Amy Barkley (Mills), 2012, B.A. Performing Arts After completing my degree, I spent time stage managing and designing at Bas Bleu Theatre Company in Fort Collins. I moved to Seattle in Sept. of 2014, and have since completed a stage management internship with the Seattle Repertory Theatre. During my time there, I was involved in the backstage work for seven different shows, including the world premiere of The Great Society by Robert Schenkkan (the second half of All the Way), a set of plays about LBJ. It gave me a chance to improve my craft and get to know the arts scene in Seattle. I recently began my position with the Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and spend my days surrounded by dancers and fostering a love of the arts.

Annessa Kohlhardt, 2012, B.A. Performing Arts, B.A. Health and Exercise Science After graduating, Annessa moved to Chicago where she performed in a wide variety of settings including concert dance, corporate events, and featured entertainment events. In addition to dancing, Annessa worked in a major hospital as a rehabilitation technician in an outpatient physical therapy clinic. It was here she found a passion for physical therapy and healing people through movement. Due to this passion, she applied to physical therapy school and currently attends Colorado University at Anschutz Medical Campus, working on obtaining a doctorate in physical therapy. She continues to dance in the Denver area, recently joining a local entertainment company where she looks forward to performing once again.

Derek Smith, 1999 B.M. Music, 2013 M.M. Music Derek Smith has served as director of Performing Arts at Bayfield High School in Bayfield, Colo. since 2005. Previously, he spent six years as the band director at Hayes Middle School in Albuquerque N.M. At Bayfield, he teaches Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert and Show Choirs, Music Theory, Music Appreciation, Orchestra, as well as Theatre Arts. During his tenure, he has established a solid small school music program that has been a model for other rural districts. He returned to CSU to participate in the conducting program, earning a Master’s Degree (2013) studying under Wes Kenney and Leslie Stewart. In his free time, Derek enjoys astronomy, science fiction, and Boy Scout activities with his son, Liam (13), and playing video games with his daughter Kamala (9). He has been married to CSU graduate Kristi Palesch (Civil Engineering, B.E. ‘98 and M.E. ‘00) for seventeen years.