Staff Spotlight

Victor Lombardo

Position: UMC IT Manager

Hometown: Boulder, CO

Favorite TV show:  Good Eats

Favorite food: Thai

Favorite sport: Skiing

Favorite thing to do at the UMC: People-watch.

Favorite thing about your job: Helping people deal with change.

What makes the UMC different from other places on campus?

This is a social and learning experience, a place where students want to come, unlike other places where they feel as though they are required to be there.

Advice for students:  Don’t worry about failure – do things for the experience.

Hector Olivas

Position: UMC Food Service Manager

Hometown: I was born in El Paso, and I was raised in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Favorite movie:  I really don't have a favorite, but I enjoy the Harry Potter movies.

Favorite food: Mexican

Favorite sport: Soccer, especially Cup tournaments, and Hockey - The Colorado Avalanche rock!

Favorite thing about the UMC: Take advantage of our opportunities to participate in activities that can have a positive impact on others.

Favorite aspect of working at the UMC: The opportunity to advance, working with customers, and with new students from all backgrounds.

What makes the UMC different from other places on campus? This is a place where students can come and stay all day.  They can relax, socialize, use computers, enjoy foods from many countries, and use the Credit Union and Book Store.

Advice for students: Every day is a new day and if you see a good opportunity, go for it!

Matthew Califano

Position: Events Planning & Catering - student staff

Major: Anthropology

Hometown: Pueblo, CO

Favorite Movie: Jurassic Park

Favorite food: Ice cream

Favorite sport: Running

Favorite thing to do at the UMC: Plan events, of course!

Favorite thing about your job: Planning the events, and being involved in all the different events around campus.

What makes the UMC different from other places on campus? It brings a wide range of students together. There’s diversity among the students and what they do at the UMC –  whether it’s hanging out between classes, studying or meeting new people.

Advice for students: Study, study, study! Make sure you’re making college worthwhile.

Favorite place to study at the UMC: The West Dining room, with headphones on!

Timothy Kamolz

Position: Program Council Production Manager - student staff

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Hometown: Pagosa Springs, CO

Favorite movie: Pick of Destiny

Favorite food: Boulder Baked cookies

Favorite sport: Snowboarding

Favorite thing to do at the UMC: Go to concerts

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Favorite thing about your job: Working with lots of great people

What makes the UMC different from other places on campus? It has everything -- food, student groups, activities.

Advice for students: Be involved, and go to the activities and events offered at CU.

Favorite place to study at the UMC: The tables across from Baby Doe’s

David Daniel Perez

Postion: CU NightRide Director - student staff

Major: Molecular Biology

Hometown: Greeley, CO

Favorite movie: Fight Club

Favorite food: Mexican food

Favorite sport: Football

Favorite thing to do at the UMC: I like to hang out at the Connection and go bowling.

Favorite thing about your job: It’s really interesting learning how everything works. When you’re a staff member, you see one part of the whole. Now that I’m the director, I’m learning all of the specifics of CU NightRide.

What makes the UMC different from other places on campus? The variety of things available-food, games, places to study. And the services that it offers to students on such a variety of levels.

Advice for students: Get the most out of the UMC. I don’t think that many students really do and there’s so much to take advantage of.

Favorite place to study at the UMC: The terrace on the 5th floor.

Jan Owens

Position: UMC Student Programs Office Administrative Assistant

Hometown: Wheatridge, CO

Favorite TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy

Favorite Food: Italian food

Favorite Sport: Extreme sports

Favorite thing to do at the UMC: Attending the special events that happen in the UMC, especially because we [Student Programs] are involved in organizing them.

Favorite thing about working with Student Programs: Working with the students.

What makes the UMC different than other places for students on campus?The wide range of things for students to do; there’s always something new and interesting happening for students to be involved in.

Do you have any advice for students? If possible, study abroad for at least a semester, have fun with whatever it is that you are doing, and don’t sweat the small stuff!

Kory Katsimpalis

Position: Former UMC Art Gallery Manager - Graduate student

Hometown: Fort Collins, CO

Favorite Movie: The Big Lebowski

Favorite Food: Mexican

Favorite Sport: Baseball

Favorite thing about the UMC: The amazing soup at the Alferd Packer Grill.

Favorite aspect of working at Art Gallery: I get to interact with lots of different people on campus as well as administrators that I wouldn’t normally be involved with as a student.

What makes the UMC different from other places on campus? The variety of everything that is offered from food to groups to activities to events.

Advice for Students: Use the library a lot, not just in class but outside of it too.

Major: In graduate school for an Art History major with a specialization in Southeast Asian Art.

Plans for the future: To stay in school and pursue a PHD, and to keep teaching.

Favorite Place to study in the UMC: The Senior Dedication Lounge on the 2nd floor.

Mallory Martin

Position: CU Gold Student Coordinator - student staff

Hometown: Louisville, CO

Major: International Affairs with a minor in History and a Secondary Degree in Education

What do you like most about working with CU Gold? The opportunities to meet amazing people, and to be colleagues with administrators and people truly committed to CU.
(Click here to read about Mallory in Inside CU.)

Favorite Movie: Cinderella

Favorite Food: Licorice

Favorite Sport: Lacrosse

What do you like to do best at the UMC? When I’m not working, I like to study at the Dennis Small Cultural Center. It’s a great environment and it’s so quiet, nice and comfortable.

Future Plans: Student teaching next fall, and after that going to graduate school to pursue a masters in higher education administration.

What makes the UMC different than other places for students on campus? Its philosophy of being focused on the students needs beyond academics, and its focus on making the UMC a fun place to be for students in so many ways.

Advice for Students: “Get involved in any opportunity you can whether it be the Greek system, academic organizations, or leadership positions – it makes your college experience that much better.”

Dana Kusjanovic

Position: Connection Manager

Prior to the UMC, worked as: Division I soccer coach at Portland State, Oregon; Division II soccer
coach at Northern Colorado State, Colorado

Hometown: New York City

Favorite Movie: Saturday Night Fever

When not at work, she can be found: honing her poker skills!

Favorite Food: Parmesan cheese

Favorite thing about the job: helping students develop as people; organizing the poker tournaments, bowling and pool leagues

What makes UMC different: “People hang out here. At other campuses I’ve seen, the union buildings are like ghost towns.”

Advice for students: “Get your studying done before 10 p.m., and when you’re not studying, really enjoy relaxing and enjoy life so you're ready for the next day.”

Marino Lerma

Position: UMC Operations Manager

Hometown: Chihuahua, Mexico

Favorite Sport: Baseball - enjoys watching the Colorado Rockies

When not at work, likes to: Buy, fix ,and resell old cars and operate ham radios

Favorite Food/Type of Food: Mexican food

Favorite thing about the job: the teamwork and being around many different people

What makes UMC different: “There are so many customers, students, and organizations that make the atmosphere enjoyable. ”

Advice for students: “Let's all keep working together to make the UMC better and better!”

Jill McWilliams

Position:  UMC Reception Desk Operations

Hometown:  Louisville, CO

Favorite Movies: Winnie the Pooh: The Blustery Day, Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Favorite Food: steak and sushi

Favorite thing about the job: interaction with the students; meeting and getting to know them

What makes UMC different: “It’s unique because so many of the events and activities that happen in the UMC are run by students, and because of the diversity that exists within the building.”

Advice for students:  “Enjoy your time in school. Strive to do well, and take up as many causes and programs that you can while here. It will help later on in your lives - you will meet amazing people and you will get the most out of your college experience.”

Salvador Amaro

Position: Prep cook , specializes in guacomole, salsa, dressings and marinades

Hometown: Mexico City

Favorite Movie: Moonstruck

When not at work: At the gym or watching movies

Favorite Food: Everything and anything!

Favorite thing about the job: His boss, Robin. “She gives me the freedom to experiment with food and never says ‘no’ to an idea I may have.”

What makes UMC different: “I get to meet interesting people from everywhere. Everyone comes here.”

View of students: “ I like working with students; they work hard!"

Paul Romero

Position: UMC Head Chef

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Favorite Movie: King Kong

When not at work, can be found: On the Hill or at the University Pond

Favorite Food: Vietnamese food

Favorite thing about the job: The people!

What makes UMC different: We have lots of freedom to try different things with our cooking and menus.

Students must try: Our Mexican specialties and award-winning chili!

Cooking Tip : "Don’t be afraid to experiment with your cooking. When you’re cooking for yourself, nobody’s going to criticize it."

Charlotte Hollenbaugh

Position: UMC Baker

Hometown: Erie, CO

Favorite Movie: Forrest Gump

When not at work, she can be found:: Somewhere camping and fishing

Favorite Food: Seafood

Favorite thing about the job: Her boss

What makes UMC different:The employees take so much pride in their work.

Students must try: UMC gourmet cookies in Baby Doe’s!

Baking Tip : "Dust your fruit with flour before you add it to a bread or cake. Flour prevents the fruit from sinking to the bottom."