Agency Staff
Katie Harrison
Executive Director
Katie joined the Tuition Grants Commission as Deputy Director in 2009, after having previously worked as a financial aid administrator since 1998 in both Georgia and South Carolina. Katie was promoted to Executive Director in 2017. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Oglethorpe University and her Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. Katie is an active member of the South Carolina Association of Student Financial Administrators (SCASFAA). The Association honored her with the Emerging Leader Award (2010), the Achiever Award (2016), and the Fearless Nine Service to SCASFAA Award (2019), giving her the distinction of becoming the first member to earn all three of the Association’s awards. She has served SCASFAA as President and Secretary, in addition to volunteering for and chairing a number of committees since joining in 2002. She chaired the Association’s 50th Anniversary Conference in 2016. Katie has also represented the state of South Carolina on the Executive Board of the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA) and continues to be an active member of that Association. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP) as Conference Co-Chair, and served as NASSGAP President in 2021-22. Katie holds the designation of Certified Information Privacy Professional, earned through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. In 2015, at the invitation of former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Education Initiative, Katie represented the state of South Carolina at a FAFSA convening of higher education administrators from across the country, which was held at the White House.
Zachary Christian
Deputy Director
Zachary has been a member of the Tuition Grants Commission staff since November 2016. He first served as the agency’s Financial Aid Counselor and IT Director from November 2016 until April 2020, when he was promoted to Deputy Director. Prior to joining the Commission, Zachary was a Financial Aid Counselor at his Alma Mater, Winthrop University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Music and History. Zachary also earned a Database Analyst certificate from Midlands Technical College in 2017. In September 2024, Zachary earned the FAAC® designation through the Certified Financial Aid Administrator® Program, being one of only 20 professionals in the State that hold this designation. Since joining the financial aid profession in 2014, Zachary has been an active member of the South Carolina Association of Student Financial Administrators (SCASFAA). Zachary has served the Association in various capacities on the Executive Board since joining in 2015, including as Association President during the 2023-24 membership year. As Immediate Past President, Zachary serves as the Chair of the Nominations & Elections Committee for the 2024-25 year. The Association honored him with the Emerging Leader Award in 2018 and the Achiever Award in 2024. In addition to his involvement with SCASFAA, Zachary is actively involved with the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA), the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs (NASSGAP), and the South Carolina Information Technology Directors Association (SCITDA). Outside of the Commission and professional association involvement, Zachary is an Adjunct Instructor at Midlands Technical College, teaching various database and other computer courses, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Palmetto Mastersingers.
Kira Demery
Fiscal Operations Coordinator
Kira Demery began working for the Tuition Grants Commission on January 3, 2023, as the Tuition Grants Program Coordinator. Kira was promoted to the Fiscal Operations Coordinator position in September 2024. An alumni of one of our own independent institutions of higher education, Kira earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Benedict College, and has a first-hand understanding of the importance of independent liberal arts education. Prior to joining the Commission, Kira served as the Principal Trainer for Customer Support Staff at Publix, where she built strong relationships with customers and employees alike, and advanced her store’s excellent reputation for outstanding customer service. As the Fiscal Operations Coordinator, Kira handles the financial operations of the Tuition Grants Commission, which includes the disbursement of Tuition Grants program funds and communication with the State Treasurer’s Office, Comptroller General’s Office, State Budget Office, the State Auditor’s Office and financial aid officials of the participating colleges. Kira is an active member of the South Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SCASFAA), currently serving as a member of the Conference Committee and is the 2024-25 Communications Committee Vice-Chair. Kira has also earned several Professional Credentials through the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).
Shay Shealy West
Program Operations Coordinator
Shay joined the Tuition Grants Commission staff October 2024 as Program Operations Coordinator. In this role, she draws on both professional and personal experience with South Carolina independent colleges and universities. Shay advocated for independent higher education in South Carolina through nearly a decade of experience with legislative advocacy firm SCICU, with the last seven years serving as Director of Communications and Marketing. Much of her SCICU advocacy supported the Tuition Grants Program, including the annual letter-writing campaign and State House Higher Education Day, featuring thousands of Tuition Grants recipients at independent colleges and universities sending “Thanks for my South Carolina Tuition Grant!” letters to members of the General Assembly. Before starting higher education advocacy in 2015, Shay’s leadership roles across multiple service industries ranged from database marketing, mortgage lending, market operations leadership, and branch network planning in financial services to market research and location planning for major restaurant holding companies. She also taught computer classes as an adjunct instructor in the NC Community College System. Shay earned a BS in business administration from Erskine College, a Tuition Grants participating institution. While at Erskine Shay served two terms as the President of the SC Press Association-Collegiate Division. She also holds an MBA with concentrations in corporate finance, marketing, and management information systems from the University of Georgia. Outside Commission work, Shay serves as board secretary of the Arc of South Carolina, a leading disability advocacy and case management organization.