By Kyle JorreyRaised in the shadow of the Rockies, Chris Castilian ’90 found his playground in the rugged terrain of the Mountain West, forging a deep connection to nature while exploring Colorado’s peaks, valleys and trails. The experience translated into a lifelong passion for mountain biking, culminating in his participation in some of the nation’s most grueling endurance races, including the Leadville Trail 100 and the 240-mile Breck Epic.
Today, the 56-year-old father of two blends his love of the outdoors with his knowledge of business and law. As creator and executive director of the Leadership in Outdoor Recreation Industry program at Denver University, Castilian equips professionals with the skills necessary to excel in the fast-growing sector. The sector includes everything from apparel to travel to technology.
“What we’re focused on is the business side, creating a product or selling a service or something in that space that empowers people to get outdoors and enjoy the many recreational amenities this country has to offer,” Castilian said.
Home to several leading outdoor brands, including Vail Resorts, Alterra Mountain Company and Aspen Skiing Company, the greater Denver area provides an ideal setting for the program. Its two 16-credit graduate certificates are designed to serve individuals in the industry at different stages of their careers: One caters to experienced professionals looking to expand their roles. The other is designed for newcomers or veterans from the operational side who want to transition into business-oriented positions.
The program’s inaugural cohort in 2023 was comprised primarily of employees of Aspen Skiing Company, which operates four resorts in the world-famous ski mecca. Many of these individuals, drawn to the industry by a passion for fresh powder and exhilarating descents, now seek more tangible career paths.
“Say you’ve worked 20 years in ski patrol, and at some point, your body doesn’t work like it used to. You’ve been with the company for two decades, you’ve made a home here, raised a family here, are you just expected to leave?” Castilian said. “Aspen doesn’t want to lose someone like that … so we train them on other opportunities in the company, be it the hospitality side or the business side.”
After graduating from Cal Lutheran, where he majored in French and minored in political science, Castilian earned his juris doctorate from Denver University’s Sturm College of Law with aspirations of becoming a criminal prosecutor. He changed his mind and decided to pursue a career in lobbying, working in both the private and public sectors.
In the years that followed, the fourth-generation Coloradan held various leadership positions, including deputy chief of staff for the governor of Colorado, chair of the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Commission, and executive director of Great Outdoors Colorado, a voter-created agency that utilizes funds from the state lottery to help preserve and enhance parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces.
Castilian fondly recalls his time at Cal Lutheran, particularly studying in Paris with French professor Karen Renick, serving as student body president and adviser to the Board of Regents, and countless mountain bike rides through the flora-and-fauna-covered hillsides surrounding campus. However, few experiences surpass the two summers he spent working for the Dallas Cowboys.
Castilian was among a select group of students hired by the professional team to assist with their annual training camp, held at Cal Lutheran from 1963 to 1989. His duties were primarily menial, including shuttling players and coaches between Thousand Oaks and Burbank Airport.
“A lot of my coworkers didn’t want the gig … but I loved it. Having breakfast with Tom Landry before driving down to Burbank to pick someone up or to grab the mail. I’d just get to sit there and visit with them,” Castilian said. “Jerry Jones, because I had seniority, always requested that I be the one to pick him up. So, I’d head on down to Burbank in a Camry and get Jerry and his wife. He’d have a conversation with you on the way back … and he’d always stuff a $5 bill in my pocket.”
Though he and wife, Chantell Taylor (also a Denver University law grad), rarely visit Cal Lutheran, Castilian said he remains grateful for the opportunities the university provided him, opportunities as varied as his career turned out to be.
“Those are the things that influenced and shaped my life. I didn’t always appreciate them at the time, but looking back, they changed my personal and professional life forever,” he said.
