bridgeCU
Officer Biographies
Courtlyn Carpenter - President
Courtlyn has always been interested in politics. She is studying Environmental Engineering at CU-Boulder with the hopes of studying Environmental Policy in graduate school. After attending a Transpartisan Conference at CU-Boulder in 2014, Courtlyn got together with some of the other student attendees to launch a “Transpartisan Club” at CU. Now, this group has become “BridgeCU,” a part of the Bridge Alliance and BridgeUSA.
Aside from her work in the political scene at CU-Boulder, Courtlyn devotes a lot of time to sustainability initiatives at the school. She works as the Sustainability Intern for CU Dining Services, serves on the Student Government Sustainability Think Tank, and has carried out some projects of her own to improve campus composting, drinking water infrastructure, and recycling. Courtlyn is a cellist who plays in a quartet as well as CU’s Campus Orchestra. She is an outdoor enthusiast, spending as much time as possible hiking, running, biking, and simply being outside. Courtlyn also loves shopping at farmers markets and cooking with local foods. Most recently, Courtlyn attended Watson University in Boulder where she created an enterprise to reduce food waste and promote policies that support sustainable agriculture.
James Danahey - Director of Finance
Initially from the fierce streets of Denver, James now finds himself in Boulder studying Biochemistry and Classics at the University of Colorado. Additionally, he is pursuing dual minors in Women's Studies and Leadership, the latter of which works in correlation with the President’s Leadership Class, a CU program developed with the intent of producing extraordinary leaders. His hobbies include rowing for CU’s club rowing team, working in the Miyake polymer chemistry lab, and cycling in the mountains. James got involved with BridgeCU so that there could be an inclusive political forum established that harvested ideas on the basis of merit and not merely political lines. Many of his political beliefs stem from the notion that a free-market capitalist economy has the potential to provide the greatest amount of liberty to the individual.
Bea Lacombe - Director of Marketing
Bea is a junior studying English (Creative Writing), which makes for a natural progression into the Secretary role. She is also pursuing a certificate in Technology, Arts, and Media, as well as a minor in Leadership with the President’s Leadership Class. Bea is currently serving as Representative-at-Large for CU Student Government. She was elected in Spring 2015 and works writing legislation and funding student organizations on campus. Her areas of focus in legislation include mental health, sustainability, and education. Bea is a student coordinator for the Student Worker Alliance Program (SWAP), a student-run program that pairs CU students with immigrant campus employees for one-on-one English lessons. She is also an editor for the CU Honors Journal, which publishes multidisciplinary undergraduate work. Bea plays on a world-class intramural inner tube water polo team, loves to read, and is highly passionate about food.
Ryan Friedman - Recruitment Chair
Ryan is a pre-med Junior studying Chemical and Biological Engineering. While interested in politics, he is drawn to BridgeCU because he believes effective communication and conflict mediation skills are necessary to any endeavor in life. In addition to serving as the head of recruitment for BridgeCU, he is also heavily involved in the University of Colorado Emergency Medical Services Organization (CUEMS). Off campus, Ryan will be teaching a yearlong community service project based class at Congregation Har Hashem in Boulder. Outside of clubs, Ryan enjoys playing sports with friends – especially innertube water polo – finding yummy food in Boulder, hiking and skiing, and occasionally visiting his black lab in Denver. If Ryan were an animal, he would be a bear because, like bears, Ryan is bold, relaxed, and hairy. Some have said that Ryan has the voice of an angel (if an angel sang really poorly).