These Faces are Aces
celebrates members of our community on social media each week. Here are a few of our favorites.
Zach Baumann has been a gamer since he was a kid bouncing around the country with his four siblings during his father鈥檚 military career. He never did put down the controller, but as an Air Force captain鈥攁 personnel officer and expert in human resources and business administration鈥攈e鈥檚 found incredible value in his passion for games. It鈥檚 why he co-founded Air Force Gaming, a digital platform that connects airmen with fellow players in the service. The platform has become so successful that last year, the military effectively acquired it, bringing in a startup called Rally Cry to help take it global.听
鈥淚 was able to get insights on all the challenges we faced鈥攆rom creating a social media presence, to building pitch decks, to refining our strategy鈥攆rom my MBA classes.鈥�
Capt. Zach Baumann (MBA鈥�21)
Co-founder, Air Force Gaming
鈥淎t Leeds, it鈥檚 not only the brilliant minds you get to learn from. This environment just lends itself to creativity and innovation.鈥�
Steffie Ungphakorn
PhD Program Manager
You may not expect an aspiring accountant to have a flair for fashion, but Megan Griffith can count stitches as well as beans. Luxury Redesigned, the apparel business she started during quarantine, is still going strong. 鈥淟eeds gives you the resources and the confidence you need to take the first step into something you want to do, and not be afraid to fail,鈥� she said.
Megan Griffith (Bus鈥�23)
Founder, Luxury Redesigned
鈥淢y MBA was the first time I realized I was not the only one who was interested in sustainability鈥擨 was surrounded by a cohort that wanted to make an impact in the environment, in social equity or a related area.鈥�
Shannon Cox Baker (MBA鈥�07)
Founder and Managing Partner, Rivet Development Partners
鈥淚f I鈥檓 going to devote time, energy and the mental capacity to solve a problem, why not make it a big problem?鈥�
Frank Medina (Bus鈥�23)
Intern, Social Capital
Prospective students are no longer required to submit SAT or ACT scores when applying to a Colorado state school.听That鈥檚 partly thanks to Eyob Abai, a former president of Leeds Student Government, who testified before the Colorado Legislature in support of removing the requirement.
鈥淢y focus was ensuring all students are able to be successful at Leeds,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to be a voice for different groups of students and bring different perspectives to the table.鈥�
Eyob Abai (Bus鈥�21)
Business Analyst, McKinsey
Though he鈥檚 completed two degrees at Leeds already, Victor Bjorlow isn鈥檛 done with his education. But he鈥檚 not returning to a University of Colorado classroom. Instead, he鈥檚 off to听Q School. Aspiring pro golfers must complete the grueling European Tour Qualifying School before joining the continental equivalent of the PGA Tour.
鈥淕olf is important to me, but I have this passion for finance, as well,鈥� Bjorlow said. 鈥淲hatever happens next, my lessons from the golf course and classroom will both be important听going forward.鈥�
Victor Bjorlow (Bus鈥�20, MFin鈥�21)
Golfer
鈥淲e鈥檝e gone back to the well frequently with Leeds grads and have not been disappointed.鈥�
Carl Koelbel (MBA鈥�10)
Chief Operating Officer, Koelbel & Co.
