Title Track Board of Directors
We’re excited to give you an opportunity to learn more about the dynamic individuals serving on the Board of Directors for Title Track.
Crystal Woodward-Turner
Crystal Woodward-Turner advocates for physical, mental, and spiritual health in the Grand Traverse community and beyond as founder of Karasi Fitness and Healing Arts and as the Wellness Manager of Oryana Community Co-op. She was introduced to natural healing remedies and yoga as a young child, and later encouraged by her daughter to reconnect with her mat to combat a knee injury, migraines, stress, and to resume a more positive body image. ‘Karasi’ means full of life and wisdom in Swahili, and her work with Karasi nurtures a “mutuality of healing” through movement, music, and meditation encouraging overall wellness and soul-filled serenity. Crystal is a singer‑songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and has performed in off-Broadway productions. Since starting Karasi in 2018, it has fueled her desire to promote inner‑peace and healing through producing “soul-stirring events” with local musicians for venues such as the Dennos, City Opera House, and the Alluvion. These events, like all her work, are about “bringing community together through the arts encouraging a deepening sense of faith, compassion and connection.” Crystal and Karasi Fitness and Healing Arts are currently in partnership with Northwestern Michigan College and Dance Arts Academy offering various classes and Soul Stirring sessions to the community.
Crystal has shared her gifts guest speaking and teaching children mindfulness through sacred sound at Traverse City Area Public Schools and produced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month immersive events. She promotes unity and faith within the community; and has been a true source of energy, creativity, light, balance, and healing as she looks forward to supporting the efforts of Title Track.
Crystal earned her 200-RYT, and 500 E-RYT, is a registered member of the Yoga Alliance Association, is a certified Reiki Healer, and has taught various fitness and movement styles throughout the community and beyond. She has also rendered her gifts as an instructor at Cowell Family Cancer Center; lecturer and guest teacher for Munson Medical Finance Center, Resonae, and Tiger Lily Retreats; while also performing and teaching at Earthworks Harvest Gathering.
Crystal is also a P.E.O. member and works quietly with her students contributing with local partners within the community through Karasi Kindness, a philanthropic branch of Karasi Fitness and Healing Arts.
Manape LaMere
Manape LaMere is Isanti Dakota, Ihanktowan Dakota, and Winnebago Hochunk. His name, Manape Hocinci Ga means “Soldier Boy.” He is the son of Frank and Cynthia LaMere. Manape is a government representative for the Sioux Nation at the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSCOC). Manape also carries the responsibility of being a headsman for the White Buffalo Horn Society of the Oceti Sakowin (Sioux Nation). Manape has also served as the Traditional Wellness Court Case manager for the Winnebago Nation, and has over 18 years of active recovery. He advocates for the protection of his nation’s spiritual ways, social justice reform, environmental justice, and hemp and food sovereignty. He currently resides in occupied Dakota and Ioway territory called Sioux City, Iowa with his family.
Bree Russell-Carscadden
Bree Russell-Carscadden is a Michigan native and resident where she enjoys spending time with her husband Don and son Russell. They go on daily long walks and find themselves outdoors in nature, they love visiting extended family in Chicago and Traverse City and working on home projects together. Bree spent many of her childhood summers alongside her father, Bob Russell, who was a longtime activist for social justice, environmental issues, peace work and one of the Co-Founders of NREC. The influence shaped Bree into the person she is today, and she continues to participate in this important work and honor her father’s legacy. Bree has played an active role with NREC as treasurer, guiding board meetings and advocating for Bob’s Resiliency book project. Bree has carried on her dad’s realist approach to solving problems wherever they may rise. Bree strives to pass on the importance of community involvement to her son Russell, in teachings about caring for the environment, treating all people equally, and helping those without a voice.
Currently Bree’s full-time job is raising her son, but she has a few side jobs including her work for Title Track. For the last six years she has also worked for August II Productions tracking broadcasting data and editing media. In the past she has worked as a Human Resources Manager, Manager of a customer service team, and an Account Representative at TBA Credit Union.
In addition to her accounting role with Title Track, Bree also serves as our Board Treasurer.
Piper Carter
Piper Carter lives inside Detroit city. She is an Arts and Culture Organizer and Hip Hop Activist with focus on Entertainment Justice, Environmental and Climate Justice, Education Justice, the Maker Space movement, and Food Justice, communities.
She is Host of the Piper Carter Podcast on Detroit is Different where she discusses Social Justice and Hip Hop to a world wide audience.
She is an Image Maker, Fashion Photographer, Featured four times on Tyra Banks’ VH-1 TV show “The Shot”, The First Black Woman to shoot for Hi-End publications such as French Vogue, British Elle, New York Times, Spin, & Essence Magazines, as well as emerging talent for Music companies such as Def Jam, Sony Music, Warner Music, Universal Music, Disturbing tha Peace, Elektra Records, and BET.
She is co-Founder of We Found Hip Hop (The Foundation, uplifting, celebrating, and supporting Women in Hip Hop to help them build careers in a safer environment). She is Creator of Dilla Youth Day (This day is a highlight during African American History Month for young people to become excited about exploring the S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) disciplines through the process of participating in and leading hands on engagement in fun educational activities while recognizing a modern homegrown figure in Hip Hop.
She is also Creator and Editor-In-Chief for thestudioarena.com (a sustainable fashion magazine promoting zero waste and international trade).
She is a 3-Time Awardee Knight Arts Challenge by The Knight Foundation Grant, Detroit Young Professionals Vanguarde Award, Community Connections Grant Awardee, Cognizant Grant Awardee, Ford Foundation Awardee. She also received The Spirit of Detroit Award for Creating Dilla Youth Day.
She is Coordinator for Detroit Rocks The Runway at The Annual African World Festival, Multimedia Artist for Jessica Care Moore’s Black Women Rock, Part-Time Assistant Stage Manager at The Aretha Amphitheater.
She is formerly co-Chair of Bravo Bravo (fundraising committee for the Detroit Opera House), Founding Member of Cosmic Slop a Michigan based Black Rock Coalition, & former co-Owner of 5egallery and 5 Elements Arts Foundation.
Amber Hasan
Amber Hasan has been writing for as long as she can remember. She sees writing as sacred, a vehicle for feeling spiritually whole and fulfilling her life purpose. In addition to being a writer, she is a wife, mother, actor, hip-hop artist, herbalist, and community organizer. Amber owns a natural product line, Mama’s Healing Hands, that was originally started to address hair loss and skin rashes suffered by Flint residents due to the Flint Water Crisis.
She is co-founder of The Sister Tour artist collective, a grassroots organization created to offer resources and safe spaces for women artists and entrepreneurs. In July 2019, along with Latoya Ruby Frazier, The Sister Tour and Moses West, they passed out over 20,000 gallons of water in her hometown of Flint, Michigan using Moses West’s “Atmospheric Water Generator.” Amber’s work focuses on bringing light to dark places and situations while also helping others to find and use their voices as a tool of empowerment.
Miskopwaaganikwe – Leora Lynn Tadgerson
Miskopwaaganikwe – Leora Lynn Tadgerson is a proud Finnish and Smi, and member of Gnoozhikaaning, Bay Mills and Wiikwemkong First Nations. She is the Director of Reparations and Justice at the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan. Leora’s role is focusing on truth telling, racial equity through restorative justice, reconciliation research from the Native American boarding school era, and place-based community work/bridge building as a tribal liaison. Her research involves the Michigan based Indian boarding school experience and the Episcopal run schools, where she serves as Chair for the MW062, Executive Council Committee for Indigenous Boarding Schools and Advocacy. Through Leora’s research, she hopes to aid in the healing of Native hearts. In her spare time she can be found with her partner, Tye and four boys, Quinn, Shiloh, Evan and Jack.
Leora shares, “To me, it is incredibly meaningful to join the crew here on the board at TT. I have admired the culturally inclusive equity work as well as enjoyed a few collaborations over the years. To become more involved means I am able to directly give my heart to a broader community. Serving folks across our shared territories towards a stronger understanding of how to take care of one another and the self is important to me. I thank everyone deeply at TT for their continuous work in this.”
Gini von Courter
Raised near Flint, Michigan and moved to Grand Traverse County 20 years ago, Gini has been a school teacher, project manager, and small business owner, and has served on local, regional, and national boards in the Unitarian Universalist faith community. She is an activist and water protector; having been involved with immigration and Line 3/Line 5 camps and protests.
Gini and her wife Wendy have a family farm in Buckley (south of Traverse City) where they raise chickens and make maple syrup.
Gini says, “Title Track’s mission is vital and precious to me, and I’m delighted my skill set and experiences were good enough to get me in the door to work with such a fierce group of leaders.”
