Staff
Frank Heveran (he/him, they/them)
Program Director
Frank lives on the Eastside with his best friend, their two cats, and flock of five chickens. He loves playing in the dirt: making pottery, hiking, and trying new things in the outdoors. He's passionate about creating programming that builds community by forming new connections and friendships, fulfilling folks' needs, and welcoming all.
Board of Directors
Cait Schneider (she/her)
Cait is a longtime Eastside Lansing resident, where she co-parents two amazing kids, renovates houses, and runs a community garden. She is passionate about LGBTQIA+ empowerment and creating healing through shared spaces of joy. Currently, she is the garden director at a low-income housing nonprofit, where her work addresses the intersectional barriers to healthy food access. You can frequently find her at the Allen Farmers Market or Babe's Corner, laughing very loudly.
Chelsea Fristoe (she/her)
Chelsea Fristoe grew up in Lafayette, Indiana and came to Michigan for her Master's program at MSU in 2008. She decided Lansing was a pretty cool place, and has lived here ever since. Chelsea is passionate about community, dogs, and the power of strong communication. Outside of work, she enjoys being outdoors, renovating her 1927 home, traveling, and spending time with her wife and their many fur children. She is thrilled for the opportunity to serve on the Salus Center Board of Directors and looks forward to continuing to expand the resources available for the LGBTQIA+ community of Greater Lansing.
Geoffrey Johns (he/him)
Treasurer
Geoffrey lives in the Eastside neighborhood with his best friend and their two cats. He teaches writing at MSU, where he's also an alum. As a queer educator, he's committed to dismantling everyday binaries (including what "good" and "bad" writing looks like). He taught for three years in CMU's Women and Gender Studies program, and has worked closely with the Institute for Transformative Dialogue to facilitate conversations that promote social equity and focused allyship. He loves tabletop gaming, learning (and making) new recipes, watching (and riffing) old movies, and anything related to house genealogy or local history research.
Julia Kramer (she/they)
Secretary
Julia Kramer is a queer white person who lives in the Eastside neighborhood of Lansing. She is currently employed as the Assistant Director of the Michigan Farmers Market Association, where they support farmers markets and other food access and food justice initiatives all across the state. She volunteers at Tender Heart Gardens, a queer & trans gardening collective. They are interested in cultivating queer joy, interdependence, and strategies to move us towards a more equitable and pleasurable community.
Karen Gilmore (she/her)
Vice President of Community Outreach & Communications
Karen is a Black Queer film curator, photojournalist, and youth sports coach. Activism, community building and holistic wellness awareness for Black Queer folx are at the heart of all she does. Her roots are in the Metro Detroit area, but she proudly resides in South Lansing. Karen curates Black Film appreciation for Subtle Core Cinema, and spotlights various creatives at ReelArtsy.com – She’s programmed for several film fests including OutFest Fusion in L.A.; and in Lansing she co-founded the Black Pride & Liberation Fest. She has one amazing son, and is a proud cat mom.
KC Garcia (she/her)
Vice President of Development & Finance
KC Garcia is a proud Mexican-American queer woman residing in West Lansing with her little family. She attributes her philanthropic spirit to her late Abuelos, who always taught her to have an open heart and mind, stay humble and help others whenever possible. Her advocacy for the queer community began in high school where she attempted, and ultimately failed, to organize a GSA. The rejection fueled a life-long passion for equality and equity amongst the queer community, particularly for queer people of color. She has been in education her entire career and has volunteered, rallied and donated to many LGBTQIA+ organizations during that time. She is absolutely elated to be one of your board members! Her hope is to help make Salus the cornerstone of safety, education, community and healing for LGBTQIA+ folx in Lansing and surrounding cities. Recent accolades include Best Mama Ever 2023 (awarded by her 4 year old child), Worst Mama Ever 2023 (also awarded by her 4 year old), Great Lakes Learning Academy Chili Cook-Off Winner of the ‘22-23 school year and All-Time Best Treat Giver/Belly Rubber (awarded by her 11 year old husky).
Laurel Tilot (they/them)
President
Laurel is a lifelong learner, writer, and friend to many. They moved to Lansing in 2017 and got connected with their southside community through yoga and the Salus Center, which they then joined in 2022. Laurel works in diversity, equity, and inclusion for a Lansing-based public policy firm, advising on internal policy and external communications efforts. Outside of work, they’re a cat-loving, nature-situated, Americano-addicted cryptid.
LeChele Parris (she/her)
LeChele was raised in Haslett, Michigan and now resides in East Lansing. She is the extremely proud mother of three beautiful children, the loving and devoted spouse to her wife, and fur mom to her American bulldog. She is spiritual and is learning how to be present, enjoys camping/kayaking, a lover of dogs (she wants all the dogs), enjoys building community, loves traveling, loves tending to her flowers and garden, and believes there are no better foods on earth other than wedding cake and nachos.
She is looking forward to this opportunity to get back into community/outreach/resource work! Her heart has longed for this for quite some time, especially having worked in state government for the last 20 years. Additionally, she placed raising her children and completing her bachelor of science in Psychology, as priorities, which delayed her ambitions. However, although still a 40hour a week employee, her children are much older now, she has completed her degree, and has thee most supportive spouse she could ask for, so, "let's do this!"
Mick Teti-Beaudin (she/her)
Mick is an abolitionist educator who has been teaching reading and writing at community colleges for over ten years. She grew up just outside Philadelphia and moved to Lansing in 2021, where she lives with her husband, four cats, and the world's sweetest elderly pitbull. She is a lifelong cat lover, avid reader, prolific knitter, novice gardener, and devoted DND player (chaotic good alignment, if you're wondering).
Taylor Moberg (she/her)
Taylor Moberg was raised in a small town 15 minutes northeast of Lansing and migrated to Lansing in 2018. She has a strong passion for community outreach, social justice, and advocacy. As the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Specialist at MSU Federal Credit Union, Taylor has the opportunity to collaborate with employees across all levels, Affinity Groups, and community members to enhance work culture and strengthen the communities across Michigan. During her free time, Taylor can be found volunteering, gardening, crafting, and enjoying the company of her cats, Foster and Esso.
