Meet Our Team
Dr. Mary F. Elliott
Executive Director of Residence Life & Auxiliary Services
mfelliot@mines.edu
pronouns: she/her/hers
(303) 869-5522
Campus Living Office
About Mary.
Oversees all functions of the Residence Life Department.
My undergrad was spent at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa (next to Mines, the G.O.A.T.) where I majored in Secondary Education and History. My Masters degree, in Student Development and Higher Education Administration, is from the University of Iowa. I just completed my doctoral work in the summer of 2021. My research is on Autistic students and their experiences in the residence halls.
I have been at Mines since 2014, and I love working with the students and staff here. Mines people are special, there is just no other way to put it. I live north of Golden with my husband, our two dogs (Decker and Greta), and our cat, Kitty. I am a 5th generation Coloradan, and I love my state!
Residential Education Team
Dr. Sarah "Friz" Friswold-Atwood
Associate Director of Residence Life - Residential Education
friswoldatwood@mines.edu
pronouns: she/her/hers
(303) 869-5529
Campus Living Office
About Friz.
Oversees Residence Life Coordinators and their student staffs, all programming initiatives, and Signature Learning Community development.
Devon Hopson
Assistant Director of Residence Life
dhopson@mines.edu
pronouns: he/him/his
(303) 869-5339
Campus Living Office
About Devon.
Oversees Residence Life Coordinators and their student staffs, all programming initiatives, and Signature Learning Community development.
B.S., Marketing, Southern New Hampshire University
M.S., Student Affairs in Higher Education, Miami University
Hello! My name is Devon (he/him/his) and I am an Assistant Director in Residence Life. I am a passionate Anti-Deficit educator in student affairs. I believe that by striving to be an advocate, coach, and mentor to students I can assist them on their journeys to success at the Colorado School of Mines and beyond. It is important to me to support students as they define what success uniquely looks like for them during their time in college.
In my free time, I spend a lot of time with my dog, Daisy. You will see my goober of a dog around campus! I enjoy playing video games and playing tabletop games with friends! If you need an interesting trivia fact or ghost story, I got you covered!
Vacant
Assistant Director of Residence Life
email:
pronouns:
(303) 869-5519
Campus Living Office
Greg Foster
Residence Life Coordinator - Mines Park Apartments
foster@mines.edu
pronouns: he/him/his
(303) 273-3922
2001 Infinity Circle
About Greg.
Supervises student staff and oversees programming. Serves on an on-call rotation for emergency response.
Zach King
Residence Life Coordinator - 1750 Jackson Street
zsking@mines.edu
pronouns: he/him/his
(303) 869-5531
1750 Jackson Street
About Zach.
Supervises student staff and oversees programming. Serves on an on-call rotation for emergency response.
B.S., Psychological Sciences, Purdue University – West Lafayette
M.S., College Student Affairs, Eastern Illinois University
Hello! My name is Zach and I come from the Midwest, specifically Northwest Indiana (The Region/Chicagoland). I completed my Bachelor’s in Psychological Sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN and completed my Master’s degree in College Student Affairs at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL.
As a person who formerly attended an institution known for STEM, I love the passion Orediggers have for their academics and careers. I’m down to talk coding with anyone since I originally wanted to be a Software Engineer myself! My hobbies/interests include: gaming (video and board), enjoying Marvel, Star Wars, and other nerdy/geeky things, hiking, Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, and finally learning how to cook.
Vacant
Residence Life Coordinator - Maple Hall
email:
pronouns:
(303) 869-5315
Maple Hall 101A
Supervises student staff and oversees programming. Serves on an on-call rotation for emergency response.
About.
Oversees Residence Life Coordinators and their student staffs, all programming initiatives, and Signature Learning Community development.
Alex Prusator
Residence Life Coordinator - Spruce Hall
aprusator@mines.edu
pronouns: she/her/hers
(303) 273-3276
Spruce Hall 153
About Alex.
Supervises student staff and oversees programming. Serves on an on-call rotation for emergency response.
Justin Diaz
Residence Life Coordinator - Traditional Halls
justin.diaz@mines.edu
pronouns: he/him/his
(303) 273-3995
1222 West Campus Road
About Justin.
Supervises student staff and oversees programming. Serves on an on-call rotation for emergency response.
Tafadzwa "Taffy" Negonde
Residence Life Coordinator - Elm Hall & Weaver Towers
taffy.negonde@mines.edu
pronouns: he/him/his
(303) 869-5523
Elm Hall – East
About Taffy.
Supervises student staff and oversees programming. Serves on an on-call rotation for emergency response.
B.A. Economics, St. Lawrence University
M.S. College Student Personnel, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Hello! My name is Taffy Negonde, and I am the Residence Life Coordinator of Weaver Towers and Elm Hall. I was born and raised in Zimbabwe, and I first came to the United States for my undergraduate studies. I studied Economics at St. Lawrence University, a small liberal arts school in Upstate New York, with an initial intention to pursue investment banking. However, my volunteer work in college access and my passion for student mentorship activities led me to a career in education. My education career has previously led me to English teaching in China and teaching in Zimbabwe also. These were all unforgettable experiences. Inspired to continue my career in education, I pursued a Masters in College Personnel at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Go Vols! My assistantship in residence life during my graduate school reinforced my love to work in student housing.
I am so excited to be at Mines and to join the Residence Life team. I look forward to bringing my passion for mentorship to the highly motivated students at Mines and being an influential support system in all my residence hall communities. I am a people person and I also look forward to building impactful and lifelong relations with Mines students and the community in Golden.
In my free time, I love spending time with my family, meeting new friends, mentorship activities, watching sports, playing soccer, reading, and writing. Yes, I love writing so much, and if you want a postcard, let me know. I am happy to be an Oredigger and I am grateful to be here!
Facilities & Operations Team
Logan Thurnauer
Associate Director of Residence Life - Facilities & Operations
logan.thurnauer@mines.edu
pronouns: he/him/his
(303) 273-3982
Campus Living Office
About Logan.
Oversees all aspects of Residence Life assets, building projects, and yearly procedures.
Jackie Garramone
Assistant Director of Occupancy Management
jgarramo@.mines.edu
pronouns: she/her/hers
(303) 273-3928
Campus Living Office
About Jackie.
Oversees housing assignments for the Residence Halls, Mines Park Apartments, 1750 Jackson Street, and Greek Housing.
Vacant
Assistant Director of Facilities & Operations
email:
pronouns:
(303)
Campus Living Office
About.
Kelsey Ruby
Coordinator for Housing Occupancy & Marketing
kelsey.ruby@mines.edu
pronouns: she/her/hers
(303) 869-5528
Campus Living Office
About Kels.
Oversees department website and social media; coordinates housing assignments and various processes for housing operations.
B.A., English, University of North Florida
M.A., Higher Education, University of Denver
Hi y’all! I’m Kels, and I come to Mines from my hometown of Ft. Myers, Florida. Mines is such a unique campus, with a strong sense of community and care among its students and staff, and I love learning alongside such ambitious students! I always look forward to seeing how much students grow between the day they move in and the day they move out! When I’m not at work, you can find me with my husband and our dogs, Rocko and Bucket, or coaching high school volleyball!
Debi Pretz
Administrative Coordinator of Campus Living Office
dpretz@mines.edu
pronouns: she/her/hers
(303) 384-2576
Campus Living Office
About Debi.
Oversees administrative processes for the Campus Living Office.
My name is Debi Pretz, and I have been working at Mines in Residence Life since January 2006. Changes at Mines over the years makes me excited for the next class of students, as they, too, change with each incoming class. The joy of getting to know our students and what they bring to and expect from Mines is uplifting and “new.” Some end up working in our department for years – only to leave and continue to share with us their memories and how living and working with us is carried over into their fields of expertise and their lives post-Mines. This NEVER gets old, which is why I truly love – and stay in – Residence Life. Staff, faculty, colleagues, student staff: the absolute best and each day is busy, but joyous and truly rewarding!
Amy Hoppes
Administrative Coordinator of Residence Life
ahoppes@mines.edu
pronouns: she/her/hers
(303) 273-3181
Campus Living Office
About Amy.
Oversees administrative processes for Residence Life within the Campus Living Office.
Roles of Residence Life Staff
Residence Life Coordinators
Residence Life Coordinators are Master’s degree holding individuals who are directly responsible for managing multiple residential buildings, designing and implementing programs within halls, and overseeing the maintenance, housekeeping, safety and disciplinary standards within their residential communities.
Resident Advisors
Resident Advisors (RAs) are full-time students who live in the Residence Halls or Apartment Communities and are responsible for a particular floor/building of residents. They provide support, act as a resource for students, coordinate social and educational programs, and work with one another as a group to enforce community rules and university policies within the halls.
Desk Assistants
Desk Assistants (DAs) are part-time student employees who complete the administrative functions of a front desk (e.g. sorting and distributing mail, answering student questions, checking out recreational equipment, performing lockouts, etc.) within a Residence Hall and/or Apartment Community. Desk Assistants serve as front line staff members while promoting an inclusive, safe, and academically conducive environment for students who live on campus at Colorado School of Mines.