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Staff and Contributor Bios

Staff

Chelsey Baker-Hauck holds an undergraduate degree in journalism, geography and anthropology from DU and a master's degree in environmental journalism from the University of Colorado. When she's not repairing grammatical errors, she's repairing plumbing, chimneys and a multitude of other problems with the 1904 Victorian home she and her hubby are restoring.

Carol Farnsworth, a onetime journalist whose first university job was as associate editor of an alumni magazine, champions the University of Denver Magazine for linking alumni and sharing remarkable stories of DU people. Carol's career in higher education communications took her to Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Pennsylvania before DU, where she serves as vice chancellor for communications and marketing. Weekends with her husband at their mountain cabin top her "favorite getaway" list.

Christine Cole earned a BA in English from Regis University before joining DU in 2003. She's busy working on her master's degree in applied communication through DU's University College.

Tamara Chapman, an indefatigable lover of magazines, has written for the University of Denver Magazine since its launch in 2000. She tends an unruly garden and lives in Denver with her husband, daughter and assorted pets.

Brenda Gillen is managing editor of DU Today, the University's news Web site. She recently completed her master's degree in liberal studies and creative writing at DU's University College. Brenda also is a freelance writer, operating at the crossroads where journalism, fiction and poetry collide.

Kathryn Mayer is a senior English and communications major at DU.

Craig Korn earned a BA in two-dimensional art from California State University-Northridge. He moved to Denver in 1995 with more than 10 years of publishing, advertising and corporate design experience. Craig has served as art director for a number of enthusiast publications, including Hot Rod Magazine and Muscle Media, and was corporate art director for Sanyo Electronics and EAS. He now runs his own design company - VeggieGraphics.

 

Contributors

Jordan Ames is a public affairs specialist in the Office of Communications & Marketing. She graduated from DU in 2002 with a degree in mass communications and spent three years in media relations with a local foundation before coming to DU in 2005.

Jim Berscheidt is DU's assistant vice chancellor of news and public affairs. Jim graduated from Angelo State University with a degree in journalism, and he received an MS in communication management from Colorado State University in 2002. Jim worked in radio and television for more than 20 years, entering the public relations field in 1999.

Dave Brendsel is assistant director of news and public affairs at DU. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Colorado State University in 1978 and then spent more than 15 years in business before returning to journalism in the mid 1990s as a daily reporter. He joined DU in 2004.

Richard Chapman, staff writer for The Source, has been a newspaper reporter, news editor, copy editor and bureau chief for more than 26 years. He has a master?s degree in journalism from Penn State, taught journalism for six years at Metro State College of Denver, and was assistant city editor at the Rocky Mountain News during the paper?s Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the shootings at Columbine High School. He is a licensed real estate agent in Colorado, holds a paralegal certificate and is a USPTA certified tennis professional.

Tanja Hinterstoisser is a Career Consultant at the Suitts Center for Career Services, Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. She is currently finalizing her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. Ms. Hinterstoisser has worked in university settings for 7 years focusing on a variety of topics relating to career development and career management. Her primary areas of interests include assessment, ethical decision-making, and inter- and intrapersonal behaviors.

Annalise Kinkel covers the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, internationalization and undergraduate life beats for news and public affairs. She graduated from DU in March 2005 with majors in history and English. Before working at DU, she spent a quarter interning for the Smithsonian Libraries in Washington, D.C.

Doug McPherson is a Denver-area freelancer who has been writing professionally since 1986. He has published more than 1,100 articles in magazines, newspapers, trade publications and newsletters. His work is seen regularly in the Denver Post, the Denver Business Journal and the Boulder County Business Report, and he's been published nationally in Writer's Digest and The Writer magazine.

Leslie Petrovski (BA ?82, MA ?91) is a freelance writer from Denver and Westcliffe, Colo., where she lives with her husband and two cats.

Ken Reed (BSBA ?81) played baseball and basketball while at DU. He?s a Denver-based writer and consultant and won first place in the 2005 Denver Press Club/Denver Newspaper Guild Awards for ?Sports Commentary and Analysis.?

Michael Richmond received a BA in journalism/advertising from Temple University in 1992. In pursuit of his individual creative vision, he enrolled at the Art Institute of Philadelphia's photography program in the fall of 1992.

Warren Smith is a graduate of Drake University, where he received a bachelors degree in magazine journalism and creative writing. Warren has worked as a radio reporter, newspaper and magazine editor, marketing communications specialist, public relations counselor and video producer. He is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and is earning a master's degree in integrated marketing communications from the Daniels College of Business.

Nathan Solheim is a DU Web editor. He has worked for several small newspapers and magazines as a writer, critic and editor. An alumnus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., Solheim is an avid outdoorsman, jazz aficionado, poker player and rodeo fan.

J. L. Sommars is a Denver-based freelance writer. Recently, he helped a U.S. Marine track down and adopt the cousin of Sugar, the dog that saved his life in Vietnam more than 35 years ago. Sommars has written a screenplay about their experience.

Janna Widdifield is a writer and editor in Arvada, Colo. Previously, she worked for four years at the University of Denver as senior editor, helping produce The Source and the University of Denver Magazine. Today, she balances life as a freelancer and a mother of a 1-year-old daughter - Anne, her junior creative consultant. Janna's interests include Africa (Kenya especially), running and health, home keeping and crafting, gardening, family life and children's literature.