Check out the wonderful people who are involved with the Academy: OUR FALL 2008 COURSE FACILITATORS

(Listed alphabetically)

Fredrick R. Abrams, M.D. (Biomedical Ethics: Moral Challenges for Patients and Doctors) is currently the Director of The Clinical Ethics Consultation Group, a medical consultant to the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care, an Adjunct Professor of Ethics at the Iliff School of Theology, and also a volunteer faculty for the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at UCHSC. In 2003 he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Center for Bioethics and Humanities of the UCHSC. In 2006 he was selected to receive the Isaac Bell and John Hayes Award for Leadership in Medical Ethics and Professionalism from the Board of Trustees and Foundation of the American Medical Association.

In 1983 he became the founder and director of the first community hospital based center for study and teaching of bioethics, the Center for Applied Biomedical Ethics at Rose Medical Center in Denver, which provided the training in the 1980s for all the original Colorado hospital ethics committees. In the mid 1980s, he was a leader in the passage of Colorado’s first “Living Will” law and participated in its revisions during the next decade.

He has served as founding Executive Director of the Colorado Governor's Commission on Life and the Law, Executive Committee of the Colorado Collaboration for End-of-Life Care, Steering Committee-Hospice of Metro Denver. He served on the national advisory board of: Institutional Ethics Committees of the American Society of Law and Medicine, National Advisory Board on Ethics in Reproduction, the ethics committee of the Denver Medical Society, the Colorado Medical Society, founded the ethics committee of Rose Medical Center, and co-chaired the Joint Ethics Committee of the Colorado Columbia-Health One System. With the Denver Department of Social Services, he organized a curriculum and initiated instruction with the intention and result of establishing the Denver Community Ethics Committee.

Dr. Abrams was Executive Director of the Denver University/ Colorado University Health Ethics and Policy Consortium and Adjunct Professor at the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado in Denver. He was Project Director of the Robert Wood Johnson-supported "Colorado Speaks out on Health" project in 1987 that held over 400 meetings with Coloradoans to discuss ethical issues in healthcare. He developed and teaches courses in the Essentials of Biomedical Ethics, assisting hospitals, long term care facilities and communities to create ethics committees for continuing education of facility staff and for public outreach. Over the past 25 years, he has conducted over 1500 workshops, lectures and conferences for medical, nursing, legal, clergy, and teaching professionals, and for the public on ethical issues.

Born in Stockholm and raised during the great depression, Bernhard Abrahamsson (Cities & Regions of Destiny: Stockholm) went to sea at an early age. He graduated from Stockholm Merchant Marine Academy and ultimately received an unlimited master mariner’s (captain’s) license authorizing him to captain any ship of any size for any trade. His diverse career includes an interesting collection of positions: commander in the Swedish Navy, staff economist with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), dean of the Graduate School of International Studies at DU, head of the Department of Marine Transportation at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, professor and division chair of the College of Business and Economics at University of Wisconsin-Superior, member of the Marine Board of the Transportation Research Board (National Research Council). Bernhard enjoys having time to take classes since his retirement in 1997.

Donna Barrow (Revisiting Occupied France in Fact & Fiction) is a discriminating reader who loves to explore beyond the page. She enjoys finding the facts behind historical fiction. After a brief career in hydrology, she turned to gardening, raising children and dogs, landscaping large spaces, and bridge.  She and her husband attend all the Opera Colorado performances and make an annual opera pilgrimage to Santa Fe.

Ted Borrillo (Four Great Silent Film Comedians: Chaplin, Lloyd, Langdon & Keaton) is a retired attorney. He was Chief Deputy District Attorney in Denver, taught criminal procedure and constitutional law at the DU Law School, and was a defense counsel in his private practice of law.  He has had an abiding interest in the criminal justice system resulting from his interest in the Bruno Hauptmann trial and his execution for the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby.  Hauptmann lived in the Bronx not far from Ted’s home. Ted has visited Flemington, New Jersey, the site of the trial, the cell where Hauptmann was kept, and has spoken with David Wilentz, the prosecutor of Hauptmann. He has taught at the Colorado Police Academy and at the National College of District Attorneys in Houston.

Kathy Boyer (Writing your Life Stories; Experts & Entertainers: Benjamin Banneker, Mathematician) has conducted LIFE STORY workshops for libraries, summer camps, churches, community centers, and with the Academy.  As a child, Kathy developed a love of the personal story as she listened to adults recall the tales of their childhood.  Now a retired teacher, Kathy works with individuals to record their memories on audio-tape.  As a workshop facilitator, she offers inspiration and ideas to groups of people who want to begin a written collection of their own short stories.

Ron Brady (Experts & Entertainers: No Teachers Left Behind) received his Bachelors in Education from the University of Colorado, and went on to complete his Masters in Education from Regis University.  He has a background in television production as well as photography, but his primary career has been in the classroom.  After teaching in Adams County for 25 years, he went on to be the President of the Westminster Education Association from 1995 – 2000 before becoming President of the Colorado Education Association from 2000 – 2006.  Mr. Brady now has a consulting firm, and works as an avid volunteer in the field of education and policy.

Bennie Bub (Human Behavior and Neurobiology) is a South African neurosurgeon who is board certified in three different specialties on three continents.  His teaching career began when, as a medical student, he taught physics at a technical college in return for free car maintenance courses.  After receiving his MD at the University of Cape Town he became a general surgeon gaining his FRCS (Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons) in the UK.  Having been captivated by the complexities of the brain, he now began his neurosurgical studies in London at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases and Epilepsy.  Thereafter he became a Teaching and Research Fellow at Harvard College as well as a resident in the Harvard Neurosurgical Service at the Boston City and Massachusetts General Hospitals.  Concurrently, he studied violin performance in the Boston Conservatory of Music under Reuben Gregorian.  This Boston sojourn was followed by completion of his neurosurgical certification at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.  Then began his years of busy neurosurgical private practice simultaneously teaching as Senior Lecturer in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Cape Town.  During this period he founded the first multidisciplinary clinic in South Africa for the management of intractable pain.  Immigration to the USA in 1976 was followed by training and board certification in Anesthesiology.  He then joined a practice in Denver from which he retired after more than 20 years.  In the early nineties he was founder and CEO of a successful database company, which provided credentialing of physicians for health insurance companies.  Since retirement he has indulged in his love of music, travel and voracious reading, all the while striving to stay au courant with the neurosciences.

Archaeologist and photographer Inga Calvin (Cities & Regions of Destiny:  The Maya) teaches at the University of Colorado-Denver. Having originally planned to conduct ethnographic fieldwork among the Navajo, her life was transformed after viewing the dynamic exhibit about Maya art and writing, “Blood of Kings.” Inga has conducted archaeological research in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador—and regrets that her Spanish is not better. Her most recent studies have taken her to the basements of Guatemala’s bodegas and museums in search of Classic Period (AD 200-900) Maya ceramics. She served as director of the Center for Latin American Art and Archaeology and participated in the reinstallation of the New World galleries at the Denver Art Museum.

Diane Carrick (Yes, You Can Draw!) taught junior high school art classes for eight years in Ohio. She has published poetry in Windows to the Soul, and her art work and articles about art have appeared in 5280 and elsewhere. She enjoys taking Academy classes and teaching art to small groups in her home. She’s currently in the process of writing her life story as she charges on to another adventure.

After thirty years as senior editor and head of publications at the Denver Art Museum, Marlene Chambers (DAM Great Art:  Explore the Denver Art Museum with Experts) has escaped to the Academy, where she hopes to indulge her lifelong interest in literature, art history, and learning theory. She holds master’s degrees in both English literature and art history. Her literary, film, and exhibition criticism has appeared often in professional journals, and she currently serves on the editorial board of the journal Curator. She has taught high school English, college freshman English, and label-writing workshops and believes that "learning is meaningless unless it opens your eyes to fresh ways of seeing."

Originally from Minneapolis, Nancy Collins (Cities & Regions of Destiny) transferred from Macalester College in St. Paul to the University of Denver, met her husband and received a BSBA degree with a specialization in Marketing. After raising a family, working in a church office, and retiring as a franchise co-owner of a printing company, Nancy felt it was time to learn more about the music she enjoys in addition to the rapidly changing world. She remains active in the music program at church, loves gardening, reading, travel, animals, bridge, mah jongg and thoroughly enjoys the class opportunities from the Academy.

Patricia Cox (Beginning Memoir Writing) is a graduate of Texas Christian University and received her Masters in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Denver. She taught four years for the Denver Public Schools before she had her family and for twenty years for the Cherry Creek School District after. Being the mother of three married daughters and eleven grandchildren gives her joy and focus. After working with children most of her adult life, she found challenge and purpose working as Parish Coordinator for Wellshire Presbyterian Church for several years. She has taught beginning memoir writing for previously.

Pat Dalton (Cities & Regions of Destiny: Chinese Miao Ethnic Minority Group) first traveled to China in 1986 and was fascinated by the country, culture, people, historical sites and delicious food.  She returned to China a number of times to visit and finally decided to organize tours, having just completing her 32nd trip to China and will go again in November.  Ms. Dalton is especially interested in textiles, batik (wax resist), silver works,  embroidery and the numerous crafts of China.   She does different kinds of needlework, having studied Japanese Embroidery for five years.  She is an avid beader, and feels that having a needle in her hands is therapy!  She has a huge collection of needlework items and books, too.  Ms. Dalton also loves to cook all kinds of cuisines, especially Mexican and Asian,  and has a small herb and vegetable garden.

Dr. Jimmy Dunn (Cities & Regions of Destiny:  Arctic Geography) spent 17 summers exploring the arctic and a good deal of his professional life studying arctic issues. He has paddled approximately 10,000 miles in the arctic. He teaches Geography at the University of Northern Colorado and coordinates a grassroots organization of 3,000 teachers interested in geography education.  Dr. Dunn describes himself as a, “a guitar-strumming, golf ball chasing, paddling fanatic and family man with a wonderful wife and a 2 year old son.”

Christina Haas (Cities & Regions of Destiny: Elements of a Liveable City: Global Sustainability).

Senator Bob Hagedorn (Experts & Entertainers: The Morning After: Analyzing the Election) was first elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1992 and re-elected three times.. During his time in the state house, Hagedorn worked on issues including patient protection legislation, and prevention strategies in the criminal justice system, and was named by the Democratic Leadership Council as one of "100 to Watch" among young Democratic officeholders. Term-limited, Hagedorn went on to serve in the Colorado State Senate, elected in 2000 and 2004 to represent the solidly Democratic district.  Hagedorn emphasized health care issues in particular during his Senate tenure and his 2004 re-election campaign.

In the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Hagedorn served as chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and as a member of the Senate Transportation Committee.  In past Senate sessions, Hagedorn has served on the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. During the 2007 session, Hagedorn successfully sponsored legislation to establish a state prescription drug discount program -- the first bill signed into law by Gov. Bill Ritter-- and to declare John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High" the second official state song.

Elizabeth Harding (Experts & Entertainers: The Pacific is Drowning) of Elizabeth Harding & Associates, P.C., a Women-Owned Small Business Concern, has extensive environmental compliance experience.  Beginning in 1985, Elizabeth’s work in Asia and the developing Pacific has included both long and short-term representation of national and provincial governments on environmental, economic, and social issues.  Her work travel in the Pacific includes considerable time in Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Kiribati, and Tuvalu.  For the past six years, Ms. Harding has been supporting the Army at Fort Greely, Alaska as a member of the Fort Greely Environmental Team responsible for developing an environmental compliance program incorporating the requirements of numerous federal and state statutes and regulations.  In addition, Ms. Harding is currently supporting the Navy Region Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific fleet in Hawaii.

Jim Hartmann (Adventures with Great Ideas: The Emotions) received his B.A. degree in the humanities from Regis College and M.A. degree in history from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After a three-year stint in radio-television, he began a thirty-year career at the Colorado Historical Society, beginning as deputy state historian and ending as president of the Society and gubernatorial appointed state historic preservation officer for the State of Colorado. After retiring from those positions, he was appointed executive director of Four Mile Historic Park where he remained for five years.

Sue Haskell (Kooks or Gurus? Examining New Thought Spirituality) has her Master in Business Marketing from the University of Denver. She was involved in real estate and relocation businesses for 30 years in management and ownership. While business was her vocation, her avocation has always been spirituality and the search for Truth. She has studied everything from est to Reiki to Course in Miracles and many, many more teachings giving her a good overview of the many facets of spiritual enlightenment. Before going into business she taught in a junior high school for two years. She also instructed many real estate classes for the Colorado Association of Realtors and twice taught a class for VIVA called The Power of Myth.

Lew House (The Genius of Churchill: An Up Close and Personal Look at the Statesman’s Life) is a founder and current President of the Rocky Mountain Churchillians, an Affiliate of the international Churchill Centre. An avid fan of Winston S. Churchill, Lew published a graphical Timeline of the Life of Winston S. Churchill and has given talks and a course on Churchill.  Retired from two careers, twenty years as Senior Scientist in astrophysics and ten years as Senior Director of Competitive Technology Intelligence, Lew finally turned nearly full-time to his love of history.  Recently he acquired a MA in Military History.  As part of his professional careers, Lew published numerous scientific papers and frequently taught graduate courses. He has lectured and presented seminars widely in the U.S. as well as in seven other nations. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Astro-Geophysics, a MS in Physics, a MA in Military History, and an undergraduate degree in Geophysical Engineering.  Lew’s current interests include, in addition to Winston S. Churchill, Napoleonic history and the co-evolution of military science and European history from ancient to modern, as well as cosmology, cryptography, war gaming, system dynamic simulation, gourmet cooking, and travel.

Devin Patrick Hughes (A Conductor Explores Orchestral Music) was recently appointed Music Director of the Niwot Timberline Symphony Orchestra and is currently pursuing an Artist’s Diploma at the Lamont School of Music in Denver, where he is the Assistant Conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra.  He also leads the Denver Chamber Players, with whom he recently performed a fully staged version of Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale with a libretto by Kurt Vonnegut.  In Ithaca, New York he founded the Ithaca Chamber Players, was Music Director of the Ithaca Sinfonietta, and conducted Kulmusik, a contemporary chamber ensemble performing works of many living composers including Christopher Theofanidis, Jennifer Higdon, and John Harbison. While pursuing his Masters degree in orchestral conducting at Ithaca College he also conducted in the annual Cornell University production of the Messiah, and premiered In the Garden of Eden, a ballet by Naomi Williams, along with two new works by Jesse Clark: his Cello Concerto and his controversial work entitled Free Weight Fantastique.

Devin was also Assistant Conductor of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Ball State University Summer Symphony, Conductor of the annual opera production and was Associate Conductor of the East Central Indiana Youth Orchestra. He has conducted orchestras such as the Rochester Philharmonic, the Winnipeg Symphony, the Des Moines Symphony, and the Green Bay Symphony.

Devin is originally from Springfield, Illinois and has studied with Gustav Meier, Robert Spano, Larry Rachleff, Kurt Masur, Bridget-Michaele Reischl, Jeffrey Grogan, Lawrence Golan, Michael Morgan, and Lawrence Leighton Smith.

Connie Hyde (Experts & Entertainers: Presidential Elections of the 19th Century) spent her college and graduate days immersed in literature, but, after a final year in the rare book room at Duke University library with 16th century folios, decided that her intellectual life needed more human dynamic. She spent the next several decades practicing commercial real estate law (and raising children, who, according to Connie, taught her more about the psychology of negotiation than all the law books in the world). Recently retired, Connie has returned enthusiastically to her first loves of literature, history, politics, music and art (and, of course, gardening). “I am fascinated by the people and ideas that have shaped our world and the way that literature, music, and art interact with history and politics. The modern world is so complex and perilous that we, as thoughtful adults, have to be alive to the historical currents that brought us to the present.”

Conrad Kehn (Contemporary American Composers, Olivier Messianen and His Music) is a performer, composer, improviser, educator, writer and artist.  He is the founding Director of The Playground; a chamber ensemble dedicated to modern music.

An award winning composer, Conrad’s style spans all genres touching on electro-acoustic music, multimedia works, graphic scores, aleatory, and experimental rock, but still remains grounded in the western music tradition. His music has been performed across the US including Issue Project Room (NY), Audio Inversions (Austin, TX), Pendulum New Music Series (CU-Boulder), and the Summer New Music Symposium at Colorado College.  Conrad is a lecturer of Music Theory, Composition and Music Technology at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, where he directs the Lamont Composers Concert Series.

In his career as a lawyer, Irwin Kirk (China’s Power Struggles, 1800-1989) attempted to determine Congressional intent expressed in statutes governing grant-in-aid programs of the present Dept. of Education in Washington D.C. He supervised the agency’s administrative operations until a family vacation in Colorado prompted an assignment to the Denver regional office. Retirement offered him opportunity to read widely in history and to teach history and government courses at Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge.  Irwin has facilitated lifelong learning classes about America’s First Salute, the Paris 1919 peace conference, American Reconstruction, and Middle Eastern history.

Gary Knapp (Cities & Regions of Destiny:  Egyptian Temples) retired from the Denver Department of Health & Hospitals Division of Biostatistics after 33 years. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with BBA and MA in Statistics and went on to take PhD course work in Statistics and Econometrics at CU. Gary volunteered as a youth coach for 30 years and is active with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and South High Alumni Association.

Recently returned from a year living, working, and traveling through the Spanish-speaking world, Nikki Knaddison (Spanish for Travelers) is a certified language instructor who has taught English and Spanish in Denver and Argentina. She minored in Spanish at Whitman College and studied at the University of Buenos Aires. Her travel experience inspired her to found the Denver Spanish House where she teaches English and Spanish. Before teaching, Nikki worked for not-for-profit organizations, many of which focused on working with Spanish-speaking families. She was involved with the Hispanic Initiative through Junior Achievement, a grant that focused on better serving Latino students and their families. Nikki has enjoyed her formal study and practical application of Spanish because, at its core, language allows one to connect with people and cultures in a way that would be impossible without knowledge of the language.

After a career in financial management, Jim Kneser (Colorado Ballot Issues: How many did you Say?, The Dilemma of Immigration, Critical Election Year Economic Issues) has taught economics to adults for the past ten years. His classes have included over 1,500 attendees. To date there have been no suicide attempts or forehead lacerations due to falling asleep. The academic love of Jim's life is economics. He pursued this love in college, earning his bachelor's degree at Ripon College as an econ major. He was then lured away from the purity of economics by the siren song of finance (the dark side of economics) and received an MBA degree in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. For 20 years he pursued a career specializing in mergers & acquisitions, speculative markets, and other financial frivolities. He also picked up a CPA designation along the way. Since retiring, he has reunited with his true love and is devoted to raising the general level of economic literacy. You will also find him leading classes in public policy and classical music. "I am giving this economics course because I believe that increasing economic understanding is the best contribution I can make to helping myself and others become better citizens. Participants will see the world around them differently. Past class members still email me with new insights that they encounter and understand as a result of their newly acquired economic expertise."

Bridge nut and art groupie Sally Kneser (Bridge for Beginners & Never-Evers) is always ready to learn something new and help teach others. “I love to learn, and it’s so much more fun with friends around.” Sally is a Life Master in bridge and enjoys explaining the basics to others. As the Academy’s Director, Sally tackles operational and tactical issues in running the nonprofit. While volunteering with the Junior League, Sally chaired several committees, including the Facilitators. When not enjoying herself at the bridge table, she attends two book clubs and stops to smell roses in her gardens.

Joy Lapp (A Palestinian Perspective) has a Ph.D. in Early Christian Literature. She taught English in Egypt for three years, and has led several fact-finding delegations to Israel/Palestine. She teaches Religion and Ethics at Metro State College.

As executive director of Independent Higher Education of Colorado, the nonprofit agency responsible for public policy research and lobbying for Colorado College, Regis University, and the University of Denver, Toni Larson (Colorado Ballot Issues: How many did you Say?) keeps abreast of state and federal issues, especially as they affect higher education. To relax Toni enjoys biking, cross-country skiing, classical music, theater, and her grandchildren.

Lynn Luhnow (Cities & Regions of Destiny) is a Denver native, although she lived in Leadville and Grand Junction for many years. She is a semi-retired paralegal and recently received the Pro Bono Paralegal of the Year award and serves on the Colorado Judicial Performance Commission for the 18th Judicial District. She now enjoys the additional time to play in her flower gardens, enjoy nature, cook, walk, and bike ride. “One of my greatest joys is to learn new ideas and thoughts and get more acquainted with nature, our world culture, and current events.”

Lois Martin (Experts & Entertainers) came to Denver by way of Philadelphia and Nebraska. She was a major in journalism at the University of Nebraska, before she moved to Pennsylvania while her husband was in medical school. She has been editor of internal publications for Campbell Soup Co. and Leeds and Northrup, both in the East. After the arrival of her four children, she founded the Aurora Sun Newspaper where she worked for 20 years as publisher. She was founding moderator of the Aurora Hospital Association, President of the Aurora Hospital District, Business Person of the Year for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, and elected to the Benson Hall of Fame for Community Leadership..

Larry Matten (Putting your House in Order, Real World Science: Behind-the-Scenes Tours) started teaching science when he turned 21.  Most of his teaching experience was as a Professor at Southern Illinois University.  He has taught over 10,000 students in his large general biology and general botany courses.  He was major advisor for 5 Ph.D.’s and 15 Master’s students.  His area of interest has been on early land plants.  Dr. Matten has published extensively, received numerous grants, been the president of his national professional organization, is a past editor of the international journal Palaeontographica, and has had two species of fossils named in his honor.  He retired from academia after the death of his wife of 36 years and changed careers.  He received his law degree in 2000, passed the bar and went into private practice as an Elder Law Attorney in the firm of Solem, Mack & Steinhoff, P.C.  His practice has specialized on estate planning that includes: powers of attorney, guardianships, conservatorships, wills, trusts, and probate.  He also represented clients having Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security issues. Dr. Matten is a trained mediator/arbitrator and is currently doing arbitrations for the Better Business Bureau.  He has recently retired from the practice of law and has returned to his first love, teaching.

Robin McNeil (Music Literacy: What to Listen for) began his study of piano at DePauw University at the age of four. He has a Bachelor of Music in Performance from Indiana University and a Master of Music in Performance from the University of Illinois. He has performed over three hundred concerts throughout the Midwest and East as soloist, soloist with several symphony orchestras, duo pianist, a partner in four-hand concerts, and in chamber music recitals. Mr. McNeil has written many musicology book reviews for Choice magazine of the American Library Association and Publisher’s Weekly, in addition to being an experienced music critic for newspapers. He is also a published poet, and the Denver composer, David Mullikin, has used his poems for art song texts. Outside the sphere of music, Robin has raced sports cars and flown WW II vintage aircraft, and is a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.  Mr. McNeil teaches privately and continues to do research on the French composer, Théodore Gouvy.  Mr. McNeil is President of the Piano Arts Association, and an Honorary Member of the Institut Théodore Gouvy of Hombourg-Haut, France.

A man for all seasons, Keith Meagher (The Rise and Impact of Religious Fundamentalisms), one of the Academy’s founders, has special interests centering on the connection between culture and history and has facilitated courses in Complexity, Modern Philosophy, Clash of Cultures and Religious Fundamentalism. An avid reader and interested observer of the Arts, Keith loves delving deeply behind the surface and finding ways to encourage fellow students to do the same. He looks forward to hearing the thoughts of others as weighty and complex issues are examined.

Born in South Africa, Herzl Melmed (Cities & Regions of Destiny: Palestine) grew up in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). He attended the University of Capetown and was President of the Student Council, a very political position dealing with the authorities in order to provide equal treatment for all students, Black or White, in 1962. He emmigrated to Israel in 1965 and was there for the 6 Day War and the Yom Kippur War. He ran the OB-Gyn service for the Upper Galilee, and parts of the Golan Heights and Lebanese border areas. He emmigrated to Colorado in 1976 and has been active in the local community presenting Israel’s case to numerous audiences, including church groups, university campuses and radio. This has often involved debates with representatives of the Palestinian community. He chairs a grass roots org. called ActionIsrael of Christian and Jewish supporters of Israel. He is a research fellow at the Institute for the Study of the Mid E at DU. He has chaired a Middle East study group for the last 16 years, and was recently involved in leading a Muslim-Jewish dialog for about 2 years. He is a practicing gynecologist at Swedish when not involved in his passions.

Longtime art enthusiast Joanne Mendes (DAM Great Art; explore the Denver Art Museum with Experts) has recently retired from a career spent organizing programs in art history in London and at the Denver Art Museum, for which she developed and coordinated adult courses and lecture series for over a decade. Her passion for art was ignited when she and her petroleum engineer husband, Bob, moved to England, where she soon put her education degree to good use as co-director of Modern Art Studies, a company associated with the Institute of Contemporary Art. Joanne likes nothing better than to put people in touch with the most knowledgeable art experts available and currently continues to organize art-related education and travel opportunities for the DAM Contemporaries, one of the Denver Art Museum's support groups.

Aref Nammari (A Palestinian Perspective) is a Palestinian born in Jerusalem. He completed High School there, then studied in France, and came to the U.S. in 1985. He currently works at the University of Colorado as an Electronics Engineer at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics.

Connie Platt (Revisiting Occupied France in Fact & Fiction, Experts & Entertainers: Our Narratives, Ourselves) received her BSJ from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, her MA in English from San Jose State University and her Ph.D in English from the University of Denver.  She has taught literature and writing at the University of Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder and Denver, and Loretto Heights College.  For 15 years she was the host of an author interview program, Between the Lines, on KDTV, Denver, and has reviewed books on KCFR, Colorado Public Radio.  She is a graduate of Northwestern University and received her Ph.D. from the University of Denver.

Connie observes that “one of the gifts of late adulthood is the opportunity to recognize and reflect on the stories we tell ourselves about our lives.  The study of literature shows us that under the superficial details, there are only a few basic stories, a handful of narrative patterns.”

Ralph Plimpton (Hot, Flat, Crowded: Solutions for a Complex World,) was a manager and Vice President of Human Resources with Arco and Amoco until the early 80’s. Until retirement in 2003 he founded and operated an outplacement consulting firm serving corporate clients in 17 states in the Mountain States and the West. During that period he and his associates worked with thousands of individuals in developing their best skills and capabilities in the process of finding new opportunities or careers.

With an undergraduate degree in art history and 30+ years as a Clinical & Forensic psychologist, Sheila Porter (Creativity & Madness: New Artists, Old Pathologies; Experts & Entertainers: The Difference between Melancholia and Depression) joined those two factions into the study of the impact of an individuals’ psychological makeup on their artistic production.  She has been an international speaker for the psychiatric group known as “Creativity and Madness” and has lectured on Miro, Kahlo, Shahn, Ernst, Gauguin, and others. Her interest in Genocide and the ‘darker’ human emotions have earned her the Academy’s designation of the patron saint of solemn subjects. Sheila has said, “I always return to the study of art and artists because it is good to remember that the world has always produced beauty in spite of itself.”  Recently retired, Sheila divides her time between the Academy, where she chairs the Curriculum Committee, her grandchildren who always make her laugh, and volunteer projects in Cambodia and  Africa.

Rob Prince (A Palestinian Perspective) is a Senior Lecturer at the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver and long-time advocate for Palestinian human rights. He spent 2 1/2 years in the Peace Corps in Tunisia, teaching at L'Institut Bourguiba des Langue Vivantes.He publishes the Colorado Progressive Jewish News

Kay Robinson (Experts & Entertainers: Psychotherapy for the 21st Century) grew up in Texas and earned degrees in International Studies and Latin American Studies before becoming a history teacher.  Due to long term health problems she stopped teaching and returned to college in 1983 for a master’s degree in counseling.  Although she first intended to work only with clients who suffered chronic physical pain, she quickly discovered that given a choice, most people can cope with physical disability and discomfort more easily than emotional turmoil.  Since 1985 she has practiced primarily in the areas of PTSD due to incest.

Laura Rubin (The Play’s the Thing: Unrehearsed Drama) is a retired public school speech therapist, who has facilitated play reading groups for seven years in Jacksonville, Florida and Denver, Colorado.  Laura has enjoyed international and domestic travel with the meeting of new people.

Barbara Rush (Kooks or Gurus? Examining New Thought Spirituality) graduated from Colorado Christian University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Christian Leadership/Organizational Behavior and from Holmes Institute with a Masters Degree in The Study of Higher Consciousness as well as a Ministerial Degree in Global Religions. She has been blessed with having the opportunity to live in eight different countries and has traveled extensively to over 42 countries around the world. Barbara’s Special Focus Ministry has been called, “Global Outreach Ministries” for her passion and dedication to being part of the greater cause of our Global expansion of ONENESS throughout humankind.

Vee Sabel (Great Decisions in America’s Current Foreign Policy) is a confirmed foreign policy junkie and world traveler. She loves to hear the opinions of others and gain new perspective on issues. She is a skilled facilitator having been trained by and worked with Michael Doyle and Peter Strauss in their worldwide consultancy, Interaction Associates. While with them, she specialized in issues involving information flow and management structure. She has also worked with nonprofit boards throughout the United States on similar matters. Locally she is a member of the Institute for International Education, the Englewood Rotary Club, the Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Art Museum, and numerous other nonprofit groups.  Vee is also a designer with the Allred Architectural Group and often lectures at Arapahoe Community College.

Margo Sargent (Cities & Regions of Destiny: Rwanda) is from Vancouver, B.C. and has a BA in English and an Masters in Education of the Linguistically Different.  She is a retired English as a Second Language teacher from Smoky Hill High School and an avid volunteer with immigrants and refugees.  She now enjoys being "free" to participate in a myriad of activities including being able to "give back" to her local and state communities. Ms. Sargent feels that what she’s learned from her personal and professional experiences with immigrants and refugees, including  victims of poverty and war, might enlighten and  inspire others to get involved.

Your guide to the many cultures and colorful history of the Balkans will be Ed Schreiber (Experts & Entertainers: Balkans, The Powder Keg of Europe), former Democratic candidate for Congress, who was born during World War II to an aristrocratic fascist Catholic family in Zagreb, Croatia, and educated in communist schools in Yugoslavia before coming to the U.S. at thirteen. 
Ed Schreiber finished high school in Dearborn, Michigan and then served for six years in the U.S. Army as a musician, mostly in France.  Ed played piano in Denver night clubs while studying engineering at the University of Colorado, and had a distinguished career in the computer industry.  Ed has also been a race driver, a taxi driver in Paris, an amateur actor, a radio talk show host, and a Democratic candidate for Congress.

Terri Slivka (Cities & Regions of Destiny: Rwanda) is from Denver and has a BA in Biology and a Masters in Educational Counseling.  Ms. Slivka is a retired counselor from Cherry Creek High School; and is an active community volunteer and sports activist.  She feels it is very important to be able to “give back" to her local and state communities.  Ms. Slivka feels that what she’s learned from personal and professional experiences with immigrants and refugees, including victims of poverty and war, might enlighten and  inspire others to get involved.

Having thirty years of classroom experience caused Sandy Stolar(New Discoveries in Memory & Learning) to become curious about how the brain works and learns.  After reading several books, she decided to attend a couple of workshops and then she was absolutely hooked on learning about the brain.  Sandy became a trainer for “Translating Brain Research into Classroom Practice” and is a member of the “Brainy Bunch”, a group of people who study brain research and gather each January to hear from some of the researchers themselves about the new information that is coming out.  She loves sharing what she has learned with others who are curious about this fascinating subject.

Bebe Telles (Cities & Regions of Destiny) is a proud native Texan now living in Colorado because she loves the climate. Her husband’s career as a geophysicist for a major oil company gave them the opportunity to live in the Connecticut/NY area, Denver and Lima, Peru. Bebe has found various occupations and volunteer opportunities to satisfy her personally and professionally with every move. “I am a perpetual student and feel that I am a good and effective teacher in subjects and areas that I know.”

Denise Turner (DAM Great Art:  Explore the Denver Art Museum with Experts), liaison with the Denver Art Museum, joined the museum as a volunteer in 2000 and is an outstanding and popular docent. She has worked with both student and adult programs as a docent and currently serves on the Education Council Board. She has been working with the current docent class by doing demonstrations and mentoring. Her love of art was reflected when she taught 6th grade, junior high and high school literature and language arts because she incorporated units on movements in art, music, and literature at all levels.

Arnie Voigt (A Palestinian Perspective on a 60 Year Struggle) is a retired Lutheran minister. He served Lutheran parishes for 40 years, including ten years in an Afro-American parish in Mobile, Alabama. He has traveled frequently to Israel/Palestine, including spending a sabbatical there, and has led numerous trips to the region.

Paulette Wasserstein (Contemporary Short Stories: Fuel for Reflection) has always loved sharing “a good read.”  Her career in public education, teaching high school English, afforded her the endless opportunities to open student thinking by way of the printed word.  In the early 1990’s after many wonderful years of teaching reading and writing at Cherry Creek High School and adult education at the University of Phoenix departments of Communication and Masters of Education, Paulette was inspired to contribute to education on state and national levels.  With a PHD in Educational Leadership, she was contracted to work as an independent consultant with many school districts and administrators to create challenging curricula and to provide teacher training K-12 to raise literacy levels for students.

Sunny Wold (Greek Mythology in Art) is currently a docent and curatorial staff research assistant at the Denver Art Museum.  She originally earned a degree in Nutrition Science with a second major in psychology and spent ten years as a Health Educator.  Returning to college later in life, she loved the opportunity to change careers and explore her lifelong interest in Art History.  She has traveled extensively in France and Italy, and had the opportunity to visit many art museums in Europe and in the United States.  Always a student, Sunny is currently studying European history.

Kenneth R. Wright, P.E. (Experts & Entertainers: Machu Picchu) serves as Chief Engineer and Chief Financial Officer of Wright Water Engineers, Inc. (WWE), of Denver, a company he founded in 1961. Mr. Wright is President of the Wright Paleohydrological Institute, an organization he established in 1998 to further the knowledge of past civilizations through the study of ancient water management and practices. Mr. Wright has lectured twice at the Library of Congress and once at the Huntington Library. He is a prolific author who has published more than 100 articles for civil engineering publications and manuals during his career.

Ruth M. Wright (Experts & Entertainers: Machu Picchu) graduated with a history major from Marquette University and earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Colorado Law School. She was a gubernatorial appointee to both the State Health Board and the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. Ruth was elected to the House of Representatives of the Colorado Legislature in 1980 and served for 14 years, six of which as House Minority Leader. Ruth currently serves as Vice President of the Wright Paleohydrological Institute which promotes research.

A trip to Machu Picchu in 1974 inspired Ruth and Ken to study this magnificent Inca site. Over the last 12 years, they and their colleague, anthropologist Dr Alfredo Valencia of Cusco, Peru, have investigated the water supply, engineering, construction, and city planning of Machu Picchu. Both have published books on their findings. They have done similar work at Mesa Verde, Colorado, regarding the ancient Americans’ management of scarce water in a very arid climate.