell leads the nation’s efforts in helping people before, during, and after disasters. She brings with her an extensive career in public service, with serving 30 years at all levels of government.

Join us for an evening of conversation with Ms. Criswell regarding her work as a FEMA administrator on disaster management and resilience; CU Denver Chancellor Michelle Marks to moderate. To register, go to https://ucdenverdata.formstack.com/forms/rothnovember

Alumni Profile! Tracy Allison Altman, PhD (PhD '98) is the founder and Executive Director at Museum of AI, which produces immersive experiences and informal learning programs about artificial intelligence. Their mission is to explain AI so people are aware of its potential and pitfalls, and can apply it in their work and daily lives. Besides algorithms, they emphasize creative uses, decision making, public policy, and ethical considerations. They aim to improve technology learning through experience design. Tracy's previous roles include executive team leadership for software development and content creation in tech, baseball statistics, regulatory compliance, science publishing, and oil & gas investing. She has developed enterprise software learning curricula and instructional designs, managed technical journals, and written extensively on decision analysis. Read more at link in bio.

We would like to cordially invite you to our upcoming panel series: First Fridays.

Thank you to Stifel for supporting this First Friday breakfast!

We will discuss the 2023 Colorado elections, of which the main statewide issue is Proposition HH.

Prop HH is a legislatively referred state statute, from the state legislature, to address rising property taxes, using some portion of TABOR surpluses that would otherwise be returned to taxpayers.

This is a complicated proposal, which would impact different Coloradans in different ways. If passed by voters, it will have important implications for property taxes, as well as the use of TABOR surpluses.

Panelists:
• Cary Kennedy, Fiscal Adviser to Governor Polis, former state Treasurer and Denver CFO
• Barb Kirkmeyer, State Senator, and former US Congressional candidate
• Jesse Paul, Political Editor and Reporter at the Colorado Sun

Moderator:
• Paul Teske, Dean and Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs

Register online at: https://cvent.me/ggNMLw

Alumni Profile! Monica C Cutler (MPA '18) is the Associate Director of Advancement Communications at CU Denver where she supports the work of the entire CU Denver Advancement team primarily in digital marketing, which includes mass emails, event registrations, social media outreach, and website management. Have you ever received an email from CU Denver Alumni promoting alumni activities, registered for an alumni event, visited the alumni website, or got a comment on your social post from ? She's the person behind these types of communications and has been doing this work at CU Denver in some capacity since 2014. Prior to working at CU, she was a fragrance and color expert at Sephora for five years. Monica was born in Aurora, Colorado, and grew up in rural Idaho, 20 minutes from a ski hill. Her undergraduate degree is in Political Science from Boise State University, where she was an active participant on the national championship-winning speech and debate team (Talkin’ Broncos). She moved to Denver in 2013 and started the MPA program. In 2020 she was part of the founding group for the SPA GOLD Board, serving as president for a year, and continues to be involved. When she's not working or volunteering, she enjoys tackling 2,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, house plants, taking care of her home, and hanging with her rescue Miniature Schnauzer named Tucker. Read more at link in bio.