Sexual Misconduct Institute (SMI) Chair

Katy Larkin – Senior Director of Student Accountability and Conflict Response, Penn State University 

Katy Larkin serves as the senior director of Student Accountability & Conflict Response. In this role, she is responsible for the administration of the Student Code of Conduct at the University Park campus as well as at the 23 additional campuses across the commonwealth and online. Katy also represents Penn State Student Affairs on multiple interdisciplinary teams and committees, including the Behavioral Threat Management Team, the Student Care Team, and the Expressive Speech Committee.

Katy has been an active leader within ASCA, serving on the association’s Title IX Working Group and as a faculty member for SMI in 2024 and 2025. She also contributed to the ASCA Model Procedures Taskforce and co‑authored the association’s Procedural Guide for Conduct Practitioners. Her involvement with ASCA began in 2011 as a Bracewell Conference Graduate Assistant and has continued through more than a decade of professional engagement and service.

With over 20 years of experience in student affairs, Katy previously served as assistant dean of students and director of Student Conduct and Community Standards at the University of Oregon, where she helped develop a new conduct code and procedures for addressing sexual misconduct, harassment, and discrimination. She previously held roles at Eastern Oregon University, the University of Nevada, Reno, and UNLV, where she also earned her master’s degree in higher education leadership after completing her bachelor’s in sociology at the University of Oregon.

Sexual Misconduct Institute (SMI) Faculty

Kristi Patrickus, JD – ASCA Board Director-at-Large; Founder, Patrickus Consulting

Kristi Patrickus, J.D. is a licensed attorney and higher education consultant with deep expertise in Title IX compliance, student conduct policy, and procedural due process. She is a K-12 school attorney for the Missouri-based law firm EdCounsel, LLC where she provides comprehensive legal guidance to over 200 public school districts across numerous practice areas. Kristi is also the founder of Patrickus Consulting LLC, where she provides training and strategic advising to attorneys, student organizations, and higher education institutions navigating complex regulatory landscapes, including Title IX, Title VI, and student disciplinary systems.

Kristi has served as Title IX Coordinator at Penn State University and previously worked at the University of Oregon as both a student advocate attorney and a student conduct case coordinator. Her work has spanned advising both students and student organizations on misconduct, academic grievances, appeals, and regulatory compliance. She has extensive experience developing and implementing policy, conducting investigations, and training stakeholders on their legal obligations related to university disciplinary proceedings.

A sought-after national speaker, Kristi presents regularly on topics such as due process, free speech, and the legal implications of evolving federal regulations. She is a published author in the Journal of College and University Law and an active leader within the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA), where she serves as Director-at-Large and chairs multiple policy and training initiatives. Kristi earned her J.D. from the University of Oregon and holds bar admissions in Missouri and Oregon.

Michael Fazi, JD, MEd –  Assistant Director, Title IX, Vanderbilt University

Michael Fazi serves as the Assistant Director for Title IX at Vanderbilt University. In this role, he reviews and responds to reports of sexual misconduct, sex discrimination, and other related policy violations in compliance with Title VII and Title IX. He also helps manage supportive measures, informal resolution processes, pregnancy modifications, athletics equity compliance review, Clery review, and the office’s extensive training initiative. In addition to his professional work, Michael serves as a faculty VUceptor for Vanderbilt’s first-year experience program, Vanderbilt Visions.

Within ASCA, Michael served as the 2025, SMI Chair, the 2024 SMI Logistics Coordinator and a member of the association’s Title IX Working Group. Michael also serves as the Co-Chair for the Conduct Professionals with/interested in J.D.s Community of Practice. Michael is an active presenter, presenting recently at events sponsored by ASCA, the US Air Force Academy, and the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services.

Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Michael worked as a Community Standards Fellow at Merrimack College and Law Clerk for the University System of New Hampshire’s General Counsel. He holds a B.A. cum laude in Politics from the University of Dallas, an M.Ed. in Higher Education from Merrimack College, and a J.D. cum laude from the University of New Hampshire School of Law.

Martha Compton, M.A. – Director of Civil Rights & Title IX Compliance, Southern New Hampshire University

Martha brings over 25 years of experience in higher education, student affairs, student conduct, Title IX, and Title VI work across numerous public and private educational institutions. Martha is widely considered a national expert in the field of higher education and is a sought-after speaker and commentator in local and national media. Martha has trained thousands of student conduct, Title IX, and equity professionals across the country on numerous topics including investigations, conducting hearings, Title IX, Title VI, and pregnancy and related conditions.

Martha has held a number of leadership positions within ASCA, serving as Awards chair, a state representative, Gehring faculty, Gehring track coordinator, Director of Education, and President of the Association. She has served on and chairs a number of taskforces within ASCA and recently ended her second term serving on the Goldstone Foundation Board. Martha was on the team that created the curriculum for the first iteration of ASCA’s Sexual Misconduct Institute and has also previously served as an SMI facilitator.

A New Hampshire native, Martha received her BA in English from Keene State College, her MA in Student Development from Appalachian State University, and completed higher education doctoral coursework at Ohio University. Outside of the office, Martha enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her dog and is still trying to bake a perfect loaf of sourdough bread.

Bonnie Taylor, EdD – CEO and Founder, Taylor Strategic Consulting 

Dr. Bonnie J. Taylor is CEO and Founder of Taylor Strategic Consulting, a leadership and higher education strategy firm. She brings more than 15 years of experience in student conduct, Title IX compliance, and sexual misconduct prevention and response. Her work includes policy development, investigations, crisis management, and organizational strategy for colleges, universities, and organizations navigating complex compliance environments.

Dr. Taylor’s higher education career includes senior leadership roles as Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students at Spelman College and Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Integrity at Georgia Tech. In these positions, she oversaw student conduct and Title IX-related processes, managed sexual misconduct and compliance training for students and staff, and led revisions to conduct procedures to promote fundamentally fair, education-centered practices aligned with Title IX and other regulatory requirements. She previously served as Coordinator of Student Conduct at Georgia State University and held student life leadership roles at Tusculum University.

A longtime contributor to the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA), Dr. Taylor has served as faculty for the Donald J. Gehring Academy on both the Director’s/Aspiring Director’s and Foundations tracks and will serve as the 2026 Gehring Academy Track Coordinator. She has also taught Student Conduct 101: Alternative Pathways (2025, 2026) and Student Conduct 301: Equity-Based Policies (2025), and has presented at the ASCA Annual Conference. Throughout her career, she has designed and delivered more than 40 workshops and presentations on bystander intervention, compliance, risk management, and crisis response.

Dr. Taylor holds a Doctor of Education from East Tennessee State University, an MBA from King University, and a BA in Speech Communication from Muskingum University.

Sexual Misconduct Institute (SMI) Session Facilitator

Dr. Kate Watson – President and Founder, The Advocacy Academy

Dr. Kate Watson is the President and Founder of The Advocacy Academy, which is a consulting company focused on the development of skilled victim and family advocates to reduce violence around the world. Through her work with The Advocacy Academy, she has conducted educational workshops in 32 states, 8 countries, and across many fields: healthcare, education, social services, financial advising, victim advocacy, corrections, and leadership. On average, Dr. Watson speaks to 10,000 live audience members each year.

Dr. Watson holds a Master of Education in Psychological Counseling from Columbia University, a Doctorate in Health Policy and Social Justice from Drexel University, and a Certificate of Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Her dissertation was titled: “Addressing Violence, Trauma, and Discrimination in the Education System: An Examination of the Training Needs of Title IX Coordinators.”

She is an on-going consultant to the Department of Defense, the NFL, and to major television networks. In addition to her speaking and consulting work, Dr. Watson sits on the Board of Directors for The Lady Parts Collective, which is a Los Angeles-based theater company specializing in the development of work relevant to women in the United States.  She is also a Director Emeritus for the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Dr. Watson is the author of three books: (1) The Embodied Advocate: The Inner Work Necessary to be an Advocate Against Power-Based Violence, (2) Motivational Interviewing for Victim Advocates, and (3) Only Trying to Help: Higher Standards for Well-Meaning Friends, Colleagues, Parents, and Partners.

Micaela Deming – Policy Director, DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence 

Micaela Deming, pronouns she, her, hers, serves the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence as Policy Director. Micaela is primarily responsible for leading the Coalitions’ policy and systems change strategy and team, working with member programs and allies to develop policy positions, and representing the Coalition with lawmakers and local leaders.

Micaela has worked extensively in direct service as a victim advocate and as a trial and appellate attorney for survivors. She also worked on statewide systems change and nationally as a technical assistance provider, mentor, trainer, and advisor to advance best practices in civil and criminal justice, child welfare, advocacy, and services for survivors. Micaela is a Baltimore native with a Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University and a BA from Bucknell University.