Alumni Spotlight

This is a place to celebrate and show a spotlight on the success of some DCIS alumni. We highlight alumni here and in our print and email newsletters. If you are a DCIS (or CIS) alumnus and want to connect again, please fill out the ALUMNI INFORMATION FORM. If you would like to nominate an alumnus to be in our spotlight, please contact us here.

Who is on our Alumni Leadership Council? The nominated alumni are leaders and role models in our community. They are Piper Backburn, Perri Berggren, Alba-Leea Campos-Castro, Eduardo (Eddie) Chavez, Mackenzie Christman, Ca’la Connors, Eliza Cummings, Emily Frazer-Abel, Malia Josephine, Davina James, Rebecca Lipman, Justice Miles, Brooke Porter, Freya Quist, Balfre Reynoso, and Sam Wands.

MR. ARTURO VAZQUEZ | CIS/DCIS class of 2003| Immigration Attorney + Community Leader | DCIS Foundation Alumni Award Recipient 2023

Arturo Vazquez is an avid advocate for racial equality and social change. At a young age, his family moved from Ciudad Juarez/El Paso to Denver, CO seeking a better life. He attended the Center for International Studies/West High School and graduated in 2003. From there he continued his education at the University of Denver where he got his Bachelor’s degree in Criminology in 2007. After graduation, Arturo volunteered a year for an AmeriCorps program called City Year in New Hampshire where he focused on working with underrepresented youth. Arturo returned to Denver and earned his master’s degree in Urban Education from the University of Denver in 2010. Arturo was an elementary school teacher at the Adams 12 school district. While teaching, Arturo witnessed families being separated by the harsh immigration system. With his sister’s encouragement (Alum Maria (Lupita) Monclova), he decided to pursue a law degree. In 2018, Arturo got his J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law. Since then, he has worked diligently at Monclova Law, an immigration law firm, where he represents clients in asylum, victims of domestic violence, victims of crimes, and persons detained at the immigration detention center. Arturo is active in his community, he enjoys talking to groups about immigration and giving presentations to families teaching them about their rights. He is a catechist at St. Anthony of Padua preparing children to receive their first communion and confirmation. Arturo is the chair of Miguel Pro Mission, a non-profit organization whose mission is to end the misery in Ciudad Juarez.

MS. ANITA SPRINGSTEEN | CIS/DCIS class of 1988| Attorney + Activist | DCIS Foundation Alumni Award Recipient 2023

Anita Springsteen grew up in West Denver. She graduated from Denver West High School as Valedictorian in 1988 (and diploma as the first graduating class from the Denver Center for Intl. Studies). Anita received the Boettcher Scholarship, which she used to attend the University of Denver for a B.A. in International Studies, with minors in French, Political Science, and Economics. She studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1990 and visited the Soviet Union in 1992. Anita also lived abroad, primarily in Sweden, for three years and studied at the University of Gothenburg. Anita returned to DU in 1999 for her master's in International Administration (from Joseph Korbel School of Intl. Studies), with a focus on Conflict and Security and Western Europe. She then attended the University of Colorado School of Law from 2001 to 2004 to earn her J.D. Anita started her law firm in 2004. She has two beautiful sons, Atticus, and Tristan Brown.

MR. MARIO ROMERO | DCIS (CIS) class of 1997| Music Producer + Mentor + Financial Professional, EMPOWER | DCIS Foundation Alumni Award Recipient 2022

Mario Romero grew up in Denver and went to Lake Middle School and eventually found his way to West High School, where he met Dr. Dan Lutz and two of his best friends. While at DCIS (CIS) Mario participated with other students in model UN and competed against other schools. “This helped me learn about other cultures and stimulated my interest in learning and competition.” During his junior year of high school, Mario traveled to Moscow, Leningrad, and Vogelgrad, Russia with Bill Thomas to attend an ecology conference. Given the financial constraints of his family, Mario worked really hard to raise money to go on the trip and donations from others helped him make it happen. “It was such an important journey for me. Life changing. I remember playing soccer by the Don River with my new Russian friends and then going to their house for dinner. It was very humbling and this experience gave me incredible global insights.” Donors helped make it happen. This changed his life and led to extensive global travel and leadership roles with the organization Up with People (Communities of Peace). Mario is a leader in character education (Words Can Heal), mentoring, and music production. He recently graduated (as a Fellow) from the prestigious Latino Institute at the University of Denver.

MS. BROOKE PORTER | DCIS class of 2013 | Photographer + Agroecology Activist | Alumni Leadership Council Member since 2021

Brooke is a part of a self-directed nonprofit called Agroecology Commons, which cultivates knowledge sharing and global solidarity for decolonized land stewardship, collective healing, and food sovereignty. It is a group of farmers, organizers, educators, artists, and cooperative business owners. More info.: agroecologycommons.org

“My DCIS education was far from ordinary - my geometry course was centered on Islamic design, biology on global health inequalities and PE involved salsa dancing.”

Brooke holds a BA in Latin American Studies and Visual Art from Mills College and an MSc in Agroecology from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in conjunction with Universidad de Cordoba in Spain. She is deeply involved in Agroecology Commons, a thought leader nonprofit organization.

While at DCIS, Brooke studied abroad in Argentina in her junior year and conduct my independent learning project on the Argentine dictatorship, US foreign policy, and human rights. I then came back to share my knowledge with others in DPS. She has since traveled and worked in South America and is a proud auntie for her extended family.

MR. NICK GOLDEN | DCIS class of 2014 | Software Quality Specialist | DCIS Foundation Alumni Award Recipient 2022

While at DCIS Nick participated in two trips to Italy and two trips to Peru. These experiences formed the foundation of my worldview and I still rely on the lessons I learned from these transformative trips. 

I also participated in the DCIS theatre club for three years, which gave me a love of theatre and it’s unique ability to connect people. I carried this passion into college and I owe many of my strongest relationships to the theatre. After graduating from DCIS, Nick attended Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan, where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. While there, I participated in a research project in Kisumu, Kenya, investigating the use of 3D printers to fill gaps in medical device supply chains. Throughout Nick’s years at Michigan Tech, he worked as an english fluency coach for international graduate students. “DCIS had instilled in me an appreciation and interest in cultural exchange, making this a dream job.  I could get paid to talk to interesting people about the places they’re from.” Nick currently works as a software quality specialist in the self-driving car company Waymo in Detroit, Michigan.

MS. FREYA QUIST | DCIS Class of 2016 | Travel Consultant | Alumni Leadership Council Member since 2021

Freya started a travel firm called Travel Culture. It is a boutique luxury travel advising company dedicated to designing custom itineraries for those who want something more out of travel. She offers personalized service, a lifetime of travel expertise, and preferred partnerships all over the world. More info.: travelculturellc.com

“DCIS has a small tight-knit environment that allows for a high degree of trust between students and teachers; this is reflected in DCIS's student-led work philosophy.” Freya graduated from the University of Groningen (Netherlands) with a BA in Diplomacy and now is finishing her MA in International Studies at Johns Hopkins University/Nanjing China campus. In the summer, Freya teaches Chinese and Spanish at the International School of Denver. Freya not only shares her language skills but also spreads her diverse and exceptional cultural experiences with her community. While at DCIS Freya travel extensively to Europe on a DCIS Foundation scholarship and then was accepted to study for a year in Taiwan through the NSLI-Y. This immersive experience allowed her to become fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

MS. GIANINA HORTON | DCIS Class of 2013 | Executive Director, Denver Justice Project | DCIS Foundation Alumni Award Recipient 202

Gianina is the Executive Director of the Denver Justice Project and the DEI Specialist for the CU Anschutz Department of Family Medicine.

Gianina graduated from DCIS Baker in 2010 and Colorado College in 2014 where she majored in Political Science. Gianina is passionate about social justice and supporting work that promotes the liberation of BIPOC community members. Shi is an experienced Project Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry. Gia is an expert in diversity, inclusion and equity practices, and approaches this work with a human-centric lens. Gianina received the Nina McGibney Alumni Award from DCIS Foundation in 2021.

MS. ELIZA CUMMINGS | DCIS Class of 2013 | Senior Advisor - Migration for New Zealand Red Cross, New Zealand | Alumni Leadership Council since 2021| DCIS Foundation Alumni Award Recipient 2021

Eliza attended Smith College and won the prestigious Dawes prize and was a Stride Scholar and athlete (swimming). She has a language background in Kiswahili, TeReoMaori, Luganda, Hiligaynon, and French. Eliza is now the Humanitarian Development Coordinator for the New Zealand Red Cross.

While at DCIS Eliza was a student researcher at Women’s Global Empowerment Fund in Northern Uganda, traveled to the Yucatan, served as a sighted guide for the blind to summit Iztaccihuatl, and was an exchange student in the Philippines. and an honored marathon swimmer. Eliza recently got married.

MR. JOSE MIGUEL | DCIS Class of 2013

Current Role: Human Resources & IT, Leprino Foods

Jose attended the University of Colorado Denver and graduated in 2017 with a B.A. in Education & Human Development. Since then, Jose has thrived in both the HR and IT fields, working at the Denver Economic Development & Opportunity office, the Denver Civil Service Commission, and now Leprino Foods. "I love working with people and I’m proud of being a part of DCIS."

DR. ANNA VILLALOBOS| CIS Class of 1997

Current Role: Practicing Physician

Anna is a physician who focuses on hospice care and end of life. Dr. Villalobos did her medical school at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and medical training at the University of Virginia. Her brother was the first to attend CIS (West H.S. - now DCIS Baker) and now her nephew goes to DCIS. “My family has proudly been educated at DCIS schools. Teaching students tolerance is a real strength”.

MS. JUSTICE MILES | DCIS Class of 2012| Alumni Leadership Council since 2021

Justice Miles is an independent choreographer and scholar with an interest in developing choreographic and scholarly work that explores the in-between spaces of contemporary dance, flamenco, and blackness. Miles is currently a visiting adjunct professor of dance at Washington & Lee University for the winter term of 2023.

Miles’ choreography includes Floral Tea, a dance film created for the Create Award Art Gym Denver Residency, which was also selected to be screened for MODArts Dance Collective’s Move to Change Festival. An excerpt of Floral Tea was performed live at the 5th Bi-annual Collegium for African Diasporan Dance (CADD) Conference at Duke University and the Mile High Dance Festival in Denver. Miles also created the work Ink on Cotton, a dreamlike work exploring African American history featuring contemporary dance and flamenco. Excerpts from Ink on Cotton were performed by Miles as an emerging choreographer at Meira Goldberg’s “The Body Questions: Celebrating Flamenco’s Tangled Roots” at the Fashion Institute in New York City. Miles’ work also includes Aceite en Agua: Oil in Water, an excerpt from this work was selected for the American College Dance Festival regional gala in Laramie, Wyoming.

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