CE Alumnus Dan Stiles Named Deputy Chief Counsel of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee
Update
The 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee recently named Dan Stiles, CSU civil engineering alumnus and former press coordinator for Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign, as its deputy chief counsel. Stiles will be working closely with the DNCC's chief counsel, Susana Carbajal, on a wide range of commercial and constitutional matters for the convention.
Stiles, an attorney at Isaacson Rosenbaum PC, practices corporate and governmental law. He counsels clients on corporate transactions, and also has been involved in election law and related litigation.
For more infomration on the 2008 Democratic National Convention visit http://www.demconvention.com/
CE Alumnus Combines Engineering and Law
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Dan Stiles in Downtown Denver Office
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Colorado State University alumnus Dan Stiles is bridging the gap between engineering, business and public policy. Utilizing his civil engineering degree, problem solving and leadership skills gained at CSU, Stiles is hard at work addressing business issues and city and state public law issues.
A successful lawyer with Denver law firm Isaacson Rosenbaum P.C., Stiles serves as member of the Corporate, Tax and Securities Group and Public Law and Policy Group, where he assists clients with corporate and securities issues and other business transactions, securities litigation, including matters before the Securities and Exchange Commission and Colorado Division of Securities, and election law issues.
"Civil engineering has been a fantastic background for law," said Stiles. "It prepares you in your reading and writing, establishes your work ethic and enables you to be analytical."
Stiles knew early on he wanted to combine communicating technical needs and aspects of engineering with public policy. After careful consideration, he chose to attend CSU where Professor Johannes Gessler, recipient of the Abell Faculty Award for Outstanding Service, took personal interest in the link between engineering and politics. Stiles was later awarded a J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law.
Actively involved throughout his undergraduate career, Stiles was elected president of CSU's student governing body, ASCSU. In addition, he was also chosen to represent the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in a prestigious internship program, the Washington Internship for Students of Engineering (WISE).
Selected among students from colleges across the country, Stiles spent a summer in Washington D.C. in the ASCE national office researching public policy surrounding high speed ground transportation. There he independently wrote a paper outlining a national plan to integrate such transportation systems into future initiatives.
"The WISE program gave me the opportunity to see public policy and how it works hand-in-hand with engineers in developing projects that help our nation and communities," he said of the experience.
Upon graduating, Stiles took a break from engineering to pursue work on then Vice President Al Gore's 2000 election campaign. He served as national traveling press coordinator for the campaign, and as a director for the 2000 Democratic National Convention. However, Stiles still returns to CSU every year to visit with students and faculty, and in spring of '06 was given the honor of presenting the commencement address for the College of Engineering.
Aside from work on business and public law issues, Stiles serves on the Colorado Lawyers Committee, working to improve Colorado public school facilities and funding, and co-chairs the firm's community service committee. In addition, he still finds time to ski and travel, an interest fostered during his undergraduate semester abroad in Mexico.
"I have the opportunity to help people everyday by finding solutions to their needs-which is what engineers do day to day, and that's one of the things that I really enjoy about both," he reflects. "Whatever career you choose, choose one that gives you the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of your neighbors, people in your state, country or the world."