University of Denver Autumn 2024

ALUMNI STORIES

Even in television, there are lots of inequities— for example, I’ve always advocated for being equitable in how we describe and report about suspects on air. At the attorney general's office, after the death of George Floyd, I helped create a panel series with state leaders called “Justice and Injustice.” I’m happy to say that I was also part of an administration that got some key legislation passed, including one bill that limits no-knock warrants. It’s great being part of an airport that's changing aviation. We have an African American CEO who is very upfront about our DEI processes, and we have a center solely focused on equity and excellence in aviation. A lot of our shops and restaurants are local and small businesses as well as minority- and women-owned businesses. We’re

bringing in more international airlines. And we keep growing—100 million annual passengers are expected within the next couple of years. I have been dubbed the Snow Queen. I’m continually surprised by snow—not because it is unpredictable, but because every time I am the public information officer on call in the winter, it snows. And not a just a trace—the kind that causes delays and cancellations. My advice for students is explore. There are many avenues in communications that most people do not explore. Every organization needs someone to communicate to the public. And it may be a world that you don’t know until you step into it and learn it. I did not know aviation—and now I do.

Photo by Adam Thorstensen

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2024