CU Conference Services

This week CUCS is thrilled to spotlight our very own “Queen of Green”, Virginia Schultz!

When not celebrating April as Poetry Month, Virginia occupies her time with writing poetry, running, observing, making connections, and planning conferences. She carries on a long tradition in her family of restaurants, wine making, and hospitality. Born along the Atlantic coast in Massachusetts, Virginia has lived in 12 different states and twice outside the United States. She attended the University of New Hampshire and Oklahoma State where she received her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Animal Science). After a two-year stint on a Limousin Cattle Ranch in SE Oklahoma she returned to higher education and received her Master of Science (Agricultural Economics) from Purdue University. Virginia also holds a Professional
Certificate in Sustainability Management from CU Boulder.

For the last three decades, she has lived in the mixed Ponderosa Pine/Doug Fir forests of the Front Range listening to the birds and watching the change of the seasons where she built a strawbale house and where she and her husband raised their daughter. She is active in her community’s fire preparedness and resiliency planning. An active road, track, XC, and trail runner you can often find her on a summer’s night at the Boulder
Road Runners All-Comers Track Meets at CU’s Potts Field. Her poems often free-wheeling romps about living on our Big Blue Ball without regret.

Virginia is most proud of Encouraging sustainability principles throughout our planning, helping to develop the Green Meetings Checklist, and
CUCS’s 7 Rs: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose, Recover, Reciprocate.

Thank you Virginia for guiding us to be better stewards of our beautiful planet and for your tireless dedication to Team CUCS!

This week CUCS would like to spotlight our newest professional staff members, Meghan Murray!

Meghan grew up in Arkansas where she attended the University of Central Arkansas earning a double major in Speech Communications and Public Relations. Before joining CU Conference Services this spring, Meghan’s previous positions include working as a summer camp director in the Hill Country of Texas, a 4th grade math teacher, and an event planner for the University of Texas at San Antonio. When not at work, Meghan loves to ride horses, play golf, and travel with her husband, Conor. Fun fact: Meghan is a national Polocrosse champion! Go Meghan!!

Meghan and Conor are huge sport fans and love to attend any and all live sporting events and are Colorado Rapids season ticket holders. Meghan’s favorite thing to do is come home to the excitement of their two dogs, Jessie and Felix.

We are honored and excited to have Meghan on the team as we gear up for a busy summer 2022!

CUCS is excited to spotlight Conference and Event Space Assistant, Maddie Brown!

Maddie is from Magnolia, TX and recently moved to Colorado this past October. She graduated in May 2021 from Texas A&M with a BA in Sport Management. Maddie has been in event planning for a couple years now, including outside work in wedding planning. An avid traveler and Disney movie fan, Maddie enjoys spending time with friends and family, crafting, attending sporting events, and looking for somewhere new to go!
A word from Maddie: “I started working for CUCS in November 2021 and have loved every minute of it. I enjoy the atmosphere that The University of Colorado and CUCS have. I also love the team environment we have at CUCS and the fun events that we get to be a part of. “
Maddie is a great new addition to the team here at CUCS, thanks Maddie!

This week’s CUCS staff spotlight features Hilary Brenneman, Assistant Director for Conference Services!
Hilary (she/her) got her bachelor’s degree in Art and Art History from Augustana College and her master’s degree in Business Administration and Hospitality from Johnson & Wales. Hilary, who is originally from the Denver area, spent a few years in Chicagoland and a few more in Durango, CO before moving back to the front range and joining the CU Conference Services team in December of 2018.
Hilary’s grandma is her biggest role model; she was born and raised in Hawai’i and moved to the mainland to pursue her bachelor’s and later, master’s degree. She went on to meet her husband, adopt two children (including Hilary’s mother), all while playing cello in the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and managing a public library. She was an OG feminist who was kind and smart and most likely where Hilary inherited her love of the ocean.
In her free time, Hilary likes to read, take photos and travel and her favorite aspect of working at CUCS is her energetic and fun team of colleagues!
We are thrilled to have Hilary on our team . . . thanks Hilary!