Inaugural Geoff Holmes Distinguished Lectures Presented by Internet-Savvy Colorado State University Alumna

The Department of Journalism and Technical Communication at Colorado State University is kicking off the Geoff Holmes Distinguished Lecture Program with lectures in Denver and on campus by Colorado State alumna Lisa Janssen. She will discuss "New Media and the Internet Economy – Is Content Still King?"

The first lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 in Room 605 of Colorado State’s Denver Center, 110 16th St., Denver. A reception follows. A second lecture starts at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in Room A207 Clark Building on the Colorado State University campus. A reception follows at 5:30 in Room C138 in the Clark Building.

The lectures are part of the Holmes Communication Technology Leadership Fund, started last year with a $500,000 pledge to the department by Geoff Holmes, 1968 graduate in economics from Colorado State. The fund is being used to:

• bring distinguished lecturers to campus from major corporations and businesses,
• underwrite the acquisition and dissemination of new communication technology research initiated by faculty and undergraduate and graduate students, and
• support a new summer internship program and a new course for journalism graduate students that explores technology’s impact on communication.

Janssen graduated from the university in 1992 after a distinguished undergraduate career that included initiating the student fee proposal that provided CTV, or campus television, enough funding to build a studio and then become an award-winning organization.

She is vice president of business development at iExchange.com, an Internet company backed by idealab!, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Capital Z. Her responsibilities include setting the strategic direction for the company and overseeing business development, finance and sales operations. She also serves on the board of advisers of several new media and technology companies.

Prior to joining iExchange.com, Janssen worked for the Walt Disney Co. in strategic planning, where she developed long-term strategy and new business initiatives for ABC, ESPN and Disney’s other broadcasting and cable assets. While at Disney, Janssen helped create a companywide digital convergence strategy that led to the investment in Infoseek and the launch of Go.com.

Before her employment with Walt Disney, Janssen launched two start-ups in the entertainment industry and was a marketing and strategy consultant for high-technology companies. Janssen graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s in journalism from Colorado State. She earned an M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School.

For more information, contact Greg Luft, interim chairman of the Department of Journalism and Technical Communication, at 491-1979, or Todd Shimoda, assistant professor in the department, at 491-2299.