Academy Board

Bil Buhler
President

Bil Buhler was born and raised in central Idaho. He received his Masters degree from DU in Computer Science when he first fell in love with Denver. He worked in Seattle and Chicago before moving to Denver 20 plus years ago. After retiring from computer programming his avocation as a potter became a primary
focus. He thinks he should have made that switch much sooner, because he’s having so much fun with his creations. “Mr. Pots” has been accepted into multiple juried art shows, including the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and enjoys demonstrating his craft for others.

 

George Ho, Vice-President2-Ho-George

Dr. George Ho discovered the Academy in 2010 through its writing courses. As a practicing physician for over 40 years and a lifelong learner and teacher, he saw an opportunity to share his experience in Palliative Care and Hospice with the membership of the Academy. Now in its fourth year, his “Making and Sharing Sound End-of-Life Choices” course has served our membership well. Being involved with the Academy has been “fun” in the spirit of “giving back” to the community. Now fully retired, he accepted the Board membership position to be even more involved and engaged in the missions of the Academy.

 

ArtGeorgi Contiguglia
Treasurer

Georgi Contiguglia served as President and CEO of History Colorado and as the Colorado Historic Preservation Officer. Earlier she was Curator of Decorative and Fine Arts, managing seven house museums and curating many exhibitions. She graduated from Barnard College, majoring in mathematics and minoring in art history. She received a Master’s Degree in art history from Hunter College in NY, has worked at the Brooklyn Art Museum and the Denver Art Museum. She taught art history at the Front Range Community College and the Academy. She has served on the Boards of Directors of the American Association of Museums, the Mountain-Plains Museums Association, and the Beacon Center, and currently serves on the Board of Historic Denver Inc., and the Scenic & Historic Byways Commission.

Toni Larson Toni Larson 
 Secretary

Dr. Toni Larson served as executive director of Independent Higher Education of Colorado, a nonprofit organization that conducts the government relations work for Colorado College, Regis University, and the University of Denver.  Prior to this position she served in several capacities in the League of Women Voters. Currently, her main volunteer activities include the League of Women Voters of the United States (Vice President), Colorado Association of Nonprofit Organizations (co-chair, Public Policy Committee), and homeowners’ association board (President). She has been an affiliated faculty member at Regis University and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver.  Dr. Larson received a B.A. from Colorado College where she majored in English and minored in Zoology.  Her Master’s in Nonprofit Management is from Regis University, and she has a Ph.D. in Higher Education with an emphasis on policy studies from the University of Denver.

 

Academy Board, Curriculum CommitteeSheila Porter
VP-Curriculum/Course Leaders

Sheila Porter has an undergraduate degree in Art History, a PhD in Psychology and 30+ years as a clinical and forensic psychologist. She has joined those interests in her retirement to study and lecture on the impact of artists’ psychological makeup on their artistic production. 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.” Sheila divides her time between the Academy, where she chairs the Curriculum Committee, doing psychological evaluations of victims of torture seeking political asylum for Healthright International and her grandchildren who make her laugh and look to the future.

 

Jack Beattie
At-Large

Jack Beattie retired from USWEST after a long career working in a variety of finance and accounting assignments. His last assignment was VP-Controller of USWEST Marketing Resources Group, Inc. a subsidiary of the larger company. He enjoys activities with his family and grandchilren and keeping physcially active which he does in a variety of ways (like hiking and camping!). He is a long-time member of The Academy and has attended a wide range of classes, mostly related to history, economics and current wolrd problems. As a new Board member, his is loooking forward to working with other Board members to help the Academy grow and become more successful.

 

Woody Emlen
At-Large

Dr. Woody Emlen is a graduate of Stanford University and the University of California (San Diego) School of Medicine.  He was Professor of Medicine and Immunology at the University of Washington and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center for almost 20 years, where his practice was in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, where his research focused on inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.  In the late 1990s, Dr. Emlen pursued a career in biotechnology, serving as VP of Scientific Affairs for Palo Alto-based InterMune Pharmaceuticals.  In 2004, he co-founded his own Denver biotech company,

Taligen Therapeutics, serving as CEO until the company’s acquisition in 2011.  He is retired from medicine but serves on the Boards of several early-stage Biotechnology companies.

Connie Hyde
VP-Marketing and Volunteers

Connie Hyde spent her college and graduate years immersed in literature, resulting in BA and MA degrees and an unsatisfied itch for less academic pursuits. After taking a JD, she spent the next several decades practicing in the decidedly un-academic world of commercial real estate. Since retirement, Connie has returned enthusiastically to her first loves of literature, history, politics, music and art (and, of course, grandchildren). She has taught varied courses at The Academy—from literature (Shakespeare), to law (First Amendment), to history (The Thirties), to popular music as a lens through which to view cultural history (Protest Music, The Blues). “I continue to be fascinated by the way that literature, music, and art interact with history and politics to shape our present world.”

 

Lorenz RychnerLorenz Rychner
At-Large
Lorenz Rychner took up piano and clarinet lessons as a child in his native Switzerland. He combined a career in publishing with a busy performing schedule. After emigrating to Australia he spent 15 years as a full-time musician. In 1985, while in Los Angeles studying orchestration and conducting, he accepted an invitation to head up the music synthesis and electronic orchestration programs at the Grove School of Music. Many published books and articles later he became the Editor at Recording magazine (recordingmag.com), which he is now retired from, and originally brought him to Colorado in 1996.

 

Michelle SternMichelle Stern
At-Large

Having been blessed with the gift of curiosity, Michelle has found the perfect “retirement home” in the Academy, where she eagerly pursues her interests in everything from astrophysics and neurobiology, to genetics and economics. After practicing law for 30 years, she is now gratefully enjoying, in addition to classes at the Academy, biking (i.e. a trek up the French Alps last Fall), sewing, knitting, painting, spending time with an array of wonderful grandchildren, the occasion ski day and volunteering at a senior living facility. She looks forward to meeting and getting to know every member of the Academy, or at least trying. Michelle says if you’re interested enough in the board to read all the bios, you should think about joining it, or at least volunteering!

 

Ruth pictureRuth Hiebert
At-Large

Ruth Hiebert lived in San Diego and worked in Telecommunications for 30 years before moving to Denver 21 years ago to get a Masters In Tax from the University of Denver. Along the way, she got an undergraduate degree in Accounting, a Masters in Business and a CPA license. Currently, the co-owner of a small business and the Treasurer of her Home Owners’ Association she looks forward to serving and contributing to the Academy. As most of her life and study has been spent in the business environment, her current interests run toward reading and traveling to learn about history, the arts, other cultures, and seeing as many Unesco World Heritage sights as possible.

 

 

Jack KeenanJack Keenan

At-Large
More background information soon.
We Googled him and he is either a bar owner in Philly or a Broncos Fantasy Football Correspondent. Perhaps an attorney in Texas. You choose.