Dr. Apryl Steele

Apryl Steele headshot

Role: President and CEO, Dumb Friends League

How are you connected to CSU Spur?

The League is working together with CSU Spur to operate the full service, subsidized veterinary hospital that will serve pet owners who simply cannot afford care for their sick and injured pets. We will also operate a cat spay and neuter hospital, a pet resource center, and we will have a comprehensive humane education program at the facility.

When did you get involved with Spur and why is it important to you? 

I got involved years ago during construction conceptual phases, and the League’s input has been solicited throughout the entire design process. Spur, through this CSU-DFL collaboration, is going to address suffering in thousands of animals while inspiring inner-city youth to explore STEM careers. This work is vital to not only families who are directly impacted but also to the future of veterinary medicine and animal welfare.

What outcomes have you seen or do you expect from work at Spur?  

We expect to share the work of veterinarians and animal welfare with hundreds of thousands of people every year resulting in excitement about career opportunities, healing of thousands of animals, and community support for this vital work.

What would you like others to know about Spur?

Spur is about healing, learning, inspiring, and changing the world. The potential impact of this space is extraordinary, and it is a model that other communities will hopefully replicate.

JOCELYN HITTLE

Associate Vice Chancellor for CSU Spur & Special Projects, CSU System

Jocelyn Hittle is primarily focused on helping to create the CSU System’s new Spur campus at the National Western Center, and on supporting campus sustainability goals across CSU’s campuses. She sits on the Denver Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Council, on the Advisory Committee for the Coors Western Art Show, and is a technical advisor for the AASHE STARS program.

Prior to joining CSU, Jocelyn was the Associate Director of PlaceMatters, a national urban planning think tank, and worked for the Orton Family Foundation. She has a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton, and a Masters in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Jocelyn grew up in Colorado and spends her free time in the mountains or exploring Denver.

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TONY FRANK

Chancellor, CSU System

Dr. Tony Frank is the Chancellor of the CSU System. He previously served for 11 years as the 14th president of CSU in Fort Collins. Dr. Frank earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Wartburg College, followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. and residencies in pathology and toxicology at Purdue. Prior to his appointment as CSU’s president in 2008, he served as the University’s provost and executive vice president, vice president for research, chairman of the Pathology Department, and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He was appointed to a dual role as Chancellor in 2015 and became full-time System chancellor in July 2019.

Dr. Frank serves on a number of state and national boards, has authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications, and has been honored with state and national awards for his leadership in higher education.

Dr. Frank and his wife, Dr. Patti Helper, have three daughters.

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