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Meet Our Staff

Peter Trakas

Email: PTrakas@usf.edu
Dr. Peter Trakas joined the Gus A. Stavros Center in May of 2022 as its director. Dr Trakas has more than 25 years of higher education administration experience in various roles within institutional advancement. He received his Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Central Florida and an MBA from Stetson University. His scholarship explores online giving, university advancement and the ways in which private and corporate stakeholders can be engaged by higher education institutions to support student success.

Dick J. Puglisi

Email: dpuglisi@usf.edu 
Dr. Dick Puglisi is Professor, Professor Emeritus in the College of Education and Director Emeritus for the Stavros Center.  Dick served on faculty since 1969, and served as Director of the center from 1980 until 2022.  He is a recipient of the coveted Freedoms Foundation Award for Excellence in Private Enterprise Education.

Brittany Krieg

Email:brittanykrieg@usf.edu

Ms. Brittany Krieg is an educator with over two decades of successful experience in Polk County Public Schools. She specializes in Economics with Financial Literacy, currently teaching at Lakeland High School. Her career started with six years’ experience with middle school students in both Social Science and Exceptional Student Education. Outside of school hours, she enjoys creating and writing economic curriculum. The Stavros Center has been a hub for most of Krieg's economic curriculum writing and development since 2016, working with the center as Polk County Liaison beginning in 2015. Mrs. Krieg has received many awards and honors including the Charles C. Harper Economic Educator of the Year Award for the state of Florida in 2019, a REEL Educator Award from the Florida Council of Economic Education in 2019, 2020 and 2023. Krieg was celebrated in the 2021 Stavros Center Sustainability Superheroes Celebration. Keiser University selected Mrs. Krieg as Educator of the Year in 2015. She has won three State Governor's awards from the FCEE for the curriculum that she has written for her course in 2010, 2013, and 2015

Christine Angel Danger

Email: cdanger@usf.edu
Ms. Christine Angel Danger earned her B.S. in elementary education at The University of South Florida and Master’s in Educational Leadership from Saint Leo University. She achieved National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 2007. She has served Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) for over 20 years as a teacher, science coach, teacher trainer, and STEM Coordinator. She has written curriculum and professional development for Hillsborough County Public Schools, University of Florida’s CPALMS, University of Florida, and for ×îÐÂÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Stavros Center.  Her honors include 2009 Promoting Regional Excellence in Science and Math (PRISM) award, Teacher of the Year 2013, National Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher of the Year 2015, National Earth Science Teachers Association Teacher of the Year 2015, and the 2019 Regional Economic Education Leadership (REEL) Award. Mrs. Danger has also been a Honeywell Space-Camp for Educators astronaut trainee and is a member of the Civil Air Patrol. She has appeared in Superhero Training Network children’s science videos as the super-villain Anti-Matter. She also loves to play ice hockey.

Emily Jones Mendez

Email: ejmendez1@usf.edu

 Ms. Emily Mendez earned her BA in Interdisaplinary Social Sciences from ×îÐÂÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ in 2005. Emily worked in the retail industry for the better part of 20 years post graduation. She worked in several different capacities, including 10 years of management. Emily joined the Stavros Center's staff in 2022 as the Administrative Specialist. Her duties include workshop management, payroll, and USF website maintnance. Emily has brought her wealth of Marketing experience to the Center and has been a cheerleader for the mission and a promoter of what the Stavros Center has to offer. Her interests include hosting family get togethers and all things outdoors.  

Kara Windish

Email: kwishdish@learninggate.org

Kara Windish is a passionate educator with 18 years of experience, currently teaching middle school social studies at Learning Gate Community School. She specializes in creating dynamic learning experiences that go beyond the traditional classroom. One of Kara’s proudest accomplishments is incorporating entrepreneurship into her curriculum through engaging Shark Tank lessons, inspiring students to think creatively and develop their business acumen. This past summer, she had the privilege of leading the first Shark Tank camp through USF, where students had the opportunity to bring their ideas to life.
In addition to classroom teaching, Kara is a master teacher at the Stavros Center, and helps
facilitate workshops where she helps fellow educators integrate innovative resources into their classrooms. Kara also is the social media director for the center and attends every workshop taking pictures and video. Her goal is to empower both students and teachers to reach their fullest potential through creativity and critical thinking.

Beverly Ledbetter

Email: msled25@hotmail.com

Beverly Ledbetter taught Social Studies for 36 years in the Pasco County School district. She has a BA from ×îÐÂÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ in Social Studies Education and History and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from National-Louis University.  Since retiring in 2011, she has been an Adjunct Professor in the College of Education at Saint Leo University. During her tenure as a teacher, she was Florida’s Economic Educator of the Year (2003), Florida Global Studies Teacher of the Year (2007) and from 200-2006, a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Economic Education. Beverly has presented workshops for many years at the Florida Council for Social Studies as well as the SOURCES Conference at UCF. In 2022, she received the American Federation of Teachers Living Legacy Award for her commitment to education. She is a member of the USF’s Golden Guard (class of 1974).

Lisa Lawson

Email: lisa.lawson@hcps.net

As an educator with Hillsborough County Public Schools, Lisa has been instrumental in empowering students and advancing educational excellence since 2006. She is passionate about STEM, sustainability, and financial literacy education for all students. She has served as a Master Teacher Cadre member at USF’s Stavros Center since 2022, developing and delivering professional development workshops for educators. Her accolades include being named Hillsborough County Teacher of the Year in 2018, receiving the Regional Economic Educator & Leadership (REEL) Award in 2020 and 2023, earning an Honorable Mention for the Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education Teacher of the Year Award in 2024, and receiving a U.S. Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition as Education Teacher of the Year in 2024. She has also been a five-time nominee for the Hillsborough Association Elementary Science Teachers Superhero of Science Award.
Lisa Lawson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems with minors in Speech Communication and Psychology, as well as a Master of Business Administration degree, both from Southern Illinois University. Lisa holds endorsements in Gifted Education, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Reading K-12, and Civics Seal of Excellence. Her certifications include Elementary Education Grades K-6 and Business Education Grades 6-12.
Lisa is passionate about mentoring and tutoring students, striving to instill a love of learning and self-confidence in everyone she reaches. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, friends, and pets, and embracing opportunities for lifelong learning.