Colorado State University Pueblo is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumni awards. The awards recognize graduates who have demonstrated professional achievement, leadership, service and a commitment to making a difference in their communities and professions. The 2026 Distinguished Alumni awardees are Rich Castro, Jo McGuire, Gary Walker, Dr. Ronda Orndoff and Dr. Geraldine Trujillo-Santistevan. The 2026 Distinguished Young Alumni awardees are Jessica Mills, Juan Diosdado, Jailen Gallegos and Tamara Corley.
The 2026 Distinguished and Distinguished Young Alumni recipients represent the breadth of achievement and service found throughout the CSU Pueblo alumni community. Their careers and community involvement demonstrate the many ways CSU Pueblo graduates are contributing to their professions, communities and the world.
“These alumni represent the many ways a CSU Pueblo education can make an impact,” said Daniel Minich, director of alumni relations and engagement. “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. We are proud to recognize their accomplishments and celebrate the ways they continue to represent the Pack.”
The greater CSU Pueblo community is invited to celebrate the 2026 award recipients at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Banquet on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. at Pueblo Country Club. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available through the CSU Pueblo Foundation. Learn more about the Distinguished Alumni Awards and purchase tickets or sponsorships at: https://csupueblofoundation.com/alumni/distinguished-alumni-awards/.
The CSU Pueblo Alumni Association congratulates the 2026 Distinguished and Distinguished Young Alumni Award recipients for their achievements and service and welcomes them back to campus to celebrate this honor.
Full bios on awardees continue below:
The 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are:
Richard “Rich” Castro, A81
College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
A 1981 graduate of the University of Southern Colorado’s Metallurgical Engineering Technology program, Richard “Rich” Castro has built a distinguished career through contributions to nuclear weapons stewardship, defense policy, international cooperation and advanced energy research.
Castro served across the nation’s national security enterprise, including positions at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Pentagon’s Nuclear Policy Office. Through these roles, he contributed to efforts supporting U.S. national security, scientific collaboration, technology development and policy initiatives related to complex defense challenges.
The son of Anthony and Eufemia Castro, longtime Pueblo and Pueblo West residents, Castro credits his family, education and community with helping shape a career dedicated to public service.
Castro and his wife, Debbie, live in Los Alamos, New Mexico. They are the parents of daughters Dr. Amanda Castro and Dr. Lauren Castro and have five grandchildren. Outside of his professional work, Castro enjoys mountain and road biking, fly fishing, skiing, hunting and spending time with family and friends.
Jo McGuire, A23
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Jo McGuire, a 2023 graduate with a Bachelor of Science in sociology and a minor in cannabis studies, is an advocate, speaker, writer and leader in workplace drug and alcohol testing, public safety and drug policy.
As executive director of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association, McGuire leads an international membership organization serving professionals in the drug and alcohol testing industry, with an emphasis on safety-sensitive employees, workplace drug testing best practices and professional training.
McGuire has contributed to national and international discussions surrounding workplace drug testing and marijuana policy. She was appointed to a Colorado governor’s task force workgroup focused on taxation, banking and civil law related to Amendment 64. She has represented her industry before national and international audiences, including the United Nations and the European Workplace Drug Testing Society.
Her professional work includes developing credentialing programs, educational opportunities and mentorship initiatives for professionals in the drug and alcohol testing industry. She oversees seven industry accreditation designations and helped create NDASA University, which provides training and certification programs for professionals involved in drug testing under federal transportation regulations.
For the past seven years, McGuire has also organized a national advocacy day in Washington, D.C, bringing industry professionals together to engage with policymakers on issues related to public and transportation safety. Throughout her career, she has secured more than $2.5 million in grant funding for nonprofit organizations and managed more than 20 federal, state and foundation-supported projects.
McGuire continues to give back to CSU Pueblo through her involvement with the Cannabis Studies Speakers Series, sharing her professional experience and expertise with current students.
Gary R. Walker, A70
Hasan School of Business
A 1970 Business Management alumnus, Gary R. Walker has dedicated his career to ranching, entrepreneurship, conservation, wildlife preservation and service to the Pueblo community.
Through Walker Ranches, Walker has transformed his family’s ranch into a productive cattle operation while protecting wildlife habitat, rare plant species, open space and the natural environment of Pueblo County.
Walker was the first rancher in the United States to allow the release of the nearly extinct black-footed ferret. His ranch has also been identified as important habitat for rare Colorado plant species, including round-leaf four o’clock, Pueblo goldenweed and Arkansas River feverfew.
His conservation efforts include establishing conservation easements to protect property in perpetuity and developing water, wetland, riparian and erosion-control projects to support wildlife and preserve the land.
Walker’s conservation and service efforts have earned numerous honors, including the 2005 White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation Award, the 2013 Colorado Parks and Wildlife Landowner of the Year Award, the 2014 Leopold Award, the Palmer Land Trust Award and 2019 recognition from The Nature Conservancy.
His commitment to service also extends to youth, education and community organizations. Walker has supported CSU Pueblo’s Department of Agriculture, provided land and resources for community projects and contributed to organizations serving children, families and local communities.
Walker and his wife, Georgia, have three children, Cassie, Johnny and Remington. His philosophy of stewardship is reflected in his belief that land should be left better than it was found.
Dr. Ronda Orndoff, A14 & A20
School of Nursing
Dr. Ronda Orndoff has dedicated her career to nursing, health care education, patient care and improving access to health services in Pueblo and throughout Colorado.
Orndoff earned her master’s degree in nursing with a concentration in a dual nurse practitioner program from CSU Pueblo in 2014 and her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2020.
She is an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care and Family Nurse Practitioner and owns and operates a private clinical practice in Pueblo in an area with a high need for primary care services.
Orndoff has also served as part-time and adjunct faculty at CSU Pueblo, including leadership of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program. She continues to serve as a preceptor, mentor and role model for nurse practitioner students.
Her work has also contributed to nursing education and accreditation efforts. She has participated in national nursing accreditation site visits as a student, graduate, community member and faculty member. She has assisted with curriculum revisions and continuing accreditation efforts.
While completing her doctoral degree at CSU Pueblo, Orndoff completed a project focused on improving outcomes for patients with diabetes. The improvements have since been adopted by other providers and sustained in practice, extending the project’s impact beyond her own patient population.
Orndoff is active in numerous professional and community organizations, including Sigma, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Oncology Nursing Society, the Pueblo Medical Society and several local community and school organizations.
Dr. Geraldine Trujillo-Santistevan, A07 & A26
College of Health and Education
A Pueblo native, CSU Pueblo alumna and lifelong educator, Dr. Geraldine Trujillo-Santistevan has dedicated 24 years to teaching, leadership and service to students, families and the educational community.
Trujillo-Santistevan earned her Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies with elementary education licensure from CSU Pueblo and later returned to the university to earn her Doctor of Education degree in 2026 as one of CSU Pueblo’s first doctoral graduates.
She currently serves as director of Student Teaching and Experiential Programming in CSU Pueblo’s School of Education, where she prepares and mentors future educators, coordinates student teaching and field experiences and builds partnerships with schools and districts throughout Colorado. She also teaches undergraduate, graduate and doctoral courses at CSU Pueblo.
Trujillo-Santistevan began her education career at St. John Neumann Catholic School in Pueblo, where she taught students in second through eighth grades and took on leadership responsibilities. She later served as a second-grade teacher, team lead and member of a turnaround leadership team at a local charter school.
Her connection to CSU Pueblo has come full circle as she now helps prepare the next generation of educators and educational leaders at the university that played an important role in her own educational journey.
2026 Distinguished Young Alumni Award Recipients are:
The Distinguished Young Alumni Award recognizes graduates who have demonstrated professional achievement, leadership, service and commitment to their communities early in their careers.
Jessica Mills, A16
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
A 2016 art alumna, Jessica Mills has built a career advocating for agriculture, water resources and rural communities throughout Southern Colorado.
Mills works for the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, where she is responsible for the organization’s educational outreach program while also handling administrative duties. She serves on the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum board of directors and the Fountain Creek Watershed District board of directors. She also serves on the Otero County Farm Bureau board of directors and the Fountain Creek Watershed District Citizens’ Advisory Group.
Mills currently serves as vice chair of the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum and is an active member of the Colorado Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Program. Her professional focus is ensuring agriculture has a voice in discussions surrounding water resources.
A fourth-generation farmer from Fowler, Colorado, Mills and her husband, Wyatt, are raising three children and operate a farming operation between Manzanola and Fowler.
Juan Diosdado, A18
Hasan School of Business
A 2018 graduate with degrees in economics and Spanish, Juan Diosdado has built a career focused on workforce development, community service and supporting Southern Colorado businesses and families.
Diosdado serves as office manager and human resources lead at Top Notch Personnel, where he oversees recruiting, employee relations, payroll, compliance, workforce planning and business operations.
He is also active in the Pueblo community, serving as treasurer of the Pueblo Hispanic Education Foundation, vice president of the Colorado State Fair Fiesta Committee and a member of Caring for Colorado’s Pueblo Community Advisory Board.
Through these organizations, Diosdado supports scholarships, cultural programming, fundraising and community investment. His work with the Caring for Colorado advisory board has helped evaluate community needs and make funding recommendations contributing to more than $900,000 in grants supporting children, youth and families throughout Pueblo County.
In 2023, Diosdado was recognized as a 40 Under 40 Emerging Leader by the Latino Chamber of Commerce.
Jailen Gallegos, A20
School of Nursing
A 2020 nursing alumna, Jailen Gallegos has distinguished herself through clinical excellence, mentorship and leadership in the nursing profession.
Gallegos is a registered nurse at UCHealth Parkview, where she works in medical-surgical and endoscopy nursing. She serves as the primary preceptor for newly graduated nurses on her unit, helping new nurses transition into professional practice and develop their clinical skills and confidence.
She also serves on the Nurse Clinical Governance Council, contributing to initiatives focused on evidence-based practice, nursing excellence and patient care. She has served as an Employee Voice Ambassador, promoting staff engagement, communication and collaboration within her unit.
Gallegos is regularly recognized by colleagues for her professionalism, compassion, teamwork and dedication to patients and fellow employees. Outside of nursing, she is a wife and mother and enjoys playing and coaching sports.
Tamara Corley, A21
College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
A 2021 biology alumna and Pueblo native, Tamara Corley is pursuing a career in medicine focused on maternal and reproductive health.
Corley recently completed her third year of medical school at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She is currently completing a Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health and Global Public Health before returning to complete her medical degree.
She volunteers with the DAWN Clinic, a student-run free clinic serving uninsured adults in Aurora, where she has worked in primary care and women’s health.
Corley’s long-term goal is to become an OB-GYN and focus her career on improving maternal and reproductive health and expanding access to care for communities that need it most.
A mother of two, Corley credits her Pueblo upbringing and the people who supported her throughout her education with helping inspire her path into medicine.
