DALLAS – Conference USA announced Friday four staffing additions to the league office. This month, CUSA added four new staff members: Kennedy Taylor (Associate Director, Sports Services), Elizabeth Kanzeg (Strategic Communications Assistant), Gabrielle Papushka (Sports Services Assistant) and Sundai Gibson (Administrative Assistant).
 
The Strategic Communications and Sports Services Assistant roles are structured as 10-month positions designed to provide recent graduates with hands-on experience in collegiate athletics administration.
 
Taylor provides sport oversight for cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field, men's and women's tennis, and beach volleyball and serves as the liaison for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Prior to joining CUSA, Taylor served as the Assistant Director of Championships at the Sun Belt Conference, where she managed championship operations for women’s soccer, volleyball, indoor track & field, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s tennis, beach volleyball, outdoor track & field, and baseball. She also supported SAAC initiatives during her tenure.
 
A former NCAA Division I student-athlete, Taylor played five seasons of women’s basketball at Texas State University. She was a two-time All-Sun Belt Second Team selection and finished the 2022–23 season as the NCAA Division I active leader in career assists. Taylor remains the all-time assists leader for both Texas State and the Sun Belt Conference. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Taylor holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a concentration in sports (2021) and a Master of Business Administration (2023), both from Texas State University. 
 
Kanzeg oversees communications efforts for cross country, indoor track & field, bowling, women’s tennis, men’s golf and outdoor track & field. Before arriving in Dallas, Kanzeg served as an Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant at Ball State University, where she graduated with her master's in Sport Administration in May 2025. She acted as the primary contact for the Cardinals' nationally ranked men's volleyball team, as well as the cross country and track & field programs.
 
Kanzeg's previous experience includes internships with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, where she supported events such as the USA Wrestling U23 Nationals and Pan-American Masters Games. She also spent time as a Communications Intern at Tallahassee Community College and a Social Media Intern with the Kokomo Jackrabbits, serving as in-game DJ and managing social media content. A native of Sullivan, Ohio, Kanzeg earned her bachelor's degree in Editing, Writing and Media from Florida State University in 2023.
 
Papushka arrives as the Sports Services Assistant and will provide general support to the entire sports services department for championship operations and membership services. Prior to joining CUSA, Papushka served as a student-athlete mentor and tutor at the University of Maine, guiding fellow students in time management, study strategies and academic success.
 
A captain and outfielder for the Black Bears’ softball program, Papushka represented her peers as the America East Conference liaison on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Originally from White Rock, B.C., Canada, Papushka received a Bachelor of Science in Management and Sport Management and earned Dean’s List recognition with a 3.75 GPA. In 2025, she received the University of Maine Scholar-Athlete Academic Achievement Award and was named CSC Academic All-District.
 
Gibson will provide part-time support to Conference USA’s staff, handling day-to-day office operations such as managing calls and visitors, maintaining contact lists and supplies, preparing meeting materials, coordinating schedules, handling mail and office equipment, and supporting event planning and special projects.
 
Gibson arrives at CUSA with previous stops at the Dallas Sports Commission, as an events intern, and the University of Texas football program, as a senior athletic recruiting operations assistant. A native of Dallas, Texas, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from the University of Texas at Austin (2022) and a Master of Business Administration (2023) from the University of North Texas.