OutCenter Leadership

Our Board of Directors

John Royse

  • John earned an MBA degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Computer Science and Economics from Denison University in Ohio.  He has over 30 years of professional experience in various consulting and management positions in the Healthcare, Financial Services, Insurance, and Manufacturing industries.

    John and his husband (also named John) recently chose to permanently relocate to Bridgman.  They have 4 grown children now in their 20’s.  John is passionate about supporting the LGBTQ community and is honored to serve on the Board to help grow the OutCenter for Southwest Michigan.

Board Chair

Greg Fulmer

  • Through his work organizing business initiatives with area-nonprofits to build a stronger community and company culture, Greg was able to observe the great programs and services provided by the OutCenter and quickly developed a deep admiration for the impactful work they offer to this community. Greg is thrilled to now be a part of this wonderful organization, and he is passionate about working with local and state-wide groups to help bring equality home to Southwest Michigan.

Vice Chair

Scott R. Gane

  • Scott spends his 9 to 5 (and then some) these days living out all the ABCs behind his name as VP of a security & crisis response firm based in Detroit. He is a parent to two generations of adult children and the other half of #GigiandPapaG, running away to parts south and west whenever he gets the chance to see the big kids who live out of state.

    Scott’s allyship with the LGBTQ community began in the late 70’s and 80’s while I was a firefighter, paramedi, and police officer. He witnessed firsthand the inhumanities violently portrayed on the community while just trying to live, literally, as this was the peak of the AIDS epidemic. He saw people who needed help and was there to help them and listen to them while he patched them up. Scott began working with the OutCenter a few years ago when some ne’er-do-wells made threats to the OutCenter and the good people who work there and he’s been doing some “behind the scenes” work ever since. He has also sat on the Board of an international security association and Berrien County Sportsman Club in the past.

    Scott was born and raised in southwest Michigan. His wife often says “you can take the boy out of the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the boy.” Some may know Scott as BajaGringo from when he had a taco truck, others may remember his infamous firehouse chili from when he and his wife owned the Main Street Café (1999-2002) in downtown Benton Harbor. Call him a Renaissance man, but don’t call him late for dinner!

Board Treasurer

Carly Hubers

  • She has experience in higher education, teaching students about social justice, sustainability, and community engagement.  She currently serves as a youth ministry director in Saint Joseph. She is passionate about the work of the OutCenter and believes that a community should be a place that honors the dignity of all creation.

Board Secretary

  • She has fallen in love with this area, its natural beauty and its wonderful food. She  spent 21 years in the local hospitality industry and has been active in her church, and in politics. Above all, she loves giving back to the OutCenter that supported her as she transitioned to be her authentic self.

Freya Gilbert

  • A firm believer in the importance of systemic change to further equality for the LGBTQ+ community, Lyons brings strong relationships and knowledge of both the local and national landscape to the OutCenter board.

    Born and raised in Dowagiac, Michigan, Lyons earned her BFA from The Theatre School at Chicago’s DePaul University, then spent two decades in Seattle before returning to Southwest Michigan in 2018. Since then, she’s poured herself into local development initiatives, including the Stay Dowagiac collective, an organization she co-founded that promotes the city as a destination and supports community and charity endeavors.

    Lyons is also on the Board of Directors of Lyons Industries, a family-owned manufacturing business that was named the 2022 Michigan Works! Employer of the Year. A professionally trained pastry chef, Lyons lives in Dowagiac with her wife of 15+ years, Cathy McBride, and their two cats, Elphaba and Boo.

Shannon Lyons

  • Throughout her academic journey, Briana's commitment to community engagement shone brightly. She honed her skills as the Events Coordinator at NAMI Michigan, advocating for mental health awareness and support.

    Driven by her passion for both communities and marketing, Briana joined Mid-West Family Southwest Michigan, an employee-owned media and marketing company. As the Community Engagement and Project Management Director, she orchestrates and executes impactful local campaigns across Southwest Michigan's radio stations, digital platforms, and local events.

    Beyond her professional endeavors, Briana is a fervent music enthusiast and a self-taught pianist of over 16 years. She currently resides in South Haven with her loyal companion, Nani, a Biewer Terrier.

Briana Sallis

  • He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from Eastern Michigan University and a Master’s Degree in Digital Media from Valparaiso University before returning “home” to begin his professional career.

    He currently works for LECO in St. Joseph, managing the company’s global corporate web presence. Outside of work, Tim runs Michigan Marching, a social media news and digital advocacy organization for high school competitive marching bands across the state and is generally all-around creative, with hobbies ranging from sewing to carpentry.

    Tim lives in Benton Harbor with his husband, Sean, and their dog and two cats.

Tim Dawson

  • Although she’s been around food her whole life, dedicating her passion for cooking by watching her grandmother cook and helping her grandfather pull weeds in his beautiful garden, to working in a professional capacity in the food industry for decades. Chef Audy has been cooking with love around the country for many years.

    Audy brings with her extensive Board experience including the Benton Harbor Arts Association and Benton Harbor Downtown Development Authority. She also leverages a lifetime of connections in Benton Harbor and across Southwest Michigan, and from her years in Chicago.

    Audy, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, also understands the importance of OutCenter Southwest Michigan and the many impacts the organization has had and can continue to have on the lives of LGBTQ+ youth. This is a priority area for Audy in her role as a Board member, along with sharing her extensive fundraising experience and creative ideas for going forward.

Audrey S. Peeples

Our Staff

Mary Jo Schnell

  • During her tenure, she has provided consulting services to the governing Board, led the organization’s 1st three-year plan, almost tripled the level of support, as well as nurtured new strategic partners in systems change initiatives, retooled programs with the priority on serving LGBTQ+ at-risk youth, and created system-wide change initiatives based on education and strong organizational partnerships.

Executive Director

Willow Sipling

  • Willow holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, two master’s degrees in humanities, and has credentials and certifications in ethics, DEI, conflict resolution, productivity, and workplace investigations, and is also a Disciplined Agile Scrum Master and Six Sigma Green Belt. They are also a sociology PhD student at WMU.

Development & Comms

Gerik Nasstrom

  • Growing up in a conservative faith community left him with an under-developed understanding of both broader LGBTQ+ issues and his own queer identity. After years of deconstructing, education, and self reflection he refocused his efforts on progressive advocacy and outreach to those who are in communities like the one that he was raised in.

Program Director

Carolina Bartram

  • Carolina firmly believes that all people are deserving of love and respect. She sees a great need for places of safety and belonging for the LGBTQ+ community, and hopes to provide this through her Mental Health Counseling.

Counseling Intern


Alex Osborne

  • Since their time in their Bachelor's Program of Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai'i, their involvement in the community deepened. They started attending programs at the OutCenter and now look forward to greater involvement with the LGBTQ+ community. 


Program Facilitator