People

Byers a VP on Cancer Society's board of directors

Byers

Byers and 10 others recently were appointed to the volunteer board during the society's annual meeting in Atlanta. The ACS National Assembly and National Board of Directors, composed of elected volunteers since the organization's inception in 1913, are the primary governing bodies of the ACS, the nation's largest voluntary health organization.

"I am honored to serve as an officer of the American Cancer Society," Byers said. "The ACS is doing truly outstanding work in research, advocacy, education, and patient support at both the national and the grassroots levels. The hundreds of skilled staff and thousands of dedicated volunteers have helped the ACS lead the way toward the historic progress we are now making in cancer prevention and control. I look forward to doing whatever I can to help the society have an even greater impact in the future."

As a nationally recognized epidemiologist, Byers originally served as a peer reviewer in the Extramural Research Grants program and as a member of the epidemiology team planning for Cancer Prevention Study-II analyses. He has been an ACS volunteer for nearly 30 years.

"Dr. Byers is a truly outstanding national figure in cancer prevention and a natural leader for the American Cancer Society," said Dan Theodorescu, M.D., Ph.D., director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center. "He has not only made significant contributions to the field of cancer epidemiology but has led our cancer center in this area to new heights. We are very proud and privileged to have him as our colleague."

Beauprez joins hospital foundation's board

Beauprez

Claudia Beauprez is the newest member of the University of Colorado Hospital Foundation board of directors.

Beauprez said she became part of the foundation to raise awareness in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region about the world-class health care provided at University of Colorado Hospital (UCH). As part of her work with the foundation, Beauprez is on the committee raising money for the expansion of the hospital's Anschutz Cancer Pavilion.

"The University of Colorado Hospital Foundation's first priority is raising $20 million to expand the cancer pavilion," said Peter H. Coors, chairman of University of Colorado Hospital Foundation and chairman of MillerCoors. "Claudia is passionate about making sure people with cancer and other acute illnesses have access to the care they need."

Besides serving on the University of Colorado Hospital Foundation board of directors, Beauprez is a member of the leadership council of Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center, a campus ministry serving the University of Colorado at Boulder. She also serves on the board of trustees for Seeds of Hope, an organization that makes Catholic education available to economically disadvantaged children. She also is involved in Developmental Pathways, Growing Home Adopt-a-Family and Tennyson Center for Children.

Beauprez was the director of Front Range Capital Corporation, the parent company of Heritage Bank. She also has been a licensed real estate agent and was active in the family dairy farming business. Beauprez and her husband, former congressman Bob Beauprez, now own and operate a ranch near Walden, Colo.

"Claudia is a welcome and important addition to the foundation's board of directors. Her career in business and her passion in volunteering make a great combination," said Bruce Schroffel, president of University of Colorado Hospital Foundation and president and CEO of University of Colorado Hospital. "Her longstanding ties to Colorado will help us reach our fundraising goals and meet the growing need for health care in our state and our region."

Leal will guide education initiatives

Vicki Leal has joined the University of Colorado system in a position that will guide education initiatives.

Leal most recently served as academic policy officer and the governor's advocate with the Colorado Department of Higher Education, where she coordinated the statewide transfer articulation program (gtPathways), facilitated the annual Faculty-to-Faculty Statewide Conferences, served as lead on Colorado's P-20 alignment legislation (CAP4K/SB 08-212), and administered performance contracts.

For more than 20 years she has worked in the field of post-secondary education in the areas of teaching, recruitment, retention, transfer articulation and policy, serving primarily first-generation, low-income and underrepresented student populations. She has taught courses in multicultural and Mexican-American Studies, as well as courses in historical/philosophical foundations of education at different institutions of higher education.

Before embarking on her doctoral studies, she directed the Cesar Chavez Cultural Center at the University of Northern Colorado, served as education analyst and director of the adult and postsecondary education program for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community in Scottsdale, Ariz., and directed a multimillion-dollar HRSA/diversity grant at the University of Colorado's School of Pharmacy. She is an alumna of the University of Northern Colorado, a past Kellogg Fellow of the Hispanic Border Leadership Institute, and a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Arizona State University.

Dropping names ...

Kenny

Watson

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