Staff
Office of Legal Affairs
Office of General Counsel
Mica McKinney
Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel
Mica McKinney serves as the Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel at Utah State University (USU). In this role, she leads the university’s legal team, providing strategic counsel to the administration and Board of Trustees on a wide range of complex legal issues, including governance, risk management, litigation, compliance, employment law, free speech, and academic freedom. McKinney recently received the Extraordinary Service Award from the USU Student Association.
Prior to her current leadership position, McKinney built a robust legal career in both the public and private sectors. She also served in distinguished clerkships, clerking for Chief Justice Christine M. Durham of the Utah Supreme Court and Judge Dee V. Benson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah.
A dedicated public servant and higher education leader, McKinney is a proud alumna of Utah State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Journalism. She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.
Alisa Larsen
Associate General Counsel
Alisa Larsen joined the Office of General Counsel in 2022. Alisa brings with her a strong background in both government and private practice giving her the versatility needed to advise USU in a broad capacity.
As a judicial law clerk for the First Judicial District and Juvenile Courts of Utah, Alisa worked directly with judges and commissioners on the research of and writings for civil and criminal matters. In private practice, Alisa did family and civil law litigation, and also managed government research contracts and negotiations. As a deputy county attorney, Alisa worked with police, public safety, health and human services, human resources, and other departments on policies and procedures, records, and various civil and criminal litigation matters.
Alisa graduated from Utah State University with a B.M. in Music Performance. Continuing her education, she earned a Juris Doctor from Creighton University School of Law and served as a member of the Creighton Law Review.
Alisa is a true-blooded Aggie, and continues to support USU by attending various concerts, activities, and sporting events. Alisa also values community, and volunteers at and has served on boards for local non-profit organizations. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, being outdoors, making crafts, and traveling.
Burke Nazer
Assistant Attorney General
Burke Nazer is the assistant attorney general assigned to Utah State University. He is a Logan native and USU alumnus. Burke studied law at The Ohio State University and has been a member of the Utah Bar since October 2009.
Burke has experience in a broad range of legal areas in multiple jurisdictions, having spent over ten years working for state courts in Ohio, Idaho, and Utah. During that time, he advised judges on complex legal issues in a wide variety of cases, including business disputes, torts, election controversies, and constitutional law.
Before joining the legal team at USU, Burke represented the Utah Department of Corrections and the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. He has significant litigation experience in state and federal court, and at administrative agencies, including the State Records Committee and State Retirement Board.
Burke also serves as the Section Director for the Higher Education Section within the Utah Attorney General's Office.
In his spare time, Burke enjoys golfing, reading books on American history, and spending time with his wife and three daughters. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Little Lambs Foundation for Kids.
Dan Castellano
Associate General Counsel
Dan Castellano joined USU’s Office of General Counsel in 2025 as Associate General Counsel. Dan brings a background in government and public service and a commitment to USU’s mission as a land-grant and research institution.
Prior to joining USU, Dan spent twelve years with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., specializing in administrative appeals and civil litigation under the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act. He provided counsel to federal agencies on compliance with records and privacy laws, balancing the need for transparency and accountability with the need to protect law enforcement, national security, and other sensitive information.
Dan earned his J.D., cum laude, from Indiana University Maurer School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the Indiana Law Journal. He also holds a B.A. in International Relations from Brigham Young University.
Outside of work, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife and five children. He loves fly fishing, hiking, rafting, and camping. He also enjoys racquetball and board games.
Greg Funk
Associate General Counsel
Greg is an Associate General Counsel at Utah State University. Before returning to USU, he served 20 years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps. In those 20 years he worked as a Staff Judge Advocate (General Counsel), prosecutor, Victims’ Legal Counsel, defense counsel, department head, instructor, Officer-In-Charge, and commanding officer.
He graduated with a BA in Political Science from USU. He also attended Syracuse University Law School and Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, receiving a Juris Doctor and Master’s in Public Administration.
Ryan Brady
Associate General Counsel
Ryan Brady serves as Associate General Counsel at Utah State University, where he has provided strategic legal guidance since 2011. While his practice is broad, he offers focused expertise in intellectual property, contracts, athletics, corporate law, compliance, and policy. In this role, he navigates the complex legal landscape of a major research institution, ensuring the university’s administrative and academic goals are met with rigorous oversight.
Prior to joining USU, Ryan practiced in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia as an associate at Oliff and Berridge PLC and later at Baker Donelson. A registered patent attorney, his background also includes clerkships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Virginia Court of Appeals. This professional breadth is supported by a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Brigham Young University and a Juris Doctor from the College of William and Mary.
Outside of the office, Ryan loves to spend time skiing, cycling, and paddling throughout the state’s mountains, canyons, and waterways. Most of all, he enjoys sharing these adventures with his wife and their four children.
Rebekah Watts
Associate General Counsel
Rebekah Watts joined the Office of General Counsel in 2025. Prior to joining the Office of General Counsel, Rebekah Watts worked as a law clerk to the Honorable Magistrate Judge Daphne A. Oberg in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah wherein she conducted extensive legal research, drafted judicial opinions and orders, and assisted in managing complex civil and criminal federal dockets.
Following her clerkship, Rebekah practiced at the Salt Lake City law firm, Ray Quinney & Nebeker, focusing on employment law and commercial litigation in state and federal court. During her time at Ray Quinney & Nebeker, Rebekah was recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Employment Litigation (2025), an honor awarded to the top 2.5% of attorneys in Utah under 40 or with fewer than ten years of practice.
Rebekah graduated from the University of Utah with dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and Health, Society and Policy. Continuing her education, Rebekah earned a Juris Doctor from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah, graduating Order of the Coif. In law school, Rebekah served as a research assistant to multiple professors and as a member of the Utah Law Review.
In her free time Rebekah enjoys traveling, playing volleyball, fly fishing, camping, and spending time with her family, including her adorable dog.
Administrative Support
Lilly Stonecipher
Paralegal
Lilly Stonecipher came to Utah State University in 2017. Coming from private practice in both Arizona and Utah, Lilly brings with her valuable knowledge of various legal processes and procedures. Working directly with our Attorneys, Lilly assists with all aspects of support for the Office of General Counsel and is USU’s Certified Records Manager.
Lilly enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and reading.
Sam Zehe
Senior Administrative Assistant
Sam Zehe joined the team in December 2023. Sam has a varied background in paralegal work, accounting, and customer service with a little event planning along the way as well. She approaches all aspects of any job with a positive, hard-working mindset, and is passionate about
helping find solutions to any challenges. In her free time, Sam likes read, bowl, and go for motorcycle rides with her husband.
Haley Klaassen
Project Specialist
Haley Klaassen came to USU in 2023 and joined the Legal Affairs team in July 2024. She has a B.S. in Business Management with an Emphasis in Supply Chain Management, and recently earned her M.B.A.
Prior to joining USU, Haley spent the majority of her career working in Supply Chain Management at Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix, Arizona. She supported various commercial and military aircraft programs, with the F-22 program being her favorite. She holds a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification and enjoys collaborating with cross-functional teams to find efficient solutions to various issues.
In her free time, Haley enjoys sewing, baking, spending time with friends and family, and riding her horses.
Policy
Crystal Giordano
Policy Officer
Crystal Giordano joined the Legal Affairs team in July 2024. She brings over 17 years of higher education experience in enrollment services, event planning, strategic planning, and student development.
After earning her B.A. in Interior Design at Weber State University (WSU), Crystal spent 9 years recruiting, advising, coordinating new student orientation, and mentoring student leaders at Weber State University. In 2016, she accepted a new role as Assistant Registrar at Utah State University (USU), leading the registration and transfer articulation teams. During her employment at USU, she earned her MEd in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Student Affairs Administration. In 2020, she returned to WSU as the Director of Scholarships. After 3 years in this role, she began her role as Assistant Vice President at USU, planning commencement for the university, leading space management and policy review. In April 2024, she earned her EdD in Higher Education Leadership at Maryville University of Saint Louis.
During her career, Crystal has served on the Board of Directors for NODA (Association for Orientation, Transition, Retention in Higher Education), on the NASPA First-generation College Student Success Conference Advisory Committee, and numerous leadership roles within UACRAO and RMASFAA. She has been an advisor for various alternative spring break community service trips and taught first-year students for many years. She has presented at national conferences regarding student success, first-generation college student success, and leadership principles.
Crystal enjoys hiking, reading, crafting, and watching movies with her husband, two daughters, and their chocolate lab Pretzel.
Ethics and Compliance Services
Josh Brown
Director of Ethics and Compliance Services
Josh Brown joined the Legal Affairs team in February 2026 as the Director of Ethics and Compliance Services. He has an experienced background in government and public service compliance, ethics, and regulations.
Prior to joining USU, Josh spent twenty-five years at the Veterans Health Administration (VA) as the Chief Compliance Officer at the Denver, Colorado and San Antonio, Texas Health Care Systems and as the Chief of Social Work Services in the Las Vegas, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah Health Care Systems.
Josh earned his Master of Health Administration and Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah and his Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Marriage, Family, and Human Development from Brigham Young University.
Josh enjoys woodworking, reading, traveling, competing in triathlons, and spending time with his spouse and children.
Angie Hoffmann
Compliance Officer
Angie Hoffmann joined University Ethics and Compliance and Legal Affairs in January 2023. She has worked for USU in various positions for approximately fourteen years. Angie serves as the Conflict of Interest Officer, where she oversees the implementation of the Conflict of Interest (COI) program, including coordinating the training, disclosure of non-research related outside interests and the COI management plan process. In her spare time, Angie enjoys cooking, reading, writing and spending time in the outdoors.
Liliana Acosta Santacruz
Chief Data Privacy Officer
Liliana Acosta Santacruz is Utah State University's Chief Data Privacy Officer, leading efforts to protect personal data while ensuring compliance with privacy laws and regulations. She develops privacy frameworks overseeing information management, vendor oversight, and incident response, while promoting the responsible, transparent, and lawful use of data across the university.
Liliana holds a five-year law degree (JD-equivalent) and a specialization in Petroleum, Mining, and Energy Law from Universidad Externado de Colombia, a Master of Literature from West Virginia University, and an MHR from Utah State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Before joining USU, she served as In-House Legal Counsel and Compliance Officer at AES Colombia, where she developed and implemented the company's first comprehensive Data Privacy Program, supported its ethics and compliance program, and oversaw third-party compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and anti-corruption policies. She also practiced international law at Consortium Legal in Guatemala, advising clients on data privacy, corporate compliance programs, and cross-border transactions.
At USU, Liliana established the university’s institutional privacy program and advises academic and administrative units on compliance with HIPAA, FERPA, GLBA, GDPR, and Utah privacy laws. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Utah’s outdoors, reading, and spending time with her family.