University Staff Advisory Council starts 2023-24 term with new officers

USAC logo
Credit: Penn State
August 9, 2023

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.— The University Staff Advisory Council (USAC) began its new term for the 2023-24 year on Aug. 1, with new leadership, committee chairs and 12 new members joining the slate of existing council members, the council now has 30 members. 

Rachel Galloway, assistant director of the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development, is chair for 2023-24. Serving alongside her as secretary is Nivedita Nagachar, academic adviser in the Division of Undergraduate Studies. Elizabeth Fegert, marketing and event coordinator, Office of the Senior Vice President of Research, also joins USAC leadership as the chair-elect. 

Galloway is serving her fourth year on the council. She previously served as a co-chair of the USAC diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) committee and as the council’s secretary. She said she aims to leverage the connections USAC has with staff advisory groups across the University to gain a better understanding of staff experiences across the commonwealth. 

“The University Staff Advisory Council has made great strides in elevating staff voices over the last few years. We have also been working hard to develop respectful, collaborative relationships with leadership across the University,” said Galloway. “We hope to strengthen partnerships with administrators, Faculty Senate and other entities contributing to the well-being of staff at Penn State. We plan to provide more opportunities for staff to share input and feedback on issues affecting them." 

Nagachar is serving her third year on the council. She previously served as a co-chair of the DEIB committee.  

“USAC has done a wonderful job in the past couple of years to bring visibility to staff concerns with the University’s senior leadership,” said Nagachar. “We intend to continue strengthening the existing partnership through building horizontal bridges and to advocate for staff across all Penn State campuses. It is a team effort, and we invite everyone to contribute to our efforts to represent staff, with a focus on equity, inclusivity and transparency."

Fegert is serving her third year on the council. She previously served as a co-chair of the DEIB committee.  

“Our mission is to serve as the voice of Penn State staff and to advocate for positive change,” said Fegert. “This year, we will continue to provide safe places for staff to share their lived experiences, concerns and feedback so that we may speak up on their behalf. We encourage staff from across all campuses to reach out to a member of our council at any time so that their voice may be heard and elevated to University leadership.” 

The new slate of officers and committee chairs for the 2023-24 term include: 

  • Rachel Galloway, assistant director, Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development — USAC chair 

  • Elizabeth Fegert, marketing and event coordinator, Office of the Senior Vice President of Research — USAC chair-elect 

  • Terra Ingram, administrative support coordinator, College of Agricultural Sciences — USAC past chair, membership and elections committee chair and history committee chair 

  • Nivedita Nagachar, academic adviser, Division of Undergraduate Studies — USAC secretary and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging committee co-chair 

  • Crystal Barna, grants and contracts administrator, College of Medicine — USAC co-secretary elect and communications committee co-chair 

  • Erin Loy, research engineer, Applied Research Laboratory — USAC co-secretary elect and communications committee co-chair 

  • Stephanie Andaloro, assistant registrar, Penn State Wilkes-Barre — USAC logistics committee chair 

  • Susan Bedsworth Warner, development communications specialist, College of Agricultural Sciences — USAC awards committee chair 

  • Amy Bockis, academic programs administrator, College of Medicine — USAC outreach and engagement committee co-chair 

  • Mary Ohashi, survivor advocate and case manager, Gender Equity Center — USAC outreach and engagement committee co-chair 

  • Tiffany Valdes-Madera, faculty affairs coordinator, Penn State Lehigh Valley — USAC diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging committee co-chair 

The 12 new members joining the council for the start of their three-year terms are:

  • Kara Bowers, research project manager, College of Medicine 

  • Leah Carraway-Justice, organizational change management consultant, Office of Change Management 

  • Lisa DeGregorio, administrative support assistant, Penn State Mont Alto 

  • Jackie Dillon-Fast, information resources and services supervisor, Penn State University Libraries 

  • Patrick Dunne, director of strategic communications, Penn State Abington 

  • Matthew Heller, IT project manager, Penn State IT 

  • Teresa McCloskey, auxiliary officer unit coordinator, University Police and Public Safety 

  • Jody McCullough, research project manager, College of Medicine 

  • Melissa Meyer, executive assistant, Office of Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research 

  • Nathaniel Reed Geyer, research support assistant, College of Medicine 

  • Ashley Stauffer, analyst, Office of the Senior Vice President for Research 

USAC can be contacted via email at [email protected]. Individuals interested in staying connected, learning more or getting involved can also visit the USAC Facebook page and the official USAC website.