Bio

Stephanie Garnica is the director of global engagement at Denver’s Economic Development & Opportunity Office. In this role, Stephanie leads the international strategy for the city to leverage and promote its’ global assets to attract foreign direct investment, oversees diplomacy, advises on international affairs and elevates Denver’s reputation as a global hub of activity. She brings a wealth of economic development and community leadership experience to the job and is known as a well-connected resource for the international community.

Her previous roles include senior manager of air service development for Denver International Airport (DEN); director of business development for the World Trade Center Denver; and director of trade & investment for the Americas at the Colorado Office Economic Development and International Trade. She lived and worked in Central America after graduating college and is fluent in Spanish. She has traveled and worked extensively throughout the world and hosted global visitors to Denver from over 100 countries.

Given her deep international experience, Stephanie is involved in several globally-focused initiatives in the Denver Metro area. She is a Board Member of the Biennial of the Americas, World Trade Center Denver, Japan America Society of Colorado and Study Colorado. She also serves on the CIBER (Center for International Business Education & Research) Advisory Council at the University of Colorado at Denver and as an Advisory Member of the Global Community Engagement Program at DU’s College of Professional Studies.

Education

Stephanie earned a master’s degree in International Business from the University of Colorado at Denver and an undergraduate degree in International Marketing from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Bio

Steve Jenks is a career researcher with over 10 years of experience in quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research for industries ranging from universities to non-profits to global e-commerce and social media platforms. He has a passion for helping organizations make data-informed decisions that lead to positive, sustainable change.

Steve currently serves as an UX Researcher at MeasuringU, a Denver-based research agency, where he provides research services including study design, data collection, analysis, and reporting, using surveys, interviews, and in-person product trials. Previously, he served as a course strategist for edX, a researcher for the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges, and in program evaluation roles at Cornell University, Ithaca College and the University of Tennessee.

Education

Steve earned a B.S. in African-American Studies from Florida State University, an M.S. in College Student Personnel from the University of Tennessee and a Ph.D. in Higher Education (cognate in Research Methods and Statistics) from the University of Denver.

Motivation for Teaching

Steve loves learning about real-world challenges in different industries and coaching people through the process of discovering potential solutions. He believes that research should be accessible to everyone and strives to help students understand how to be better consumers of research while learning ways to better inform their professional work as well.

Helping Students be Successful

Steve teaches students research processes by breaking down complex ideas and tasks into individual components, striving to help students make connections to prior professional and life experiences to make learning personal and practical. He loves coaching students through all steps of research, and often helps students with future projects after courses have ended.

Bio

As founder and CEO of Lexicon Lens, AnnaSophia Kristjansson brings over 25 years of experience guiding mid-cap organizations through complex strategic initiatives—mergers and acquisitions, organizational redesigns, product launches, and market expansions. Anna’s expertise centers on aligning workforce strategy with business processes, leading cross-functional teams through critical transitions, and translating complex challenges into actionable plans.

Education

Sophia earned her M.S. in Science, Neuroscience and Leadership from Middlesex University, UK and is a Ph.D. candidate in Professional Practice, Psychological Perspective, Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK. Sophia earned her French language, culture and history certificate at the University of Grenoble, France.

Professional Background

Throughout her career in senior human resources and strategic operations roles, Sophia has partnered with C-suite executives to develop strategies that drive sustainable business results and organizational alignment. She has managed high-stakes initiatives including post-merger integration, new division launches, and infrastructure development for business growth.

At Lexicon Lens, Sophia designs customized experience labs where leaders collaborate to test, refine, and implement strategic solutions that drive measurable performance. This methodology—grounded in real-world complexity and data-informed decision-making—informs how she teaches and mentors professionals. Anna is a recognized speaker at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Conference and HR People + Strategy executive forums, and a contributing author on transformational leadership and organizational change.

Teaching Philosophy

Sophia is passionate about seeing organizations succeed and enjoys teaching the leaders of today and tomorrow about how to avoid pitfalls and build organizations that thrive. Sophia teaches students how to leverage their success and how to bridge their academic learning with professional reality. She’s flexible and is available via email and virtual office hours to answer questions, provide guidance, and offer insights from the business world.

Bio

Therese Lask has a 30-year career in higher education and consulting with expertise in Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Development, and Human Resources. The common thread through all her experience is to enhance the employee experience by focusing on individuals, teams, and organizations.

Professional Experience

At Colorado State University, Therese spent six years designing, implementing, and facilitating the Supervisor Development Program for over 2000 supervisors on campus. Along with her work with supervision, Therese consulted with over 50 teams, designing custom programs for their unique needs.

In addition to her experience in higher education, Therese has worked as a consultant to the Gallup Organization, where she developed and facilitated an online course and webinar series focused on infusing a strengths development model into various programs and services, and produced an associated workbook. Therese has published a book, “Your Life as a River,” and has written numerous articles on the topic of strengths development. As a consultant to Academic Impressions, Therese developed and facilitated a Supervisory Development video course series, delivered plenary sessions for the Women’s’ Leadership Conference, and taught numerous boot camps and webinars on leadership development and wellbeing. In addition, Therese developed and facilitated numerous custom programs for a variety of needs.

In addition to facilitation, Therese has coached professionals in a wide range of industries including higher education, health care, engineering, and information technology. Her expertise in coaching includes leadership development, career development, and organizational development. In 2023, Therese founded the Athena Institute, a consulting firm focused on supervisor and team development. She is actively consulting with higher education and state agencies to help enhance employees’ experience by building more positive, productive cultures.

Education

Therese has a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and a master’s degree in College Student Personnel, both from Colorado State University, as well as a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. She is also a certified Gallup Strengths Educator.

Bio

With over 14 years of global experience, Levi is a seasoned professional specializing in intercultural communications and adult learning. He has cultivated tailored intercultural learning programs for executives from Fortune 500 companies in Europe and Asia while living and working across diverse regions like Mexico, Costa Rica, Australia and Switzerland. His commitment to teaching intercultural communications has spanned seven years, empowering students and professionals alike.

At the College of Professional Studies, Levi integrates practical expertise with theoretical knowledge to create an engaging learning environment. He employs real-life experiences and case studies, fostering critical skills for navigating cross-cultural complexities. Through his dynamic teaching methodologies, merging extensive work history with interactive approaches, Levi equips students with tangible tools to excel in diverse global environments, fostering a deeper understanding of intercultural communication.

Education

Levi earned an MBA, and an MA in International and Intercultural Communication, both from the University of Denver.

Bio

Mya Martin-Glenn is a dedicated and experienced educational researcher. Currently, she serves as the Director of Assessment & Research in the Division of Equity & Learning for Aurora Public Schools, where she leads a team responsible for overseeing all district and state-level assessments.

Mya’s dedication to research excellence is evident in her academic background. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Denver, where she focused on educational measurement and evaluation. She also holds a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on Research and Evaluation Methodology from the University of Colorado Denver.

In the classroom, Mya fosters a collaborative learning environment where students can engage with the material and learn from each other. She uses innovative teaching methods and real-world examples to make research methods relevant and engaging for her students.

Bio

Wayne E. Mayer, CEO of When Everything Matters (WEMCo), empowers people to see the big picture among disparate elements. His proactive, whole-systems approach to business mitigates risks, engages stakeholders, and improves efficiencies, revenues, and profits. Wayne’s regional expertise encompasses Latin America; for years he resided in Venezuela and, later, Peru.

Education

Wayne earned his Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science at the University of Denver, his Master of Science in Forest Ecology & Conservation at the University of Washington, and his Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy at Duke University. He also earned graduate certificates in International Development Policy and in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Duke.

Professional Background

Wayne is a strategic sustainability consultant with technical and leadership skills gained during 20+ years as a change agent focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. He empowers organizations to integrate environmental and social value into core business and turn business models into sustainable-development partnerships. He helps companies set science-based goals and leverage data and technology to measure, monitor, and communicate ESG risks, impacts, and opportunities. Wayne holds affiliate faculty positions at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and, as a Senior Fellow, at the Duke Center for International Development. He also teaches for Duke Corporate Education’s ESG Academy.

Motivation for Teaching

Wayne’s international experience motivates him to share the excitement of thinking in different ways. He enjoys sharing ideas and calls teaching and learning “fun with a purpose.”

Helping Students Be Successful

Wayne recognizes that solving complex problems requires cross-functional, interdisciplinary thinking. He helps students unlock their imaginations, identify interconnections, and think in proactive and novel ways.

Darryl Meekins (Ph.D., North West University) is a seasoned leader in the cultural competency space. He is the CAO at Lightbox Consultants and has started several leadership programs and businesses aimed at increasing learning in the CQ and multinational leadership arenas. Originally from South Africa, Darryl has lived and taught across four continents and has been helping students and organizations navigate the complexities of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world for nearly two decades. A specialist in Cultural Intelligence and Action-Reflective Practice, Darryl loves to engage learners of all backgrounds and vocations in a multi-modal, multidisciplinary journey of learning and discovery.

Bio

Arianna Nowakowski’s research explores questions of international gender politics, cultural identity, and political change. Her teaching portfolio reflects this expertise, including courses such as “Culture, Identity, Power,” “Russian Identity,” and “The Puerto Rican Paradox: Challenges and Opportunities in Uncertain Times.” Arianna additionally serves in an administrative capacity focused on developing ongoing partnerships and designing academic courses and curricula, particularly experiential learning and travel courses.

Education

Arianna holds a Ph.D. in International Studies from the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs.

Bio

Rebecca Otis is a career diplomat with the US State Department with 20 years of experience in diplomatic and international non-profit engagement. She has a deep understanding of global politics, intercultural communication strategies and government service, which is based on her academic work and experience in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and South America.