Megan Colascione, President

Megan Colascione is the 2024-2025 Staff Senate President.

Previously, Megan served as Vice President, a Staff Senator for the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support, and a co-chair for the Staff Policy and Well-being Committee.

Megan serves as the Assistant Director of Education and Strategic Initiatives for the Office of Access and Opportunity within the Division of Access, Civil Rights, and Community Engagement. She has been a USC staff member for over 10 years. Megan hails from St. Petersburg, Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Florida Gulf Coast University and Master of Education Degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from the University of South Carolina.

Chris Burkett, Vice President  

Chris Burkett is the 2024-2025 Staff Senate Vice President.

Chris Burkett, Ed.D. serves as Executive Director of Gamecock EdQuarters within the College of Education where he leads the student services enterprise including advising, clinical experiences, and the Teaching Fellows program. This endeavor allows College of Education teacher candidates a “one stop shop” for all their student services needs. Dr. Burkett began his teaching career as a social studies teacher and athletic coach at Dutch Fork High School in Lexington School District Five, were he served for eleven years. He has over thirty years of experience within the field of education.

Dr. Burkett earned his bachelor’s degree from Newberry College, his master’s degree in education from Columbia College and his Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from Nova Southeastern University.

Julia Bellon, Parliamentarian

Julia Bellon is the 2024-2025 Staff Senate Parliamentarian.

Bellon, a native of Columbia, SC, has over thirty years’ experience in higher education with 28 of those years at USC! Her career in higher education began as a temporary student employee in the Office of the University Registrar during summer vacations. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree from Presbyterian College and a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from USC, she became assistant registrar at a small private liberal arts college in Indiana. Two winters in the cold and snow were too much for her southern heritage so she returned to the University of South Carolina. During her years here she served as Senior Associate Registrar and is now Senior Business Analyst for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. She is USC Columbia’s Institutional Representative for the South Carolina Women in Higher Education.

Rebecca DeNisi, Treasurer

Rebecca is the 2024-2025 Staff Senate Treasurer.
Rebecca is from Columbia, South Carolina. She graduated with her BS in Accounting from USC and her Masters in Accounting from NC State University. After several years working for the Federal Government and in Public Accounting, she started working at USC. Rebecca began her time here as a Post Award Administrator within Grants and Funds Management. She also worked as a Budget Analyst with the University Budget Office. She is now in the Controller's Office as a Senior Manager of Debt and Capital Assets.

Julia Hodge, Secretary

Julia Hodge, Ph.D. serves as the 2024-2025 Staff Senate Secretary.

As a South Carolina native and a University of South Carolina alumna, Hodge graduated from the South Carolina Honors College with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Mathematics. She attended Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, graduating with a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration. Hodge is an experienced university enrollment management professional, having worked in the field since 2014. She is currently the Director of Recruitment and Engagement in the College of Education.

Hodge earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research. Her dissertation explored the intricacies of the student experience, focusing specifically on first-generation students and the imposter phenomenon. 

Tyson Lusk, Immediate Past President

Tyson Lusk served as Staff Senate President in 2023-2024. 

Lusk, a native of Winston-Salem, NC arrived at USC in 2013 as Director of Baseball Operations. I’m 2019, Lusk transitioned into Development for Gamecock Athletics where he serves as Assistant Athletic Director for Development, overseeing the Gamecock Athletics philanthropy team. Lusk also serves on a number of university committees and boards.

In his Staff Senate capacity, Lusk serves on the Russell House Advisory Board, Policy Advising Committee, the President’s Council on Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and is a member of the LGBTQ+ employee caucus. Lusk earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Masters degree in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University.