Bio

Jeni Anderson is a longtime Denver writer and strategic communications professional with extensive experience building brands and creating targeted communications strategies for nonprofits, startups, technology companies, and high-growth organizations. She is a seasoned executive with experience in almost every facet of marketing and communications.

Education

Jeni earned her B.A. in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and an M.A. in Public Communication from American University in Washington, D.C.

Professional Experience

Jeni serves as an executive communications consultant with her firm, Jeni Anderson Media, advising clients on integrated strategic communications planning, brand strategy and management, digital and social strategy, content strategy, message development, storytelling, and more. She teaches various courses in the College of Professional Studies’ Communication Management program and the Media, Film, and Journalism Studies (MFJS) program at the University of Denver.

Teaching Philosophy

As an educator, Jeni believes deeply in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in her courses. She is passionate about the power of clear, concise, and compelling writing. She strives to help her students develop the essential skills for the newest generation of marketing and communications professionals. Jeni encourages deep critical thinking and is a hands-on instructor. She enjoys teaching in-person and virtually and holds Live Zoom sessions regularly.

Bio

Dave Barton is an experienced executive, teacher and consultant with over 35 years of corporate experience in the areas of marketing, sales, channel management, business development, supply chain, procurement and alliance management. Having worked extensively in communications and information technology, electronics, life sciences, and consumer packaged goods industries, Dave has lived and worked in Europe, as well as working extensively in Asia, and Latin America. He is recognized as a thought leader in collaborative conflict resolution and negotiation.

Education

Dave earned a B.S. in Business and Operations Management from the University at Albany, NY, and his MBA in Finance and International Business from Rutgers University.

Professional Background

Dave has held a variety of executive positions including Vice President for Contract Manufacturing at Danone North America, Vice President of Global Contracts for Agilent Technologies, Director of Procurement at WhiteWave Foods, Global Alliance Manager for Agilent Technologies, and Americas Region Contracts Manager for Hewlett-Packard Company. In addition, Dave has led brand identity, information distribution and media and marketing agency supplier development.

Motivation for Teaching

Dave’s passion for teaching originates from his commitment to developing leaders globally. His collaborative style is his “superpower” as he helps students look at issues and problems as opportunities for challenging the status quo, conflict resolution, and positive change for all parties.

Bio

Dianne Blomberg is a writer and speaker living in Colorado. She is a multi-published short story and creative non-fiction author whose work can be found in HerStry, Feminine Collective, Across the Margin, Button Eye Review, Alpha Female Society, American Writer’s Review, in “best of” volumes and anthologies and several more. Currently, Dianne bundles her creativity, her understanding of human relationships, and her relentless drive toward story to work as a TV scriptwriter.

Education

Dianne holds a Ph.D. in Human Communication from the University of Denver, an M.A. in Organizational Communication from the University of Northern Colorado, and a B.A. in Speech Communication from Metropolitan State University.

Professional Experience

Dianne’s professional career started in marketing and public relations but the need to connect in a more meaningful way moved her to become a teacher. First, she was a high school teacher of writing and speech, then moved on to become a college professor. Always creating stories and scenes in her head, she is credited with two published children’s picture books. Dianne’s human-interest stories are featured in local newspapers and her relatable relationship research is cited in Good Housekeeping, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Family Life, Newsday-New York, The Denver Post and more. She is the 2023 President of the Denver Woman’s Press Club.

Teaching Philosophy

Dianne teaches to help students achieve their best work and achieve professional success. Her goal is to guide students to the edge of their understanding where new discoveries await them.

Bio

Shaniquè Broom is an educator, curriculum and learning design specialist, and scholar with over a decade of experience in higher education. She has worked across academic and professional education settings to support faculty, staff, and institutions in designing learning experiences that are inclusive, rigorous, and grounded in justice.

Shaniquè’s professional work centers on equitable learning design, inclusive pedagogy, and the translation of theory into practice. She has collaborated with faculty and academic teams across the country to redesign courses, programs, and curricula with attention to access, power, and student experience. Her research and professional practice are deeply informed by critical pedagogical traditions, including the work of Paulo Freire and bell hooks, and by her scholarship on the experiences of Black women navigating systems of racism and sexism in professional environments.

Education

Shaniquè holds a B.A. in Psychology from Central Michigan University, an M.A. in Higher Education from Central Michigan University; a certificate of college teaching from Central Michigan University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education with a concentration in race and ethnicity from the University of Denver.

Teaching Philosophy

At the College of Professional Studies, Shaniquè brings a reflective, student-centered teaching approach that emphasizes critical inquiry, applied learning, and thoughtful engagement with real-world contexts. Her courses are intentionally structured to scaffold learning, invite multiple perspectives, and support students in developing practical tools they can carry into their professional and civic lives.

Bio

Natriece Bryant (MA, University of Colorado–Denver; MCJ, University of Colorado – Denver; MBA, Regis University) is the Division Director for the Division of State Property for the State of Colorado where she oversees the Office of State Architect, Public-Private Partnership Collaboration Unit, and the Office of Capital Assets.

Previously, she was the Public-Private Partnership Director for the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration where she oversaw all programs and projects in relation to public private partnerships, including affordable housing, early childcare, behavioral/mental health capacity expansion and broadband expansion. Natriece also served as the Deputy Chief Customer Officer at the Governor’s Office of Information Technology. Her role was to execute and direct all state IT programs, define statewide technology strategies, interagency communications and statewide technology communication policies and projects. She oversaw customer success for all business areas in the department and managed high-level programs and projects for the state.

Natriece has also served as the Office of Economic Development and International Trade State and Local Stimulus Coordinator for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. In that role she provided guidance to executive leadership regarding funding for affordable housing, workforce, behavioral health, and mental health projects statewide. She also managed stakeholder engagement and strategic communications with local governments on projects and provided guidance on spending plans for state agencies in compliance with ARPA guidelines.

Previously, she was the Department of Local Affairs’ Deputy Executive Director where she managed all operations for affordable housing, local government, policy, property taxation and assessment appeals statewide and served as the State Complete Count Committee Chair for the 2020 Census. She also worked for the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies in the Divisions of Financial Services and Banking to oversee all compliance, education, and outreach strategies for 60 banks and 39 credit unions. She developed the BankSafe program in partnership with AARP for Colorado to ensure financial safety and security for older Coloradans.

She has worked on community planning and population distribution in Denver and statewide on issues surrounding driver’s licenses for immigrants in Colorado as well as housing for those hardest-to-serve groups.

Natriece has worked with both public and private sector clients on change management and been certified as a Lean Six-Sigma trainer. Natriece has three master’s degrees in business administration, sociology and criminal justice. She also has a bachelor’s degree in communications.

Bio

Greta is a consultant to domestic-based U.S. companies, helping them develop integrated marketing communication plans to help grow their reputations and cultivate their brands. Previously, she held leadership positions at the Investments & Wealth Institute, Iliff School of Theology, The Children’s Hospital (Colorado) and the Denver Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. Large-scale projects in Denver included the communication lead for the Lowry Economic Development Project and the Stapleton International Airport.

Greta is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America. She has earned numerous awards from (PRSA), National Association of Installation Developers, and the American Marketing Association (AMA), including the Grand Peak Award from the Colorado Chapter of the AMA.

Education

Greta earned a Master of Journalism from La. State University and a B.A. in Journalism from La. State University.

Bio

Cindy Cragg is a Teaching Associate Professor at the University of Denver’s College of Professional Studies. She brings extensive experience in marketing strategy, data analytics, and campaign management to her teaching.

Professional Background

Cindy has held leadership roles in higher education and the MarCom industry, managing graduate-level academic programs, developing and evaluating integrated marketing campaigns, and serving as a national spokesperson for a major nonprofit organization. These experiences provide a strong foundation in strategic communication, public engagement, and applied learning. At DU, Cindy teaches graduate courses including Making Decisions with Data, Storytelling with Data, Communication Inquiry, Analysis, and Trends, and Portfolio Capstone. She designs curriculum that emphasize reflection and integrative learning, helping students connect academic work to professional goals.

Education

Cindy earned a B.A. in Interpersonal and Public Communication from Northern Illinois University, an MPS in Organizational and Professional Communication from the University of Denver and an Ed.D. in Higher Education from the University of Denver.

Teaching Philosophy

Cindy’s teaching approach blends industry expertise with practical application, preparing students to navigate complex communication challenges and make data-informed decisions. She also presents nationally on topics related to faculty development, organizational leadership in higher education, and the intersection of data, pedagogy, and reflective practice.

Bio

Michael Dabbs is a skilled public affairs communicator with more than a decade of experience shaping public discourse for nonprofits, issue advocacy campaigns, and political candidates. He is currently the senior director of impact at the Gill Foundation, where he directs programmatic initiatives to propel narrative change for LGBTQ equality, oversees institutional communications, shapes the foundation’s priorities and measures progress toward its strategic goals, and reports impact to key stakeholders. Michael joined the Gill Foundation team in 2019 as a senior communications officer and was most recently the director of strategy.

Michael has a passion for research-based storytelling and strategy development, and he endeavors in his courses to inspire the same in his students. His classes lean heavily on bringing course text to life through real-world examples and exercises.

Education

Michael earned a B.S. in Political Science and Strategic Communication from Texas Christian University and an M.A. in International and Intercultural Communication from the University of Denver.

Bio

Melissa currently serves as an instructional designer/ course developer at MSU Denver working with subject matter experts to build quality courses across all disciplines. Prior to returning to higher education, she working in the corporate arena with Hensel Phelps Construction Company to build trainings across all departments and industry skill areas. Melissa uses her array of experience in higher education and corporate to include teaching, training, instructional design, accessibility, program development, and much more.

Education

Melissa earned a Ph.D. in Education, Instructional Design from Capella University; an MA in Teaching and Learning with Technology from Ashford University and a BA Literature and Writing from California State University, San Marcos.

Professional Background

For the last 20 years, she has lived coast to coast while teaching, training, and learning. As a first-generation graduate, she is passionate about education and providing support to faculty and students. Her research focuses on Institutional support of faculty creating online courses that provide equitable experiences for students.

Bio

Pam Dunbar has 25+ years of experience working in sports content creating dynamic relationships between business and their customers. Her expertise in communication, advertising and brand has resulted in two Heartland Emmy Awards and multiple Promax award recognitions. As a sports content creator, she understands the passion and loyalty of fans and the value of authentic communication.

Dunbar spent the majority of her career in marketing, communication and sales for cable TV networks. She worked in the affiliate sales group at Disney/ESPN Cable Networks, creating partnerships and launching new content in an eight-state territory.

In marketing positions for MountainWest Sports and World Fishing Network, she created subscriber campaigns and led digital marketing, advertising, earned and owned media and content marketing. Her World Fishing Network staff was located in the U.S. and Canada.

In recent years she pivoted due to a changing environment in television to running her own consulting company. Pam’s work included clients in the non-profit, education and outdoor companies. She worked to improve brand and communication strategies for these clients. She also spent time as director of marketing for a local city government that had a professional rugby team, stadium and event center.

As an instructor, Pam can offer real-world experience in communications, and the digital landscape we are navigating. She serves on the executive committee of the PRSA Sports and Entertainment Group and recently joined the board of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame where she is lending her experience in digital communication and marketing strategy.

Education

Pamela earned a B.S. in Recreation & Parks Administration from the University of Wyoming and an M.A. in Communications & Journalism fromKent State University.