Social Science Foundation

Katie Albright is an attorney and children’s advocate with over 30 years of legal and nonprofit leadership experience. She currently chairs the First 5 California Commission and serves on the San Francisco Homeless Oversight Commission, focusing on statewide policy reform for children and families. Previously, she led Safe & Sound as CEO for 16 years and has held key roles in education, early childhood policy, and public service. A Georgetown Law graduate and Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow, she has dedicated her career to advancing the well-being of children and communities.

María Eugenia (Mayu) Brizuela de Ávila is a trailblazing leader in business, finance, and government, having been El Salvador’s first female Minister of Foreign Affairs and the first woman to lead an insurance company and a major bank in the country. She held executive roles at HSBC Latin America and now focuses on executive coaching while serving on multiple nonprofit and corporate boards. With expertise in law, business, and sustainability, she has also contributed to academia and numerous professional and social organizations across Latin America.

Patricia "Pat" Cooper, a Josef Korbel School alumna with over 45 years of public and private sector experience, has been a leader in advancing women's rights, education, and global development. She advised the Canadian government on legislation impacting women and children, led the Children’s Museum of Denver through a major turnaround, and directed international reproductive health programs. Currently, she serves on several boards, founded the Women’s Regional Network, and co-authored the concept for DU’s Inclusive Global Leadership Initiative, focusing on women in nonviolent civil resistance.

Verónica Figoli is a strategic leader in philanthropy and community development, currently serving as Chief Development Officer for Accion Opportunity Fund, supporting small business entrepreneurs with financial resources and education. She previously led the Denver Public Schools Foundation, spearheading major initiatives like the $1 Million Fund and Films for the Future. With a career spanning the UN, philanthropy, and strategic communications, she is a dedicated advocate for equity and opportunity, driven by a passion for empowering historically marginalized communities.

Kay Fillingham, a Korbel alumna, earned her BA and MA through DU’s 4+1 program in International Studies and International Development. She is currently a Special Advisor to the General Counsel at BMO Financial Group, with expertise in anti-money laundering, regulatory affairs, and commercial banking. Previously, she held national security and policy roles in the U.S. government, including as an economic officer at the State Department. An active DU alumna, she is also involved with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and mentors first-generation college students through Chicago Scholars.

Daniel Franklin is Executive Editor at The Economist, and helps lead the newspaper’s coverage of Britain and America. He joined the paper in 1983 to write about the Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Over four decades his roles have included Europe Editor, Britain Editor, Washington Bureau Chief, Editorial Director of the Economist Intelligence Unit, Editor-in-Chief of Economist.com, Business Affairs Editor and Diplomatic Editor. For 17 years he edited The Economist’s annual publication on the year ahead. He has edited two books on longer-term forecasting, looking at the world in 2050. He chairs The Economist Educational Foundation, a charity enabling children to join inspiring discussions about the news.

Amy Hepburn is the CEO of the Investor Leadership Network, a G7-born coalition managing over $10 trillion in assets to drive a sustainable and inclusive global economy. A recognized expert in impact investing and social entrepreneurship, she has spent 20 years advancing gender-lens investments and solutions for children in crises. She has advised global leaders, served on the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, and teaches social impact, gender equality, the just transition, intersectional climate justice, the care of children in crises, human rights and humanitarian action. at Duke and George Washington University.

Judith is a retired attorney and co-founder of the Majlis Roundtable, a community outreach program focused on critical Middle East issues. With a background in commercial real estate, banking, and estate planning, she was a founding partner of one of Colorado’s first women-owned law firms and helped rewrite the state’s banking statutes. She has served in leadership roles with ANERA, AAA Colorado, and multiple nonprofits supporting education, democracy, and child welfare. A longtime advocate for women in leadership, she also supports Colorado’s Electing Women political action committee and the Colorado Democracy Network. 

Kevin "Kal" Kallaugher is the editorial cartoonist for The Economist, The Baltimore Sun and the online newsletter Counterpoint, with a career spanning over four decades. Since joining The Economist in 1978 as its first resident cartoonist, he has published over 10,000 cartoons and illustrated more than 150 magazine covers. His work has appeared in major global publications, and he has received numerous accolades, including the Herblock Prize and multiple awards from the Overseas Press Club and the National Press Foundation. A two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, KAL is recognized for his sharp and insightful political cartoons.

Maria Langan Riekhof is a career intelligence analyst with over 30 years at the CIA and ODNI, currently serving as Vice Chair for Analysis at the U.S. National Intelligence Council. She previously led the Strategic Futures Group, overseeing the Intelligence Community’s global assessments and serving as lead author of Global Trends 2040: A More Contested World. With a deep background in Middle East studies, she has held key leadership roles, including Chief of the CIA’s Red Cell and founder of the CIA’s Strategic Insight Group. She was one of the DNI’s Exceptional Analysts in 2008-09 and the Agency’s fellow at the Brookings Institution in 2016-17. She is a member of the Senior Analytic Service and the Senior Intelligence Service and holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the University of Denver. 

Frederick "Fritz" Mayer has served as Dean of the Korbel School since 2019, leading initiatives that elevated its global ranking and launching programs like the master’s in Global Environmental Sustainability and the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy. A scholar of economic globalization and political storytelling, he has published extensively and previously held leadership roles at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. Beyond academia, he has served as a foreign policy advisor and actively contributes to policy discussions as chair of the Denver Council on Foreign Relations and founder of The Colorado Project.

Dr. James N. Miller is Assistant Director for Policy and Analysis at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, shaping national security and research priorities for various federal agencies. He previously served as U.S. Coordinator for AUKUS Initiatives on the National Security Council and as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, where he advised on strategy, policy, and operations, earning the DoD’s highest civilian award four times. With a career spanning government, academia, and the private sector, he holds degrees from Stanford and Harvard and serves on key national security advisory boards.

Trygve Myhren is president of Myhren Media, Inc., an investment and advisory firm, and serves as an advisor to Spruceview Capital Partners and early-stage ventures. He is Chairman-Emeritus of the University of Denver Board of Trustees and a trustee of the Denver Art Museum and the Colorado Forum. A cable industry pioneer, he led American Television and Communications Corporation (now Time Warner Cable) and co-founded multiple cable networks, including the Food Network. He has also held leadership roles in media, sports, and philanthropy, including with the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Colorado Baseball Commission.

James Polsfut is the CEO, Chairman, and Co-Founder of the North American Specialty Hospital (NASH), leveraging U.S.-Mexico collaboration to provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare. Previously, he served as CEO of the U.S./Mexico Foundation, President of The Americas Roundtable of the Biennial of the Americas, and a general manager at GE Capital in Mexico City. He was also a founding officer of First Western Trust Bank, overseeing corporate acquisitions exceeding $2.25 billion. Polsfut currently chairs the advisory board of the University of Denver’s Korbel School and serves on multiple nonprofit boards supporting U.S.-Mexico relations and global education.

Jeannie Renné-Malone is Vice President for Global Sustainability at VF Corporation, leading the company’s environmental strategy across its operations, supply chain, and products. Previously, she was Vice President for Sustainability/ESG at Prologis and has served on numerous environmental and industry boards, including the American Red Cross. A Korbel School alumna, she was named to the ESG 50 and recognized among Colorado’s Top 50 Women Leaders in 2022.

David Roberts is the former CEO of Reed Group, specializing in leave, disability, and absence management for Fortune 2000 companies. Previously, he served as Chief Services Officer in John Hickenlooper’s mayoral administration and spent 16 years at Accenture, leading global customer strategy initiatives for public and private sector clients. He has national and international work experience, having lived in the United States, São Paulo, Brazil, and Newcastle, England. A fourth-generation Denver native, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and serves on multiple civic boards.

Toni Verstandig is the Executive Vice President at the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, working to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs at the U.S. Department of State (1994–2001) and was a member of the U.S. negotiation team. Verstandig is a Senior Advisor to the Aspen Institute’s Public Programs Department and an expert in public-private partnerships, governance, and economic affairs in Middle East peace efforts. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on several boards, including the Children’s National Medical Center Foundation and the Center for Global Development.

Daniel Yohannes was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the OECD (2014–2017) and as CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (2009–2014), where he led U.S. efforts to promote economic growth and combat global poverty. Before his government service, he was a leader in the financial sector, serving as Vice Chairman of U.S. Bank, President and CEO of Colorado National Bank, and Executive Vice President of Security Pacific Bank. Passionate about sustainability, he co-founded New Resource Bank to finance green initiatives. Yohannes currently serves on the boards of Dow Chemical and Xcel Energy and has held leadership roles in numerous civic and philanthropic organizations.