There are eight new faces on Ó£ÌÒɬ¸£Àû¼§’s Board of Trustees this academic year and a new leader at the helm. The alumni and one returning parent of an alum were approved during the board’s annual summer retreat, held June 11-13 on the CC campus.
Kyle Samuel ’92
Effective July 1, Kyle Samuel ’92 is the new CC Board of Trustees Chair. He assumes the role from Jeff Keller ’91, who held the position the past four years. Samuel has been a member of the Board of Trustees at CC since 2019. After earning his BA in Economics from CC, he went on to build a distinguished career in insurance, risk management, and financial services. Samuel was promoted to Chief Operating Officer for Alera Group, a financial services firm, in January 2025.
“I’m excited to lead the board at a time of renewal and opportunity for Ó£ÌÒɬ¸£Àû¼§,” says Samuel. “With Dr. Manya Whitaker as our new president and a dynamic group of new trustees, we are strengthening an already exceptional board. Together, we are focused on enhancing the College’s long-term financial stability, deepening alumni engagement, expanding access for students, and ensuring Ó£ÌÒɬ¸£Àû¼§ continues to thrive as a bold, forward-thinking institution.”
New Charter Trustees
Kari Alldredge ’87
Kari Alldredge ’87 comes to the Board of Trustees with more than 30 years of experience in strategy, marketing, and growth consulting for companies in the consumer-facing sector. As a Partner with McKinsey & Company in Glen Arbor, MI, she advises CEOs and senior leaders on achieving their growth and performance aspirations. Alldredge earned a degree in Business Economics from CC, followed by an MBA from the University of Chicago. She is married to fellow alum Bill Alldredge ’87.
Buck Blessing ’85, P’14
Buck Blessing ’85, P’14 is the Founder and CEO of Griffis/Blessing, Inc., a real estate investment and property management company headquartered in Colorado Springs, which oversees 11,000 apartment units along the Front Range. Blessing spends much of his time volunteering and contributing to philanthropic causes. He previously served as chair of the CC Business and Community Alliance, board president of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, and board president of the Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership. He lives in Denver with his family. His daughter, Phoebe Blessing, is a 2014 graduate of CC.
Ed Casias ’87
Ed Casias ’87 has spent his career in the legal field as a prosecutor, civil litigator, and, most recently, a judge in Colorado. He served on the Summit County Court bench for 24 years. He graduated from CC with a degree in Business and Economics and was active with the Business and Economics Student Advisory Board. He is also the current president of the Ó£ÌÒɬ¸£Àû¼§ Alumni Association Council. Casias earned his JD from Ohio State University. He lives in Dillon, CO, where he is active on various foundations and community boards.
Andrew Masterman ’89, P’22
Andrew Masterman ’89, P’22 is Senior Managing Director at Madison Industries, an investment company that invests in and manages companies across sectors including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), helping their customers become segment leaders while promoting consumer wellness. He has also held CEO and executive leadership roles at BrightView Holdings and Precision Castparts. After graduating from CC, Masterman earned an MBA, MS in Industrial Engineering, and MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan. He lives in Villanova, PA with his family. His daughter, Zoe Masterman, is a 2022 graduate of CC.
Mary Naphtal ’81
Mary Naphtal ’81 is an expert in strategic analysis, operations, and macroeconomic research. She co-founded P/E Investments 30 years ago in a barn in Weston, MA and presently serves as its COO. The company now has offices around the world, including in Singapore, London, and Japan. Naphtal is a Boettcher Scholar who graduated from CC magna cum laude with a BA in Economics, followed by the MIT Sloan School where she received an SM in Management. She still lives in Weston, MA.
Laila Scott ’98 P’29
Laila Scott ’98 has a passion for giving back, celebrating others, and inspiring the community to do the same. After her time at CC, she earned an MBA at the Texas McCombs School of Business. She is the founder of Pop-Up Birthday, a nonprofit organization that celebrates children in foster care with a personalized birthday experience. She has created other foundations that address social problems and seek to improve the lives of vulnerable populations. She is married to fellow alum Jordan Scott ’98, and their son, Cole Scott ’29, is entering his first year at CC.
Thayer Tutt, Jr. P’15
Thayer Tutt, Jr., P’15, is Vice Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of El Pomar Foundation, the fourth generation Tutt family member to manage the philanthropic foundation. He is the great-great-grandson of Charles Leaming Tutt, Sr., who played an influential role in Colorado Springs’ beginnings alongside Spencer Penrose. Spencer and Julie Penrose established the El Pomar Foundation as a philanthropic endeavor to better the local community in the 1930s. Tutt has received numerous awards for civic engagement and extraordinary leadership in Colorado Springs. He was a Schlessman Executive Faculty in Residence at CC in 2019 and is the father of Davis Tutt ’15. Thayer Tutt graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Geological and Geophysical Sciences. He has a master’s from Duke University Fuqua School of Business. Tutt was a past charter member of the board and has since returned after a brief break.
Mike Ukropina ’89, P’20, P’27
Mike Ukropina ’89, P’20, P’27 is a business leader with more than 30 years of experience leading complex, global consumer packaging manufacturing businesses. He recently retired from his role as CEO of Five Star Holding Corporation, a packaging manufacturer and innovator in recycled-content packaging for leading pet food and animal nutrition, food, beverage, and household products companies. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from CC with a BA in Political Economy, Ukropina earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, fellow CC grad Kimberley Felton ’91, and he is the parent of CC grad Mitchell Ukropina ’20 and current junior Alexandra Ukropina ’27.
New Board Officers
Outgoing Vice Chair of the Board Ryan Haygood ’97 and Secretary Heather Carroll ’89 have transitioned their leadership roles to new Vice Chair Amy Shackelford Louis ’84 and Secretary Lauren Watel ’07.
Amy Shackelford Louis ’84
Vice Chair Amy Shackelford Louis ’84 has been a Charter Trustee since 2016, and prior to that, she spent six years as an Alumni Trustee. She’s spent the past four years as Chair of the Buildings, Grounds & Infrastructure Committee. Louis has spent much of her career in healthcare consulting and managing investment portfolios. She earned her BA in Economics at CC, spent a year at The London School of Economics, then earned her master’s in Management Studies with distinction from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. She is active in community boards and lives in Florida with her spouse, fellow CC alum Steve Louis ’84.
Lauren Watel ’07
Board Secretary Lauren Watel ’07 has been a Charter Trustee since 2019. In that time, she has chaired the Budget & Finance Committee and the Audit Subcommittee. She is presently Trustee and President of the Schlessman Family Foundation. She earned her BA in Biology from CC followed by a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Washington. Her career has centered around science and education. She has taught high school Biology and Environmental Science in Denver. She is passionate about science research and has spent time in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska on such pursuits. Watel is married to fellow CC Alum Ethan Watel ’07, and they have two children.
New Student Trustee
Landon Hartman '27
Student Trustee for the 2025-26 academic year is CC junior Landon Hartman ’27. He won the student body vote through CCSGA and will serve on the Student Success Committee and provide a student voice on the board. Hartman is a pre-law student pursuing an independently designed major in science technology and society studies with dual concentrations in statistical mathematics and philosophy. A member of the Bonner Fellowship Leadership Team, he works with the Family Immigration Services Department of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado helping asylum seekers gain legal status in the USA. Landon also leads Ó£ÌÒɬ¸£Àû¼§’s hub of the Sunrise Movement, an environmentalist campaign to promote fossil fuel divestment and other emissions-reductions strategies. Hailing from Evergreen, Colorado, Landon says he is excited to serve on the board by sharing student perspectives and promoting institutional equity.