Who We Are
ZASA Board of Directors
ZASA's Board of Directors is comprised of former cadets who, upon hearing of yet another sexual assault scandal in 2017, banded together to form a group focused on:
-
Eliminating sexual assault/sexual harassment and survivor abuse at USAFA,
-
Ensuring appropriate post trauma care and support to survivors, and
-
Building a bridge between USAFA and those who have lost faith in the institution and it's leadership.
Since formation, ZASA has become a 501(c)3 organization to accept donations while remaining a USAFA Affinity Group. Most importantly, ZASA provides continuity amongst the natural turnover of military leadership, cadets, and permanent party to ensure that care and programs that work endure at the Academy.

​ZASA Executive Director
Kathryn "K8" Smith, '82
Notre Dame-trained lawyer with nearly 25 years of experience before retiring in 2019. A former Air Force acquisition officer and USAFA volleyball letterwinner, she practiced commercial litigation at major firms, led a contracts division at Motorola, and served as assistant general counsel at Verizon, supporting sales and marketing with legal guidance and contract negotiation.

Director of Research
Stacy Brodzik, '82
Stacy earned her MS in Space Operations from AFIT in 1985 and served as an Orbital Analyst until 1990. She then became a software engineer at the University of Washington, researching tropical weather systems across the globe. A passionate traveler and athlete, Stacy co-founded ZASA after witnessing leadership deny the Air Force’s sexual assault problem—turning frustration into action and change.

Executive Assistant
Erin Carmichael, '92
A USAFA grad and four-year volleyball athlete, Erin flew the KC-135R and T-1A while playing on the all-Air Force and all-Service teams. After 24 years in the Air Force, Reserves, and ANG, she retired in 2020. She flew internationally as a corporate pilot, then with Delta and FedEx. Driven to act on sexual assault issues at USAFA, she joined ZASA's board in 2024 to continue its vital work.

Director of IT
Cristina Pawlica, '10
Cristina served six years as a Force Support Officer before leaving active duty to pursue cybersecurity. She holds Masters in Transnational Security and Cybersecurity, works in as a Solutions Architect, and volunteers in the cyber field. Based in Colorado Springs, she supports cadets and joined ZASA to expand its impact and challenge harmful myths shrouding sexual assault and harassment at USAFA.

Director of Marketing & Communications
Hannah Campbell, '12
Hannah is ZASA’s Marketing & Communications Director. With a background in logistics, operations, PR, and marketing, Hannah served as a VA while on AD. She’s long followed ZASA’s mission and brings a strong commitment to amplifying the voices of those affected by sexual assault and harassment. Hannah is passionate about driving cultural change and fostering open, honest conversations.

Co-Director of Finance
Tricia Heller, '87
Trish played four years of volleyball and tennis at USAFA, flew C-9 medevac missions in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and later joined the Reserves at Scott AFB. While working full-time as Chief Pilot, she earned her law degree at Saint Louis University. Now in Colorado, she serves as in-house counsel and is active in the Blue Alliance with her wife, Gina, supporting cadets and cancer charities.

Co-Director of Finance
Regina (Gina) Brown, '85
Gina was a preppie who played basketball and ran track. After serving as a Manpower Engineering Officer, she pursued her dream of becoming a doctor. She earned her MD from Saint Louis University and trained at Georgetown and Johns Hopkins. Now Medical Director of Oncology at UCHealth Lone Tree, she and her wife Trish support cadets and cancer causes through the Blue Alliance.

Board Member
Leisa Meyer, '83
Leisa left USAFA in 1980, later earning her BA at UC Boulder and PhD in U.S. and women’s history from UW Madison. A professor at William & Mary since 1994, Dr. Meyer teaches gender, sexuality, and military history. Her book Creating G.I. Jane was inspired by her time at USAFA. She’s long advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and women veterans' support and services.

Board Member
Gretchen Cook, '87
Gretchen served as a Human Factors Engineer at Williams AFB before transitioning to the civilian sector to raise her sons. She later built a successful career at Boeing in defense aviation. Now retired in Maine, she mentors professionals and volunteers locally. Passionate about survivor support, Gretchen joined ZASA to help drive progress in sexual assault awareness and prevention at USAFA.

Board Member
Casey Evans, '17
Casey brings energy to the ZASA Board with her interest in learning new things to help us further our Mission and Vision. Casey graduated from USAFA in 2017 as a Distinguished Graduate, an honor bestowed based on her overall academic, military, and athletic performance averages throughout the undergraduate experience.
_JPG.jpg)
Board Member
Kristen Vance, '87
Soaring IP and DG at USAFA, Kristen served as a behavioral scientist: human factors engineer, PhD in Social Psych at UW Madison, DFBL professor and leadership counselor. After retirement, she focused on family, volunteering, and therapy dog work. Kristen joined ZASA and the Survivor Advocacy Network (SAN) to support MSA survivors and help empower them to reclaim their bodies and reimagine their lives.

Board Member
Jessica Tuttle, '20
Jess joins ZASA with a specialized focus on mental health advocacy & organizational education. She's been a vocal advocate at USAFA, a volunteer VA, and at USSTRATCOM. As one of few SAPR trainers there, she successfully implemented advocacy initiatives for 4,000 people. She hopes to build a more resilient, informed community to ensure every member - past & present - has access to the compassionate support and proactive education necessary for a safe, thriving environment.