CSU Pueblo Honors Nine Alumni Leading Their Fields

Colorado State University Pueblo is recognizing nine graduates this fall through its Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumni awards. The honors go to graduates who’ve demonstrated professional achievement, leadership, service, and a commitment to making a difference in their communities and professions.

“These alumni represent the many ways a CSU Pueblo education makes an impact. From health care and education to conservation, business, public service and national security, our 2026 honorees are using their knowledge and experiences to make a difference.”

— Daniel Minich, Director of Alumni Relations and Engagement

2026 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

Richard “Rich” Castro

A 1981 graduate of the Metallurgical Engineering Technology program, Castro built a career spanning Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Pentagon’s Nuclear Policy Office. His work has supported U.S. national security initiatives and advanced energy research. He lives in Los Alamos with his wife Debbie and splits his free time between fly fishing, mountain biking, and spending time with their five grandchildren.

Jo McGuire

A 2023 sociology graduate with a minor in cannabis studies, McGuire leads the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association as executive director. She represents her industry before the United Nations and international policy audiences. In the past seven years, she’s secured more than $2.5 million in grant funding for nonprofits and organized annual advocacy days in Washington, D.C. She continues mentoring CSU Pueblo students through the Cannabis Studies Speakers Series.

Gary R. Walker

A 1970 Business Management alumnus, Walker transformed his family ranch into a productive cattle operation while protecting wildlife habitat and rare plant species across Pueblo County. His ranch was the first in the United States to release black-footed ferrets, nearly extinct animals needing protected space. His conservation work has earned the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation Award, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Landowner of the Year, and recognition from The Nature Conservancy. He and his wife Georgia have three children.

Ronda Orndoff, Ph.D.

Orndoff earned her master’s degree in nursing from CSU Pueblo in 2014 and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2020. She owns a private practice in Pueblo serving high-need areas and teaches as adjunct faculty at CSU Pueblo, leading the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. Her doctoral project focused on improving diabetes outcomes for patients, and those improvements have since been adopted by other providers.

Geraldine Trujillo-Santistevan, Ph.D.

A Pueblo native and lifelong educator, Trujillo-Santistevan earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from CSU Pueblo and returned to earn her Doctor of Education degree in 2026 as one of the university’s first doctoral graduates. She now directs student teaching and experiential programming at CSU Pueblo’s School of Education, where she mentors future educators and builds partnerships with schools across Colorado. She taught elementary and secondary students for 24 years before joining the university faculty.

2026 Distinguished Young Alumni Award Recipients

Jessica Mills

A 2016 art alumna, Mills works for the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District managing educational outreach and administrative operations. She serves on multiple boards including the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum, where she holds the position of vice chair, and the Fountain Creek Watershed District. As a fourth-generation farmer from Fowler, Mills advocates for agriculture’s voice in water resource discussions. She and her husband Wyatt are raising three children while operating their farming business.

Juan Diosdado

A 2018 graduate with degrees in economics and Spanish, Diosdado serves as office manager and human resources lead at Top Notch Personnel. He’s active in Pueblo’s community as treasurer of the Pueblo Hispanic Education Foundation and vice president of the Colorado State Fair Fiesta Committee. Through his work with Caring for Colorado’s Pueblo Community Advisory Board, he helped evaluate community needs and direct over $900,000 in grants to families and youth across Pueblo County. In 2023, he was recognized as a 40 Under 40 Emerging Leader by the Latino Chamber of Commerce.

Jailen Gallegos

A 2020 nursing alumna, Gallegos works in medical-surgical and endoscopy nursing at UCHealth Parkview. She serves as the primary preceptor for newly graduated nurses, helping them transition into professional practice. She also sits on the Nurse Clinical Governance Council, contributing to initiatives focused on evidence-based practice and patient care. Colleagues regularly recognize her for professionalism, compassion, and dedication. Outside nursing, she is a wife and mother who coaches sports.

Tamara Corle

A 2021 biology alumna and Pueblo native, Corley is pursuing a career in medicine focused on maternal and reproductive health. She recently completed her third year of medical school at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and is earning a Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health. She volunteers at the DAWN Clinic, a student-run free clinic in Aurora serving uninsured adults. Her long-term goal is to become an OB-GYN expanding access to care for communities that need it most. Corley is a mother of two.