Staff
Frank Heveran (he/him)
Program Director
Frank lives on the Eastside with his cat Bailey. 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
Dana White (she/her)
Dana is a queer white woman who recently settled in Michigan after growing up in Texas and living in Ohio and Colorado. She works as a therapist partnering with individuals seeking support in the areas of mental health and substance use, utilizing a harm reduction and justice-oriented lens. She is honored to join in the Salus mission of acknowledging the interconnectedness of oppression and advocating for our community. In her spare time Dana enjoys reading, cooking, being outdoors, playing recreational sports, and spending time with her partner, cats, and pug.
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.
Jesse Stroster (he/him)
Jesse lives in Holt with his cat, Henley. He graduated from MSU with a major in computer science and is a software developer for the State of Michigan. Big principles for the State are Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This encouraged Jesse to start his LGBTQIA work for the Salus Center and local events in the community. In his free time, he loves to play piano, video games and board games, goes on hikes as well as cooks and bakes.
KC Garcia (she/her)
President
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).
Layne Ingram (he/him)
Layne Ingram is an out-and-proud Transgender man with a passion for raising awareness of and supporting the Trans community, specifically youth and teens. He is a strong advocate for people being exactly who they are and living their lives as authentically as they can.
He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2002 with his bachelor's in communications after a standout, four-year career on the women's basketball team. He was then drafted to the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs. Over the course of his professional career, Layne has worked in the non-profit, professional sports and higher-education sectors and is also an accomplished public speaker and national presenter. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Leadership from Central Michigan University.
Layne made the decision to transition in 2016 and hasn't looked back since.
Mia Murphy (she/her)
Mia is an advocate for public universities in Michigan and a proud transgender woman. As a lifelong Michigander, she is dedicated to building strong educational institutions that have the resources necessary to support the success of their diverse student populations. After starting her career with Michigan Equality, Mia now works frequently with the legislature, the executive branch, and nonprofits and looks forward to bringing her skills to advance equity and justice for Lansing’s LGBTQIA+ community. She holds a PhD in Higher, Adult, & Lifelong Education from Michigan State University, an MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago, and a BA from MSU. She's a sucker for a good board game, video game, or a time travel adventure novel. Mia is very thankful for the community she found through Salus, and lives in Lansing with her lovely wife.
Rachel Younger (she/her)
Rachel is a licensed social worker therapist by day and physicist by night. Originally from Baltimore, MD, Rachel now calls Lansing, MI home. With a diverse background that blends the analytical world of physics with the compassionate realm of social work, she has been able to increase awareness and support initiatives that impact social injustices in a unique way. When she is not working she spends time with her husband and two kids watching movies, playing Mario party, or diving into DIY projects. My goal is to leave this earthly plane a better place than I found it. I fight for a world where everyone can be their authentic selves unapologetically.
Rose Stanyer (she/her)
Rose Stanyer is working towards building community bridges through inclusive education. She’s a queer woman from Central Michigan, and her passions include film, nature, and helping others. Wrapping up a degree in Broadcast/Cinematic Arts, she’s excited to use her skills of media production to create connections and communicate contemporary concepts. She’s spent her college years studying underrepresented groups, and is eager to put her studies into effect by providing meaningful support.
Rose also minored in Women & Gender studies, with particular interest and attention paid to Queer Feminism. She believes that crafting an intersectional filter to help you view the world is critical to recognize and combat injustices. She is excited to get to connect with and get to know the lovely community that we’re committed to growing.
In her spare time, you can find her camping, riding her motorcycle, or being sad about it being winter. (She remains adamant that Winter is pretty, too, at least). She’s a gamer with no free time, but enjoys tabletop and card games of all kinds.
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).
TJ Libarkin (she/they)
TJ is on the verge of completing her Bachelor's Degree at MSU, proving that age is no barrier to education. Residing in East Lansing with her wife and 19-year-old son, alongside a lively household featuring 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a tortoise, TJ has established a true home in the Lansing area over the past 15 years.
With a wealth of education and skills acquired over time, TJ is now poised to leverage her experiences and connections to contribute to the advancement of the Salus Center in the upcoming year. Excited about the future possibilities, TJ is ready to channel her knowledge and network toward shaping a positive trajectory for the Salus Center.
Will Verchereau (they/them)
Will lives with their husband, two greyhounds and an ever-growing collection of plants in Lansing's Westside neighborhood. With a background in communications and social work, Will's professional focus is on aligning people with the things that ignite their passion and lead to purposeful, fulfilling work. They have more than 10 years of communications and executive coaching experience and have proudly served as a Big in the region's Big Brothers Big Sisters program since 2012. They currently serve on a full-time, dedicated Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team at a national law firm and develop programming and communications to foster an inclusive work environment for all. In their spare time, WIll enjoys reading sci-fi and fantasy, playing video games, cultivating the land around their home, and exploring the many, many things Lansing and Michigan have to offer.
