Senators & Regions

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee may hold special meetings and act on behalf of the Staff Senate when timely action is needed. The Executive Committee is voted in by returning and newly elected Staff Senators at the start of each Senate session in July. Read more about the 2026-2027 Staff Senate Executive Committee and how to contact them below.

• Katia Miller, President

  President—Katia Miller, MSW, MPH, is the Assistant Director of Program Assessment within the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis. In this role she leads institutional evaluation efforts that help the university measure program effectiveness, support strategic priorities, and drive continuous improvement. Her work aligns with DU's shared governance approach by connecting stakeholder perspectives with actionable evidence to strengthen programs, enhance student and organizational outcomes, and advance institutional goals.
  
  She joined Staff Senate in 2025 as Chair of the Staff Experience committee and previously served as a Co-Chair for the Staff of Color Association. Katia enjoys teaching fitness classes such as Total Body Conditioning and Zumba—take a class with her at Carla Madison Rec Center! 

  Katia may be reached at Staff.President@du.edu 

• Jason W. Jackson, Vice President

  Vice President—Jason W. Jackson, MLIS, is a Capital Projects Manager for the University’s Facilities Management and Planning (FMP) division, joining the University in 2018. Since joining the University, Jason has overseen tens of millions of dollars in capital improvements, including the Phase 1 renovations that opened the James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus to students, the Cherrington Commons project in the Sie Complex, and the recent Hamilton Gymnasium seating replacement project.
  
  Prior to joining DU, Jason was an academic librarian and later Special Projects Officer within the Miami (Ohio) University Libraries, part of the teams that renovated the King Library, built the pioneering Center for Digital Scholarship, and created the Howe Center for Writing Excellence. Jason joined the Staff Senate as part of the inaugural class in 2024, serving with Past President Abigail Girard as co-chair of the University Budget Advocacy and Policy (UBAP) Committee, followed by his recent stint as co-chair of the Institutional Financial Literacy and Policy (IFLP) Committee.
  
  In his spare time Jason raises chickens, works on cars, reads way too much speculative fiction, and still tinkers/offers counsel in the global field of Information Poverty Research he helped pioneer during his youthful academic research days.

  Jason may be reached at Staff.VicePresident@du.edu 

• Adela Smith, Treasurer

  Treasurer—Adela Smith, MA, is the Registrar for the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW), where she leads a dedicated team committed to guiding MSW and PhD students through their academic journey. Adela came to DU in January 2019 and immediately got involved in community building by joining the Inclusive Excellence Committee at GSSW. In 2024, Adela was elected to serve as the Staff Senator for Area 6 in the inaugural Staff Senate session. Drawing from her past experiences as a treasurer on several boards, Adela values the organization, transparency, and collaboration required in stewardship roles.
  
  She enjoys applying these skills in service to shared governance and community well-being at DU. Adela earned her MA in Higher Education from the Morgridge College of Education, where she is now pursuing her PhD. Her doctoral work reflects her deep commitment to examining the systemic injustices that shape higher education.

  Adela may be reached at Staff.Treasurer@du.edu.

• Jessie McGinty, Secretary

  Secretary—Jessie McGinty, MS, MPH, RDN, is the Director of Campus Recreation and Well-being Promotion, providing leadership for campus-wide well-being initiatives that support the thriving of students, faculty, and staff. Through oversight of health and well-being promotion, fitness and recreational sports, DU Outdoors, and employee well-being efforts, Jessie works to foster a healthy, connected, and resilient campus community. Passionate about creating meaningful experiences that enhance quality of life, Jessie collaborates across the university to embed well-being into the DU experience.

  Jessie may be reached at Staff.Secretary@du.edu.

• Abigail Girard, Outgoing President

  Outgoing President - Abigail Girard, MA, is the Strategic Initiative Support Manager in University Relations, where she oversees strategic initiatives and operations. Since joining the University of Denver in 2022, Abigail has been engaged in advancing collaboration and transparency across the institution. She was elected as a Senator representing Area 10 and now serves as Staff Senate President. Abigail is an advocate for equity and policy, continually striving to balance institutional priorities with the lived experiences and voices of DU staff. 

Region Senators

Senators regularly communicate staff needs, feedback, and concerns to the Senate, establish ongoing channels for information sharing and feedback, inform staff about their role and available resources, and support Staff Senate events. Please note that units marked with an asterisk (*) reflect an addition to the respective Regions effective July 1st, 2026 with the seating of newly elected Staff Senators.

Senate Committees

Communications Committee
Anastasia Vylegzhanina, Co-Chair
Rosi Hull, Co-Chair
The Communications committee maintains the Staff Senate website, prepares and sends out the quarterly Staff Senate newsletter, works with committees to create marketing and communication materials, and maintains social media.

Elections Committee
Katie Schroeder, Chair
The Elections Committee is responsible for conducting Staff Senate elections (both regular and special elections), including soliciting self-nominations and holding a University-wide election for nominated staff to become senators.

Events & Engagement Committee
Heather Stewart, Co-Chair
Jessica Barker, Co-Chair
The Events and Engagement Committee plans, organizes, and promotes community events, building a sense of community amongst all employees at the University. The committee may organize subcommittees for specific events like Staff Awards, Employee Picnic, etc.

Institutional & Financial Literacy Committee
Stephen Riley, Chair
This committee fosters financial transparency and empowers staff through education and policy engagement. It focuses on enhancing understanding of DU financial systems and practices, including but not limited to contracts, procurement, compensation policies, pay equity, budget planning and capital construction. The committee also addresses broader institutional policy issues and advocacy initiatives. It collaborates to develop solutions, draft proposals, and present recommendations that support staff well-being and promote informed financial decision-making across the University.

Staff Experience
Gergana Kostadinova-Law, Chair
Dedicated to improving the overall staff experience, this committee reviews, addresses and drafts resolutions related to University policies and advocacy efforts that impact staff well-being. It evaluates and recommends changes to HRIC policies and other institutional practices, ensuring that staff voices are heard and valued. Through collaboration, the committee develops proposals and solutions that enhance workplace culture, equity, and professional satisfaction.

Ad Hoc Committees, Subcommittees, and University-wide Committees
Ad hoc committees and subcommittees of standing committees are formed as deemed appropriate by majority vote of the Staff Senate. Additionally, members of the Staff Senate may hold temporary or permanent positions on university-wide groups such as University Council, University Budget Advisory Committee, Policy Advisory Committee, and others as the need arises.