Debra Crew (BA ’93, Spanish and international studies), Winston-Salem, N.C.
In January 2017, Crew was appointed president and CEO of Reynolds American. She previously served as president and COO of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and held senior management positions at PepsiCo, Mars Inc. and Dreyer’s. Crew, who was ranked No. 47 on Fortune’s 2016 Most Powerful Women list, served in the Army from 1993–97 and serves on the board for Stanley Black & Decker Inc.
Crisanta Duran (BA ’02, public affairs and Spanish), Denver, Colo.
Duran ran for office when she was only 29 and is now the first Latina speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. As house majority leader in the 2015 and 2016 sessions, Duran marshalled strong bipartisan support for the legislative package known as Colorado Ready to Work. Her signature achievement during the 2013 session was a law making the in-state tuition rate at Colorado colleges and universities available to all students, regardless of immigration status.
Brenda J. Hollis (JD ’77), Morrison, Colo.
United Nations prosecutor in the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Hollis served as the lead prosecutor in the trial and appeal of the case against Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia. She also serves as the reserve international co-prosecutor for the extraordinary chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and works as a consultant in international criminal law and procedure. Hollis served as a U.S. Air Force officer for more than 20 years, retiring with the rank of colonel.
Jim Kennedy (BSBA ’70, management), Atlanta, Ga.
Kennedy, a former DU trustee, is chairman of media conglomerate Cox Enterprises, which in addition to newspapers, television stations and radio stations owns AutoTrader.com, Kelley Blue Book, Savings.com and Valpak. In 2008, Kennedy gave the University a $10 million gift to create the James C. Kennedy Institute for Educational Success in the Morgridge College of Education. A noted conservationist and former professional cyclist, Kennedy was a leading force behind Atlanta’s successful bid to host the Olympic Games in 1996.
Imran Khan (BSBA ’00, economics and finance), Los Angeles, Calif.
Now chief strategy officer at Snapchat, Khan was formerly global head of internet investment banking at Credit Suisse. Prior to that, he was head of global internet research at JP Morgan Chase & Co. Born and raised in Bangladesh, Khan came to the U.S. to study at DU’s Daniels College of Business. He has a long history of working with internet companies and has advised several prominent firms, including Weibo and Alibaba, on their initial public offerings.
Craig Patrick (BA ’69, business administration), Columbus, Ohio
A DU hockey player from 1966–69, Patrick was director of athletics and recreation at DU from 1987–89. Following an eight-year National Hockey League career, he landed the dual role of assistant coach and assistant general manager of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” U.S. Olympic team. Patrick later served as general manager of the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.