VOICES OF EXPERIENCE

Through his 30 years of experience in the cable industry, Shane Portfolio has come to realize that the "C" in C-suite stands for "culture." After serving in the U.S. Army, Portfolio rose through the corporate ranks—from the Comcast call center to senior-level...

This is a special edition of the VOE Podcast, recapping the Daniels College of Business signature speaker event: "Voices of Experience: Denver’s AI Future." That discussion explored the future of AI in Denver, where city and county leaders shared how emerging...

This is a special edition of the VOE Podcast, designed to serve as a primer for our next in-person speaker series: "Voices of Experience: Denver’s AI Future." That discussion will cover the future of AI through a Denver-centric lens. City and county leaders will share...

In just their second season, the NHL's Seattle Kraken put together a solid record, made the playoffs and even won their first-round playoff series. But during an 82-game pro hockey season, losses are inevitable—which means teams need to find ways to send their fans...

If you’re distilling Mary Beth Cote-Jenssen’s (MBA 2018) career into three words, they’d be sustainability, water and partnership. As a global water stewardship executive at PepsiCo, she knows the importance of bringing people together to tackle a global issue. Her...

Artificial intelligence is entering the business world, welcome or not. Binh Diep (MBA 2012), general manager at Slalom, a consulting firm, is doing his best to prepare his company and his clients for the future. On this episode of the Voices of Experience podcast,...

After spending time at Amazon and Meta (formerly Facebook), Stephen Newton knows what a visionary leader looks like. Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg certainly fit the bill. Now, Newton is looking to back the next generation of these leaders at his technology-focused...

It's 2008. The economy is taking a nosedive. The government is bailing out the country's top mortgage lenders. And Doug Duncan walks into a new job at Fannie Mae. The ship has steadied over the past 15 years and Duncan, the senior vice president and chief economist,...

Chris Dawson says he's always been attracted to big challenges—and he certainly found one when he became CEO of Arcimoto earlier this year. The Oregon-based electric vehicle company was floundering: its worth had plummeted, production was at a halt and the staff was...

In a thick, well-loved, black sketchbook, Kirsten Benefiel keeps the lessons she's learned over her career as an executive. Benefiel's resume includes stops at Accenture, Newmont Mining, ViaWest and HSS, where she recently served as CEO. On this episode...

Lauren Guthrie wasn't much of a trekker or backpacker, but there she was, climbing 9,000 feet to reach the base camp at Mount Everest. The opportunity to join an all-Black team of climbers was too good to pass up—plus, it taught her valuable lessons about...

When it comes to running a hotel, Leigh Hitz (BSBA 1984) has seen and done it all. The Daniels alumna was one of the first female executives in the hospitality industry, rising to the role of chief executive officer of Stout Street Hospitality before her...

This special episode is a preview of the free, in-person Voices of Experience event, "Exploring the Metaverse: What it is, why it's changing our world and how it's disrupting business." A panel of experts from Craig Hospital, Crocs, and Kroenke Sports and...

Jodie Antypas (MBA 2005) didn't grow up playing video games. They weren't expressly forbidden in her house, but they also weren't encouraged. So, how does a non-gamer end up leading large teams at Nintendo and Electronic Arts (EA) in the consumer...

Watching George Floyd's murder on TV shook Rob Cohen to his core. He was well aware of racial injustices and inequities; he had already implemented diversity, equity and inclusion policies at IMA Financial Group, where he serves as chairman and CEO. But...

When people think of philanthropy, they often think of wealth—but it doesn't have to be that way. Alan Frosh (BA 2005, JD 2011, MBA 2020) calls himself a "next-generation philanthropist," and he's spreading the word about how to make an impact on a...

With a lifetime spent in real estate and development, Chris Frampton has seen and built it all. From a bustling transit hub like Denver's Union Station to a village at an internationally known ski resort like Steamboat, Frampton has managed a variety of...

She had a comfortable job with a six-figure salary in a familiar industry, but Taylor Iascone (MS 2017) wasn't happy with where she was. Her gut told her she needed to do more for herself—and for the environment. So Iascone changed course, moving to...

Korn Ferry estimates that by 2030, 80 million high-skilled jobs will go unfilled globally. This means companies will have to compete for talent—more than they already are. Yet, the CEO of ICIMS says there's currently a lack of qualified employers. What...

Bryan Leach took an unorthodox path to becoming the founder and CEO of Denver-based Ibotta, beginning his career as a lawyer. After a lightbulb moment and swift career change, Leach has led the cashback technology company for a decade, guiding it to more...

The practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has come a long way during Helen Drexler's career. What started as some charitable donations and the occasional volunteer project has become a nonstop, comprehensive commitment to the community and its...

The VOE Podcast is focusing on Earth Day, Friday, April 22. We're talking to a leader in the sustainability arena, to someone who is really hoping to drive results in this space. That person is Kathleen Pitre, president of Beverage Packaging in North and...

We're looking ahead to International Women's Day which is Tuesday, March 8 as we discuss the glass cliff, a phenomenon where women often get promoted during times of crisis. That very thing has happened to Chief Operating Officer Andrea Westcott Passman....

The COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on the airline industry as travel advisories and bans grounded planes across the globe. As travel opened up, airlines took on new challenges with health and safety concerns. And, today, airlines, like other...

Welcome back to the VOE Podcast! In our latest episode, we dive into the importance of human capital investment and effective human resources management with Amy Blair (MBA 1998)—senior vice president and chief people officer for Liberty Global, a world...

In our latest episode about the ongoing labor and employment crisis, we sit down with Mischa Fisher—chief economist at Angi, the digital home-services marketplace—to discuss the current state of the skilled trades industry. Fisher's latest research found...

The way people work was changing long before the COVID-19 pandemic. But, the pandemic accelerated many changes including the employees wanting more flexibility and variety in their work. We continue our episode series on the labor and employment crisis...

This episode of the VOE Podcast features Daniels alumna Megan Smith (BSBA 2006), CEO of Symbia Logistics, for a conversation about the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on labor and employment--especially for women in the workforce. She comments on the findings...

The NEW VOE Podcast is an extension of Voices of Experience, the signature speaker series at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. Hosted by Kristal Griffith, Jake Jensen and Amber D’Angelo from the Daniels Office of Communications and...