MSU Denver Alumni BirdTalk

Stephen Lease '16

Re-airing of a standout conversation with Stephen Lease, MSU Denver alum and founder of goodr, as he returns to campus as the Spring '26 alumni commencement keynote speaker. From his unconventional entrepreneurial path to building a globally recognized brand, Stephen shares lessons on leadership, culture, failure, and finding success by doing things differently.

Jan Sumner '74

From throwing BP for the Colorado Rockies to writing 13 books and leading a prison ministry, MSU Denver alum Jan Sumner has stories for days—and he delivers. This episode is packed with behind-the-scenes baseball moments, unexpected career turns, and real talk on failure, purpose, and finding your next chapter.

Paul Anderson '07 & '21

From aviation to executive leadership to professional poker, Paul Anderson (’07, ’21) has built a career driven by curiosity and continuous learning. Now an affiliate professor in the College of Business at MSU Denver, he joins host Jamie Hurst to reflect on studying leadership across industries, what poker taught him about risk and human behavior, and why creating psychologically safe learning environments matters. It is a thoughtful conversation about resilience, intention, and what it means to truly run your own road.

Leah Millis '11

From the MSU Denver student newsroom to the front lines of history, photojournalist Leah Millis (’11) has documented some of the world’s most defining moments — from the January 6 Capitol riot to protests and global conflict. In this candid conversation, she shares what it takes to tell powerful stories with empathy, the resilience required to work on the front lines, and why ethical, local journalism matters now more than ever. Documentary Mentioned: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-capitol-security-backstory/ [https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-capitol-security-backstory/] Organization: https://www.womenphotojournalists.org/ [https://www.womenphotojournalists.org/]

Chennelle Diong '16

Host Jamie Hurst sits down with MSU Denver alumna Chennelle Diong (’16), co-founder of Good Love Foods, to talk about turning a personal challenge into a nationally recognized gluten-free brand. From her hospitality roots at MSU Denver to winning the Denver Startup Week Pitch Competition and appearing on Shark Tank, Chennelle shares the real story behind entrepreneurship, rapid growth, and building a business rooted in inclusion, quality, and community