Board of Directors
Michelle Matlock
President
(she/they/he—encourages use of all pronouns)
Michelle Matlock (she/they/he)
[encourages use of all pronouns]
Michelle Nicole Matlock is a performing artist, creative coach, teacher, director, producer and founder of Circle Up Productions (CUP), a live entertainment and performing arts education company based in Tacoma, WA.
Michelle has been a part of the entertainment industry for over 25 years and had the honor of being the first African American Person to create a main character for Cirque du Soleil. They toured with Cirque’s big top show OVO for close to 10 years.
Currently Michelle is an Adjunct faculty member at Dell’Arte International School for Physical Theater and a member of the Puget Sound Revels creative team. Recently Michelle was Clown Director/Consultant for Circus Bella and Emmy nominated actress’ Carolyn Ratteray’s solo show Both And…A Play About Laughing While Black.
Michelle has continuous teaching engagements and collaborations with organizations across the nation including, Clown Gym, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, The Clown School, Laughter League, Circus Amok and Tacoma Light Trail
Michelle grew up in Tacoma, WA., studied theater for 3 years at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. and is a Graduate of the National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York City.
Shelley Shore
Treasurer and Co-Founder
(she/her)
Shelley Shore (she/her)
Shelley washed ashore in the latter days of the 20th century. She was found by an Angel, who nourished her and gifted her Hope. In her earliest childhood memories, she was awestruck and seduced by stories of Myth and Magic. Through it all she clung to those promises…3 Wishes offered…thoughtfully, carefully, she chose each one. Today, everyday, she glides on frail wings, fueled by the thermal updrafts, mindfully balancing the magnetic attraction of the Sun’s warmth and the powerful pull of the Planet’s gravity.
Not a day goes by, not a moment, when she is not humbled by those courageous Warriors who daily fight side by side for their Community, their shared Existence, all those who created and continue to cut a path through the wilderness, those who have suffered, sacrificed, survived and found Joy.
The difficult things we can do right away.
The impossible may take a little longer.
– Shelley’s Dad
Nohemi Lopez
Board Member
(they/them)
Nohemi Lopez (they/them)
Nohemi Lopez currently works as a care coordinator at Included Health. They are an alumx of California State University, San Bernardino, and hold Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychology and Child Development, with a minor in Gender and Sexuality studies. Nohemi is interested in public health, climate justice and activism, and community development within underrepresented populations. Nohemi also self-publishes and edits a zine created as a talking point for others to share their life experiences through art.
About their board work with TRACTION, Nohemi says: “I believe with the improvement of community relations, environmental justice, inclusivity, and social services, our communities will be able to thrive, achieve goals, and improve their health and well-being.”
Elle M. Cree, JD
Secretary
(she/her)
Elle M. Cree, JD (she/her)
Elle’s lifelong journey for safety, security, and civil rights began in 1972, when a teacher gave Elle a copy of “Baby X: A Fabulous Child’s Story,” by Lois Gould. That story defined Elle and became a road map for the future.
A multiracial descendant of Freedmen, Chickahominy and Choctaw, Elle had a torturous childhood, fighting constantly for acceptance. She left home at 13 and joined the Marines at 17, which itself left positive and not-so-positive memories.
After discharge, Elle attended Texas A&M University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Administration. She went on to study Law at Oklahoma City University, where she obtained a Juris Doctor degree. She passed the bar for her home jurisdiction and was admitted to practice law in the Miccosukee and Seminole Nations in Oklahoma, in Georgia, Arkansas, and other jurisdictions.
Elle later studied Labor Law at Wayne State University. It was at Wayne State that she met and learned from many leaders in the civil rights movement – pioneers and icons alike. Elle has been advocating for the rights of the underrepresented ever since.
Elle is a cofounder of the Victims of Racial Hate groups in Oklahoma. She has been published with respect to veterans rights, and she is a formidable advocate for the rights of the trans+ community. Elle’s strong roots in the South, her indigenous heritage, and her working-class values continue to shape her approach to life, both before and after transition. She remains eternally grateful to TRACTION and so many others for helping her escape direct threats in her former states.
Morgan Whitten
Board Member
(she/her)
Morgan Whitten (she/her)
Morgan Whitten is a compassionate leader who cares deeply about creating safety and belonging in her community. Born and raised in Seattle and now living on the Eastside, she has spent her life blending technology, creativity, and service to make the world around her a little better for others.
Morgan has founded four startups and worked in technology and cybersecurity for many years. These experiences strengthened her love of problem-solving and her belief that safety and stability are essential foundations for growth. She has also served in Search and Rescue and now co-leads a local Girl Scout troop, helping young people build confidence and leadership through kindness and curiosity.
As a transgender woman, Morgan brings empathy and lived experience to her work with TRACTION. As a peer navigator, she supports trans and queer people and their families as they move toward safer and more affirming lives. In her role on the board, she contributes to the organization’s long-term planning and vision, helping guide its continued growth and impact. Beyond TRACTION, she collaborates with Nourishing Networks to help connect local groups and community members with resources that uplift and strengthen the region’s support systems.
Outside of her nonprofit work, Morgan enjoys exploring creative projects that blend art and technology. She continues to learn, volunteer, and build connections with others who share her passion for kindness and authenticity. Her guiding purpose is simple: to help people feel safe enough to live as their true selves so they can find joy in being who they are.
Your Name Here! – TRACTION is actively recruiting new board members interested in helping us grow. Contact us for more information.
Staff
C. Michael Woodward
Executive Director
(he/him)
C. Michael Woodward (he/him) is a writer, rock star, change agent, rabble rouser, and early leader in the gender justice movement. He is a co-founder and the inaugural executive director of TRACTION, and former director of Seattle’s Gender Odyssey conference. He previously served as Executive Director of the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance in Tucson, Arizona, and was Transgender Community Health Manager at Borrego Health in Southern California. He is also an experienced keynote speaker, LGBTQ+ inclusion trainer, and diversity consultant.
Michael has published myriad nonfiction books, articles, and blogs, most notably contributing the title essay to the 2014 transmasculine anthology, Manning Up, from Transgress Press, and several entries in Encyclopedia of Sex and Sexuality: Understanding Biology, Psychology, and Culture (ABC-CLIO, 2021).
A recovering Hoosier, he holds a BS in Public and Corporate Communications from Butler University and later earned a Master of Public Health Policy and Management and a Graduate Certificate in Collaborative Governance from the University of Arizona. Michael represented Mayor Robert Walkup for five years on the City of Tucson Commission on GLBT Issues and is a founding member of the University of Arizona President’s LGBT Advisory Council.
Michael is also an aqua fitness coach and an accomplished vocalist. He was the lead singer in Tucson’s infamous trans and allies cover bands, Too Much Information and BlackMagic: A Tribute to Carlos Santana. He lives in West Seattle with his nonbinary spouse, Carolyn, and their feline companions, Bruce Wayne and Cosmo.
Social media:
- Facebook: corwin.michael.woodward
- Instagram: @morphingmichael
- LinkedIn: @morphingmichael
Aspen Coyle
Program Manager, Project Open Arms
(she/her)
Aspen Coyle (she/her) loves her community dearly. She is the Program Manager of Project Open Arms, which helps trans people relocate to safer and more supportive areas.
Surprisingly, Aspen came to Seattle thinking she was cis. Six years later, she has an MS from the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Science and an estrogen prescription. Her scientific training gave her a love of crabs, parasites, and open science principles, while her transition gave her a love of abrasive music and trans solidarity.
In her free time, Aspen loves reading poetry, fixing bikes, and meeting new people. She can often be strolling around Capitol Hill journaling and bumping into friends.
Sophie Amity Debs
Program Architect, Project Open Arms
(she/her)
Sophie Amity Debs (she/her) loves to see a need in her community and meet it. Joining TRACTION in 2024, she serves as the Director of TRACTION’s Project Open Arms relocation program, helping at-risk trans folks relocate to more supportive environments. Sophie also serves as an intake specialist and navigator within the program, so that she can continue working directly with transplants in addition to overall program management.
Outside of TRACTION, Sophie is also a founder and lead of the Seattle Trans Underground Film Festival, the Seattle Zine Fest, and the Friends of Denny Blaine Park to preserve historic queer spaces, meaning she spends way too much time every week multi-tasking. Sophie also volunteers with the Seattle T4T Clothing Swap, Three Dollar Bill Cinema, and Real Change.
Sophie is a former roller derby skater and fencer, meaning her knees are totally shot, and she helps throw local public music events for the trans community. A recovering punk (nowhere near as pride-worthy as a Hoosier), she’s been cutting her own hair since she transitioned, and she’s been making zines since way after it was cool.
Rain or shine, Sophie can regularly be found in Cal Anderson Park, just a few blocks away from where she lives in Capitol Hill, Seattle: where she may have come for a short-sighted U-Haul relationship, but wouldn’t leave for the world.
Social media:
- Instagram: @amitycityx
- LinkedIn: @soph-iest