Better than an Energy MBA; get your MS in Global Energy Management (MS), University of Colorado Denver Business School, offering Bachelor, MBA, MS, and PhD degrees

Since her appointment as Dean of the Business School in 2000, Sueann R. Ambron has integrated the school into the fabric of the region’s business community. Executives from across the Rocky Mountain West actively participate in advisory boards, mentor students and provide opportunities for student interns to gain work experience before they graduate. Under the Dean’s leadership, the Business School has worked with industry leaders to develop innovative programs for health, global energy, entrepreneurship, sports management and sustainability. The Business School is the largest accredited graduate school of business in the Rocky Mountain West—with more than 3,100 students—and a steady source of top workforce talent for the entire region.

Before serving as Dean, Dr. Ambron gained international experience with Motorola as the general manager of the multimedia division. At Paramount and Viacom, she pioneered work in multimedia with such brands as Star Trek and MTV. Ambron founded the Apple Multimedia lab that developed the first motion-picture and music prototypes integrating digital media. As the person who coined the term “multimedia” at Apple Computer, Dr. Ambron was named “Mother of Multimedia” by Wired magazine. Before joining the software industry, Dean Ambron served on the faculty of Stanford University. She earned her Ed.D. at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Community involvement is a passion and priority for Dean Ambron, starting with her assignment as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica. While at the Head Start Program in Washington, she evaluated Head Start programs across the country. She currently serves on the board of advisors for the Downtown Denver Partnership and was on the steering committee for the Denver Area Plan that is creating a 20-year vision for the city.

Greg Dobbs is a speaker, author, and veteran television journalist. For 10 of his 23 years with ABC News, he was an international correspondent based in London and Paris. He covered the Iranian revolution and occupation of the U.S. Embassy, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, civil war in Lebanon and the ejection of the PLO from Beirut, Iran-Iraq war, political turmoil that led to the fall of the Iron Curtain, civil war and deaths of IRA hunger-strikers in Northern Ireland, assassination of Anwar Sadat in Egypt, and civil war in Zimbabwe. Nationally, his major stories included the Watergate scandal, Native American occupation of Wounded Knee, execution of Gary Gilmore, and Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Dobbs is the winner of two national Emmy Awards: “Best Spot News Coverage on a Network” in 1980 for his reporting of a terrible earthquake in Italy and “Best Network Documentary” in 1989 for his story about environmental poisoning in America. He is the recipient of the “Distinguished Service Award” from the Society of Professional Journalists.

In 1992, ABC asked Dobbs to move to New York City from his home in Evergreen, Colorado, where he had settled with his wife and their two boys after returning to the U.S. from Europe. Happy in their beautiful mountain community, he declined the offer and resigned from ABC to begin a multi-faceted career as a radio talk show host, newspaper opinion columnist, and television moderator. For six years, he hosted an Emmy Award-winning discussion program on Rocky Mountain PBS.

In 2003, Dobbs became a correspondent for the all high-definition television network HDNet. With his sons now grown, he once again began traveling around the world as a correspondent and producer of documentaries for “World Report.” His segments covered Agent Orange in Vietnam, terrorism in Lebanon, politics in Russia, the post-Apartheid era in South Africa, wealth in Dubai, autocracy in Venezuela, assisted suicide in Switzerland, dirty water in Indonesia, post-war recovery in Liberia, cocaine in Bolivia, PTSD in the U.S. military, extensive coverage from Israel and the Palestinian territories, and live reports, along with Dan Rather, on primary and general election nights in 2008. He covered the U.S. space program, anchoring live from Florida for every space shuttle launch since the Columbia disaster

Dobbs’s book Life in the Wrong Lane, published in 2008, is a vivid telling of all the weird and wacky things that happen to journalists even before they report the stories they’ve traveled to cover. Dobbs also is the author of a university-level textbook on writing for broadcasting, Better Broadcast Writing, Better Broadcast News, created from curriculum he developed while teaching at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

A native of San Francisco, Dobbs has been married to Carol Walker Dobbs for more than thirty-five years. Their sons, Jason and Alex, born in England and France, respectively, traded a view of the Eiffel Tower for the Colorado Rockies as children and became excellent downhill and backcountry skiers. Greg taught them to ski black diamonds and has been trying to keep up ever since.

David Eves is president and CEO, Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), an Xcel Energy company. He also serves as a director of PSCo.

He most recently served as president and CEO of Southwestern Public Service Company. He also has served as vice president of Resource Planning and Acquisition for Xcel Energy, where his primary functions included long-term resource planning, competitive acquisition of generation resources, negotiating and managing all long-term power purchase agreements, securing and managing the electric transmission access and rights for native load and wholesale markets, and planning and securing the gas transportation and storage services for gas businesses and for generation fuel.

Since 1981, he has held various positions of responsibility for purchased power, wholesale marketing, energy trading and resource planning for PSCo, New Century Energies and Xcel Energy.

Eves received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Kansas State University in 1981 and has completed the Edison Electric Institute mid-level management program.

He currently serves as a member of the executive committee and board of directors of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and is a Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver board member. He also serves on the board of directors of Mountain States Employers Council. He represents Xcel Energy at the Colorado Forum. Eves has served as a past executive committee and operating committee member at Western Systems Power Pool.

Larry Makovich, IHS CERA Vice President and Senior Advisor for Global Power, is a highly respected expert on the electric power industry. He directs IHS CERA research efforts in the power sector as part of IHS CERA’s Office of the Chairman. He is an authority on electricity markets, regulation, economics, and strategy. His current research focuses on electric power market structures, demand and supply fundamentals, wholesale and retail power markets, emerging technologies, and asset valuations and strategies. Dr. Makovich is currently advising or has recently advised several large utilities in major strategic engagements. He has testified numerous times before the US Congress on electric power policy. He has advised the government of China on electric power deregulation and transmission in competitive markets, and the Brazilian Congress invited him to testify on power liberalization. He examined the impact of deregulation on residential power prices and the development of resource adequacy mechanisms in the IHS CERA Multiclient Study Beyond the Crossroads: The Future Direction of Power Industry Restructuring. He was also a project director for the IHS CERA Multiclient Study Crossing the Divide: The Future of Clean Energy, the author of the IHS CERA Multiclient Study Fueling North America’s Energy Future: The Unconventional Natural Gas Revolution and the Carbon Agenda, and the study director of the IHS CERA Multiclient Study Smart Grid: Closing the Gap Between Perception and Reality. Among Dr. Makovich's other significant IHS CERA studies are examinations of the California power crisis in Crisis by Design: California's Electric Power Crunch and Beyond California's Power Crisis: Impact, Solutions, and Lessons. Dr. Makovich has been a lecturer on managerial economics at Northeastern University's Graduate School of Business. He holds a BA from Boston College, an MA from the University of Chicago, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts.

John Harpole is founder and president of Mercator Energy LLC, a natural gas services, brokerage and research company. Mercator assists both producers and end users in 12 western and Midwestern states in selling and sourcing natural gas supplies. Mercator also conducts specific research projects for client groups exploring the impact of industry trends on various regional markets. Harpole is a board member of the Western Energy Alliance (formerly IPAMS), the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, the Leadership Program of the Rockies, University of Colorado’s Global Energy Management Program (GEM) and Energy Outreach Colorado.

In the fall of 2010, John travelled to China to instruct employees of PetroChina on the regulatory and marketing history of natural gas in the United States. It marked the first time a foreigner was allowed to teach a course to PetroChina marketing employees.

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rior to joining the NGVAmerica in 1996, Mr. Kolodziej was group vice president of the American Gas Association where he held a number of senior positions including vice president of planning, vice president of communications, and senior vice president of marketing and communications.

Mr. Kolodziej serves on committees of a number of energy and alternative fuel vehicle organizations. He is the Immediate Past Chairman of the International Association of Natural Gas Vehicles, president of the American Biogas Alliance and a member of the Alternative Fuels Committee of the Transportation Research Board. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the National Energy Foundation, and is Vice-chair of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

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ej holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Rutgers University and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from the University of California at Los Angeles.

A graduate of the University of Colorado School of Law, Alice Madden started her career in the high tech industry and then practiced employment law for nine years before running for office. First elected in 2000, Alice served four terms in the Colorado House of Representative. Recognized as the architect of the stunning victories for progressives in 2004 and in 2006, her tenure included four years (2004 - 2008) as House Majority Leader.

Alice’s focus on sustainability and climate change sprang from her desire to preserve what makes the American West so special and she played an integral role in building the policy foundation for what is now referred to nationally as the New Energy Economy. She continued to apply her experience and passion for economic and environmental sustainability as Governor Ritter’s Climate Change Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff. Alice also served as a Senior Fellow on Climate Change at the Center for American Progress.

Two key accomplishments include taking Colorado to a 30% renewable energy portfolio by 2020 – the 2nd most aggressive standard in the nation, and overseeing the implementation of the groundbreaking Clean Air Clean Jobs Act that will lead to the early retirement of over 900MWs of urban coal power, to be replaced with cleaner burning and water efficient fuels.

The mission of the Wirth Chair includes forming strategic collaborations among governments, businesses, academic institutions and non-profit groups to form sustainable practices and policies that carefully balance economic, environmental and social welfare concerns. As Chair, Alice continues her work developing sustainable clean energy economies and educating future environmental stewards through a variety of efforts. A sought after speaker, Alice develops programs training varied constituencies to better communicate their message and build broader collaborations, thereby increasing successful implementation of their sustainability goals. Alice works to advance environmental literacy curriculums in K-12 education and increase the interest of minority students in sustainability fields. She also hosts a monthly Sustainability Series and teaches at the School of Public Affairs.

Alice is a founding board member of the Rocky Mountain Sustainability & Science Network which creates collaborations in research relevant to sustainability. The RMSSN Academy teaches a diverse population of college students to address the complicated issues surrounding building a sustainable future and Alice prepares students to communicate their research in a politicized environment. She holds a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation; the Global Women Scholars Network focuses on increasing the number of young women in developing countries studying, researching and working in sustainability through mentorships and expanded support systems.

With two decades of experience providing audit and advisory services to multinational clients, Bob is deeply committed to engaging people, sharing knowledge and developing strong talent.

As the U.S. Industrial Products Leader, Bob provides leadership for the strategic direction of our services, and is responsible for bringing the right teams together to ensure we deliver superior service to our client's in the industrial products sector. He is dedicated to helping clients solve problems and achieve their business objectives through the sharing of industry insights and through the development of thought leadership and industry publications.

As the Managing Partner of the Pittsburgh Office, he is passionate about supporting his community and creating a vibrant local environment to live, work and raise a family.

Bob is the co-author of the PwC Report “Shale Gas, A Renaissance in US Manufacturing?”

He and his family are proud natives of Pittsburgh. He is a graduate of Robert Morris University and an active leader in the Pittsburgh community serving on multiple community boards.

Josh Penry is the Senior Vice President, Rockies Region, of EIS Solutions. Penry brings a wealth of public policy and political experience to the firm. Penry has served as a State Senator and Senate Minority leader, State Representative, and was the campaign manager in a high profile United States Senate contest. Penry has been described by a wide range of political publications as a leading force in Colorado politics.

Prior to serving in the Colorado General Assembly, Penry worked in Washington, DC as a press secretary in the U.S. House of Reprsentatives, and later as the Chief of Staff of a Congressional Subcommittee with jurisdiction over a wide range of public land, water, natural resource and energy issues. Penry played a lead role in negotiating the Healthy Forests Restoration Act with the White House and Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill -- a bill widely described as the most significant public land law in a generation.

Penry is a native of Colorado. Penry graduated from Grand Junction High School and Mesa State College, where he quarterbacked the Mesa State Mavericks football team and served as student body President. In 1998, Penry was named the National Scholar Athlete of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association and the Burger King Corporation, an award given to Peyton Manning the previous year. Penry graduated summa cum laude from Mesa State in 1998.

He resides in Denver.

Tim Kirby is currently a candidate for graduation in the MPA program at the University of Colorado at Denver School of Public Affairs. Working with the Office of Senator Michael Bennet, the focus of his Capstone Seminar is bringing broadband communication to Colorado’s Veterans living in rural to improve healthcare service delivery.

In 2006, Tim graduated from Chadron State College with a B.S. in Education. It was from his teaching experience that he decided to pursue a career in politics. Obtaining a firm understanding of the federalist system, in order to create meaningful public policy, lead Tim to the UCD SPA to earn an MPA degree. Tim enjoys the full the spectrum of public policy, but has focused on campaign finance reform, education reform, the development the green energy economy, modernizing sustainable transportation systems, and revitalizing American manufacturing. Graduating in December of this year, Tim hopes to find meaningful employment with a public or private organization. Tim currently lives in Greenwood Village, Colorado with his wife, Courtney, and their two daughters, Scarlet (2) and Genevieve (3 months).

Michael Kosdrosky is a local government professional with expertise and success in strategic planning, program and operations management, economic development, public planning and real estate development, public policy, and political outreach.

Currently contracting for the Broomfield Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) as an economic development project manager and consultant. BEDC is one of Colorado's premier public-private economic development organizations.

I am currently in my third-year of law school at the University of Colorado, where I am the Editor-in-Chief of the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law & Policy. I have also held elected positions with the Environmental Law Society and Public Interest Student Association. Last spring, I competed in the National Energy and Sustainability Moot Court Competition with a partner and won Best Brief. During law school, I have either worked for or interned with the University of Colorado Natural Resources Law Center, Earthjustice, the Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, the Honorable Robert M. Russel at the Colorado Court of Appeals, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. I have a Bachelor of Science in Biological and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University. After graduating magna cum laude, I worked for an environmental consulting firm, ENVIRON International Corporation, in Arlington, Virginia. I then moved to Sweden, where I earned a Master of Science in Chemistry. I hope to continue working on environmental issues after law school, specifically air quality, energy development, and climate change.

Dan Schmidt, JD, LEED AP BD+C is the Director of Energy Development for Schmidt Associates, an Indiana architecture and engineering firm, with an emphasis on efficient building systems.  A lawyer for the last twelve years with licensure in Indiana and Colorado, Dan holds a law degree from Indiana University and is a LEED Accredited Professional.  He currently serves as Energy and Environmental Policy Coordinator for Indiana Congressman Mike Pence’s gubernatorial campaign.  Dan will complete his M.S. in Global Energy Management at the University of Colorado – Denver this December.