Meet the Advancement Team
The Office of Advancement connects those who are passionate about education and research to the people and programs at CU Denver who can excel with their support. We serve as a trusted campus and community resource that inspires alumni pride and private support to advance CU Denver's mission, and we work to ensure a bright and promising future for CU Denver through robust engagement, transformative philanthropy, and a deep sense of pride in the university.
Executive Team
Melisa Baldwin
Vice Chancellor for Advancement
303-315-3601
Email Melisa
Melisa sets strategies for the university’s fundraising initiatives, including annual giving, major gifts, corporate giving, foundation relations and gift planning. She also oversees Donor and Alumni Engagement and Advancement Communications. With more than 25 years of experience as a university development professional, Melisa has contributed to growth in fundraising results in every position she has held. She has vast experience in setting the strategic direction and managing the operational execution of fundraising campaigns. Melisa previously worked in advancement at Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, and University of Florida.
Melisa lives in downtown Denver and enjoys all the urban setting has to offer. She also enjoys skiing and hiking in the beautiful mountains of Colorado.
A Message from Melisa
Melanie Howard
Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Advancement
303-315-3601
Email Melanie
Melanie provides executive support to the Vice Chancellor of Advancement and members of the Advancement leadership group. Her journey with CU Denver has just begun, but she looks forward to many years assisting with the endeavors of the Advancement Team.
A southerner by birth, Melanie has called Denver home since 2015. She received her undergraduate degree in Communications from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN and has held many rolls in non-profit organizations including the YMCA and the Dumb Friends League.Outside of work, Melanie enjoys spending time in the mountains with her husband and two dogs, Ash and Sulley.
Tina Schlichte
Strategic Advisor to the Vice Chancellor
303-315-3601
Email Tina
Tina brings over 15 years of experience as a national sales and business development leader, having most recently led the sales & business operations team at the University of Colorado’s South Denver location. Being able to make an impact on CU Denver’s current and future students by utilizing her skillset of building strong and genuine connections and providing creative solutions for her internal and CU Denver’s external partners, are just two of the many reasons, Tina is excited to be part of the CU Denver Office of Advancement.
Tina is originally from Germany and has lived in the US for the past 18 years. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her husband and three kiddos either in the mountains or on the soccer field. Her favorite way to connect with old and new friends is a gemütlicher Kaffeeklatsch.
Scott Webb
Assistant Vice Chancellor
970-231-3344
Email Scott
Scott’s background includes all facets of major gift fundraising including two successful comprehensive campaigns. Over the past twenty seven years, he has held two leadership positions spanning his extended tenures at both Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Scott is passionate about the outdoors and recreation, community engagement, politics, the arts, and equal rights. He routinely enjoys being outside and soaking up the many opportunities afforded by living in our great city and state.
Advancement Communications
Jim Dunn
Senior Director, Advancement Communications
303-315-3601
Email Jim
A lifelong music lover, Jim has studied classical piano since childhood and took up the cello more recently while living in Italy. He still enjoys playing both instruments in his free time.
Monica Cutler
Associate Director, Advancement Communications
303-315-3601
Email Monica
Although technically a native, Monica grew up in rural Idaho at the base of a ski hill. She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Boise State University (smurf turf!) where she was also an active participant of the national championship winning speech and debate team (Talkin’ Broncos). In 2013 Monica moved to Denver and completed a Master’s in Public Administration program at CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs with honors and received the Outstanding MPA Student award.
When Monica is not at work she enjoys tackling 2,000 piece jigsaw puzzles, cleaning, house plants, and hanging out at home with her rescue Miniature Schnauzer named Tucker.
Kevin Gardner
Senior Content Producer
303-315-3601
Email Kevin
Kevin is a voice for the impact of philanthropy at CU Denver. He seeks out and shares the stories of students, faculty, alumni and donors who are making a difference on campus and beyond. Prior to joining CU Denver, Kevin worked in communications and fundraising across multiple sectors and industries, from an early-stage tech startup to a national nonprofit to a leading global research university.
Kevin holds a degree in English from Indiana University and completed an AmeriCorps fellowship in nonprofit leadership in San Francisco. He enjoys hiking, biking, cooking and pretty much any activity that can be done while listening to a podcast.
Abby Munoz
Social Media Student Assistant
303-315-3601
Donor and Alumni Engagement
Melissa Carrera
Senior Director, Donor and Alumni Engagement
303-315-3601
Email Melissa
Melissa directs donor and alumni engagement. She oversees the implementation and execution of programs related to recognition, engagement, stewardship, and gift administration for CU Denver alumni, donors, and friends who support the university in a variety of ways.
Melissa grew up in and around the Denver metro area and has lived all over the state, currently living close to the urban campus where she works. She earned her BS in Hospitality Management from Johnson & Wales University and an MA in Education from University of Phoenix. She enjoys yoga, mountain biking, reading, hiking, raptor watching, comedy shows, and live music.
Georgia Brandau
Campus Program Manager, Central Annual Giving
303-315-3601
Email Georgia
Georgia is part of the CU Central Advancement team supporting CU Denver and the CU Anschutz Medical Campus through crowdfunding initiatives, annual giving data requests, and key performance indicators management. She is a liaison to our student call center
and assists with the implementation of annual giving campaigns.
Georgia is a North Dakota native who spent eight years with the University of Minnesota Foundation’s Annual Giving team. She received her bachelor’s degree in geoscience,
with an emphasis in geography, from Minnesota State University Moorhead. It was also at MSUM where she launched her fundraising career as a student caller. Georgia has knocked on thousands of doors, stood on hundreds of street corners, and picked
up the phone more times than she can count for local, national, and international nonprofits close to her heart.
She enjoys spending her free time with her husband, Chase, and dogs, Hoagie and Morty.
Katie Comer
Assistant Director, Events & Engagement
303-917-8538
Email Katie
Throughout her career Katie has managed events in both the higher education and non-profit sectors, most recently serving in the Office of Events and Protocol at the University of New Orleans.
A Colorado native, you can find Katie spending time outdoors with her family and friends and attending concerts with her husband.
Jennifer Dailey
Assistant Director, Annual Giving
303-315-3601
Email Jenn | Schedule a Virtual Meeting
Before stepping into fundraising, Jennifer worked as the volunteer coordinator at New Era Colorado and as an English teacher with English First Beijing. She previously worked for Advancement at both the Leeds School of Business and the School of Education at CU Boulder. She earned her B.A. in International Affairs and Chinese Language and Civilization at CU Boulder and is a current student pursuing an MS in Management at the CU Denver Business School.
A Colorado native, Jennifer enjoys taking her pup Neville to explore (he is a good brewery pup), camping, and watching football or Broadway musicals with her friends and family.
-300qsh.jpg?sfvrsn=486485ba_0 "Lauren Jacobs")
Lauren Jacobs
Associate Director, Alumni Engagement
303-315-3601
Email Lauren | Schedule a Virtual Meeting
Lauren is a Colorado native who grew up in Arvada and earned a degree from Colorado State University. Outside of work she stays busy with her kids, attends concerts with her husband, and enjoys a good card game with friends and neighbors.
Mollie Loiselle
Assistant Director, Donor Engagement
303-315-3601
Email Mollie
Mollie is a Minnesota native and moved to Colorado in 2019. She received her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Winona State University in Minnesota. She has a robust background in fundraising within the hospital and health care industry. In her spare time, she enjoys being active outside and exploring Denver’s arts and culture scene.
Major Gifts
Shira Moffatt
Managing Director of Development
781-752-7774
Email Shira
Shira oversees the major gifts fundraising team and finds inspiration in helping donors match their philanthropic passions with CU Denver’s strategic priorities. She stays abreast of faculty
activity, research direction, and academic programs to advise on fundraising priorities and assists campus units in building and maintaining strong volunteer boards.
Shira brings more than 12 years of development experience to her role,
with extensive experience in marketing and communications, industry and foundation relations, board development, and nonprofit management. Prior to joining CU Denver, Shira served as Director of Industry Relations on CU Boulder campus, where she worked
with corporations and foundations to create mutually beneficial strategic partnerships.
Originally from the Boston area, Shira holds a BS from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MS in Management from Lasell University. She spends
her leisure time climbing mountains or skiing with her two sons, husband, and dog.
Tatjana Chenoweth
Senior Director of Development, College of Engineering, Computing and Design
404-619-3605
Email Tatjana
Tatjana most recently served as a Director of Development for CU Boulder College of Engineering & Applied Science. Prior to joining CU, Tatjana managed advancement efforts for the top ranked organizations such as the Medical College of Wisconsin, University of Florida, and Rollins College.
Tatjana earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Women’s University in Denton, Texas, and received her MBA from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla.
Susan Cleveland
Associate Director of Gift Planning
303-541-0372
Email Susan
Susan has long been a higher education advocate, working for over 11 years as a Higher Education Counselor and English Teacher, mainly overseas. Most recently she’s been a Major Gifts Officer and managed the Planned Giving program at the United Service Organizations (USO) in Washington, DC. She’s delighted to combine her passion for higher education, and experience in fundraising, to be the conduit for donors managing their own estate plans. Susan completed her Master’s Degree in Education with Bowie State University and her undergraduate at University of Delaware. With her eldest brother being a CU Boulder alumnus, she’s excited to be moving to Colorado herself, to start a new pollinator garden and find new camping spots. Susan is excited to join the CU Gift Planning team and the CU Denver Advancement team.
Anna Ramirez Crawford
Director, Foundation and Corporate Development
303-315-3601
Email Anna
Anna directs the strategy and implementation of foundation and corporate development for the university. Her goal is to secure financial resources for programs and activities that advance equity and serve under-represented communities.
In previous positions, Anna has served as a fundraiser for Native American student programs and tribal colleges, an ESL teacher for immigrants and refugees, an editor at a university press, and a university rhetoric and composition instructor. She serves her community by sitting on nonprofit boards and volunteering for causes that advance gender, racial, and economic justice.Anna is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at CU Denver's School of Public Affairs, where she also earned her graduate certificate in public policy analysis. She earned her M.A. in English from Penn State University and her B.A. in English and Anthropology from Texas Tech University. Anna met her partner when they were both serving as Peace Corps Volunteers in Ukraine, and they now live together in Denver with their son, cats, and books.
Brendan Hagerty
Senior Director of Development, Business School
917-742-1681
Email Brendan
Brendan directs the fundraising strategy for the Business School in partnership with Dean Scott Dawson and members of the faculty/staff. He is driven by a desire to match CU Denver’s donors with their philanthropic passions and to provide all students with the opportunity to enrich their experiences on campus.
Prior to joining CU Denver, Brendan served in multiple major gift fundraising roles, where he focused his work on managing donor portfolios and engaging with diverse constituents and funders. A Colorado native, Brendan received his BA from the University of Washington and his MA from Northwestern University, where he began his development career working for the annual fund. In his free time, he enjoys a good powder day on the slopes, spending time with his wife, and chasing after his toddler daughter and Sato pooch, Walter.
Katie Imhoff
Director of Development, School of Public Affairs
720-560-2316
Email Katie
Katie earned her B.A. at Wake Forest University, where she spent time researching comparative human rights in Chile, Jordan, and Nepal. She then spent a year abroad in rural Tanzania working in sustainable development with smallholder farmers. Upon returning to the U.S., she managed the signature development special events for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Most recently, she worked in Development for the Biennial of the Americas, a non-profit organization that creates rich business, civic, and cultural connections between Colorado and the Americas.
Born and raised in Denver, Katie enjoys spending all the time she can outside with her husband, pup, and family. She and her husband Josh co-own a small business, Woulden Design Company, with a mission to increase access to outdoor recreation. She is a 200-hour certified yoga teacher, powder day skier, avid hiker, used book store lover, mountain-town restaurant explorer, and arts enthusiast.
Adrian Ingram
Principal Gifts Officer
720-339-9965
Email Adrian
As the Principal Gifts Officer, Adrian cultivates and solicits a portfolio of top prospects and donors. She manages a network of relationships with donors in partnership with advancement colleagues, university administrators and faculty. Adrian is highly collaborative and utilizes a team-mentality to increase donor engagement and gift size. Adrian has worked in advancement for 17 years, most recently at the University of Denver, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, and Denver Rescue Mission and was awarded the Rotary Foundation International Fellowship and El Pomar Foundation Fellowship. Adrian speaks Portuguese fluently and enjoys gardening and travel.
Meg Touborg
Director of Development, College of Architecture and Planning
203-644-0372
Email Meg
Meg is the Director of Development for the College of Architecture and Planning within the Office of Advancement. In this role, she supports CAP’s unique initiatives to enrich students’ academic opportunities, such as the Justice, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship and Programming fund, the Design-Build program, the Classical Studies certificate, and more.
Before forming a consultancy for architects and designers in 2012, Meg built her career in business development roles for home design and fashion accessory companies. She co-founded the Leaders of Design Council, and is a Board member and the Event Chair for the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art’s Rocky Mountain Chapter.Meg is a Boston native and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College. After almost 20 years working in New York City, Meg and her family moved to Los Angeles so she could take the helm of a fine furniture and fabric brand and her three then-kids could wear shorts every day. Now in Denver, Meg enjoys decorating her townhouse in Five Points, is obsessed with Liberty Puzzles, and recently completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training.
Operations
Nickolas Chabot-Olson
Director, Finance and Administration
303-315-3601
Email Nickolas
Nickolas is a Colorado native with a finance and economics background. He has spent the majority of his professional career in higher education. In his free time, he enjoys working out and spending time with his wife and Australian Cattle Dog, Sydney.
Bryson Cayaban
Development Assistant
303-315-3601
Email Bryson
Born and raised in Hawaii, Bryson moved to Colorado in 2013 to enjoy all the great outdoors and local restaurants of the Mile High City. He also enjoys spending quality time with his standard poodle named Kona. He holds a BA in business hospitality management from Metropolitan State University of Denver. As an Asian-American, he hopes to continue using his degree, knowledge, and background in the higher education space to help expand opportunities to future generations.
Gabi Dargis
Business Operations Manager
303-315-3601
Email Gabi
Gabi lives in Ann Arbor, MI and enjoys spending time outside with her husband, Mark, and their dog, Barkley. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.