Pi Beta Phi - University of Colorado

P A G E 2 W hile going through recruitment, Ashlee Sallee Kinsel '90 already had Pi Beta Phi on her radar. Following the Pi Phi legacy her mother left, Ashlee immediately felt welcomed at Colorado Alpha and was impressed by the authenticity each member possessed. "I think one of the things that struck me is you have this beautiful sense of community and sisterhood," she said. "I felt like everyone was so genuine and relatable. When I think of Pi Phi in general, it has those same attributes at a national level." Looking back on her collegiate years, one memory Ashlee has is turning around at Initiation and seeing her mother and sister behind her. Completely surprised, having her family at Initiation is a special memory dear to her heart. Ashlee also appreciates the valuable lessons she learned as a chapter officer and the friendships she formed with her sisters. "When you think about any career or community, it's all about people skills. I learned how to develop these skills living in a sorority house and how to appreciate everyone's differences, gifts and talents," she said. Ashlee earned her degree in art history, but shortly after graduation her father passed away. Ashlee returned home to help her mother with the family business, eventually had kids of her own and found herself on the path to becoming an inspirational public speaker. Her father's death engulfed her with grief, and after a 15-year struggle, Ashlee was able to learn from her journey and developed a story she turned into her novel, "A Sacred Silence." "It was a beautiful experience for me to write this and have the courage to publish it because I became vulnerable," she said. "But, it was a truly rewarding journey." "A Sacred Silence" is a historical fiction novel about Eliza, a woman on a heartfelt journey to find peace and love in a world that seems to only provide grief. To read more about Ashlee's work as a public speaker or about "A Sacred Silence," visit www.ashleekinsel.com. Ashlee and her husband, Karl, have three children, two of whom are in college and the other in high school. In her free time, Ashlee enjoys the outdoors, ranching and wildlife business, journaling and reading. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, and can be reached at askinsel@yahoo.com. Ashlee Sallee Kinsel '90 pictured with her New Member class. With Brave Wings, She Flies Ashlee Sallee Kinsel '90 Continues Inspirational Career as Speaker, Author Kitchen Staff Spotlight: Maeghan corbo I n July of 2016, Maeghan Corbo packed her bags and left the East Coast for a life in the Rocky Mountains. Since August of 2017, Maeghan has served Colorado Alpha as a sous chef/assistant chef under the direction of Chef Kate Mulligan. Born and raised in Maine, Maeghan attended Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island to further develop her culinary skills. Throughout her life, Maeghan has always worked in restaurants, cafés and bakeries, including the Terrain Garden Café in Westport, Connecticut, with Kate. "I was excited to work for Colorado Alpha because I worked with Chef Kate and knew we worked well together, and I have always loved her cooking style," Maeghan said. Maeghan's main duties include training new employees, assisting Kate with weekly orders, menu planning, cooking and baking. Each day she typically begins with lunch preparation and bakes a dessert. Since most meals are made from scratch, lunch typically takes the team three hours to complete. Once lunch is finished, they begin prepping dinner, which consists of five hot dishes and a salad bar. Compared to her other jobs, cooking for Colorado Alpha has given her the chance to be more creative with dishes and prepare a mix of both savory and sweet meals. "Cooking for the women is a lot of fun," she said. "Working in a restaurant is different because back-of- house staff rarely get to interact with customers, but it's not like that with this job and I love that." So far, Maeghan's favorite experience has been getting to know the members of the house and she finds it bittersweet at the end of the year when they move out. "We always miss them after they leave, but we are also excited to meet the new live-in members," she said. "I didn't think I would ever have so much fun at work!" Maeghan lives in Boulder with her 6-year-old son. She can be reached at maeghan.donovan@gmail.com.

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