About Us

Trish Thacker, Chief Executive Officer. She/Her/Hers.

“Simply stated, Mental health is part of who we are. It’s not separate. If we value people, and we value health, then we must value mental health.”

Prior to joining Guild, Trish worked with the Hennepin County as Senior Department Administrator, Wellbeing where she worked across the Human Services Department to develop systemic strategies that promoted education, employment, and economic stability for Hennepin County families. With areas of focus including childcare assistance, youth education, employment support and workforce development, family stabilization services, and family shelter.     

Trish also served as the Executive Director of the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center, one of the largest single adult shelters in the 5-state area.  In this role, she strategically led the Harbor Light Multi-Service Center, which provides 24/7 emergency housing, emergency shelter, transitional housing, case management, and spiritual care to 300+ single adults per night.  

In addition, as an MSW, and LICSW, Trish has been a therapist for over 25 years, with specialized training in: Interpersonal Neurobiology, attachment, trauma treatment (EMDR, Narrative Exposure Therapy) and trauma informed care, anxiety/anxiety disorders, leadership and leader development, resilience and grit, addictions, family systems, eating disorders and more.

John Adams, Chief Clinical Officer. He/Him/His.

John Adams, MSW, LICSW, joined Guild in September 2024 as our Chief Clinical Officer, bringing with him more than 25 years of client-centered experience. He is a mental health therapist in private practice and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with an extensive knowledge of mental health conditions and best practices for psychological treatment and support.

Prior to joining the Guild team, John was the Program Director for Salvation Army Harbor Light Center and served for Hennepin County in a number of different roles, including Area Manager for Economic Supports, Social Service Housing Navigation Department and in Adult Protection Investigations. He also worked for Hennepin County Medical Center and Hennepin Health Access Clinic & Whittier Clinic in Social Work. He earned his Master of Social Work degree from the University of New England in Massachusetts and his Bachelor of Social Work degree from Norfolk State University in Virginia.

John is person centered and has a passion for people with a strong understanding of systems. John recognizes our work can be draining and in efforts to manage potential burnout recharges by being quiet/still, reading, working out, cycling, enjoying life and spending time with his husband and two dogs.

Dawn Marie Nelmark, Chief Advancement Officer. She/Her/Hers.

“I appreciate that Guild takes a comprehensive approach and works alongside clients, taking the time to understand their unique and individual needs.”

Dawn Marie joined Guild in 2021 as our Director of Advancement. She brings 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, with strengths in creating high-value partnerships, launching fundraising programs through every stage of the giving lifecycle, and increasing operational effectiveness. Dawn Marie is an empathetic, results-driven leader who has a passion for unlocking human potential and marshaling resources to maximize community impact.

Prior to Guild, Dawn Marie served as the Senior Director of Development and Marketing and Communications at Second Harvest Heartland. While there, she delivered five-fold revenue growth, led efforts to inform public opinion on hunger, and helped establish the organization as a highly visible and trusted brand in the community. She holds a BA from Hamline University, a Mini-MBA from the University of St. Thomas, and an Active Leader Certification from PDI Ninth House. Dawn Marie enjoys being a mentor to others, scrapbooking, and spending time on the lake up north with family and friends.

Heather Besonen, SHRM-SCP, Chief Operating Officer. She/Her/Hers.

 “At Guild, we’re asking our staff to empower people. Every day, our clinical teams serve some of the most vulnerable in our communities; they show up when others don’t. As an organization, Guild can’t just talk the talk. We need to take visible action to lift up our own people.”.

Heather comes to Guild with 20 years of working for culture-focused for-profit and nonprofit organizations including time in the patient advocacy and affordable housing sectors. Heather’s recent professional experience includes serving as Human Resources Director for Minnesota Community Care, Minnesota’s largest federally qualified health center, and as the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota’s Associate Executive Director, Mission & Strategy.

She volunteers as a racial justice facilitator for the YWCA Minneapolis and is dedicated to facilitating meaningful conversations about race and racism. Heather received an Advanced Equity and Diversity Certificate and her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Minnesota and is a Society for Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional. In her free time, Heather reads voraciously and enjoys camping and seeing live music.

Ali Butchko, Quality and Compliance Officer. She/Her/Hers.

“My job at Guild is meaningful because this organization provides purpose, encouragement, and opportunity to not only the staff, but also to the clients we serve. It is a privilege to help shape Guild’s story and be part of future growth and change.”

Ali Butchko joined Guild in 2022 as the Quality and Compliance Officer. Ali is a responsive, analytical leader with over 10 years in compliance, regulatory management, client services and process improvement. Passionate for creating and increasing efficiencies by incorporating best practices in data management, training and documentation control, Ali serves Guild with collaboration, engagement, and innovation. Ali is dedicated to telling Guild’s story with impactful and significant data, as well as uncovering gaps, inconsistencies and streamlining workflows to best support the clinical and operational growth of the organization.

Ali has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She lives with her husband and their two beautiful sons and daughter in the northern metro. Ali enjoys hockey (go Bulldogs!), traveling, baseball, volunteering, being outdoors, iced coffee, The Office, and theater.

Zayed Ahmed, PhD, LPCC, LICSW, Director of Clinical Services. She/Her/Hers.

Zayed’s life work has centered around youth, community, culture, liberation and transformation. Her career has taken many paths including her work at Avenues for Youth in several positions; including Director of Programs and Director of Research, Evaluation and Education.

Diana Harris, MHA, Director of Clinical Services. She/Her/Hers.

Diana has been with Guild since September 2022 as program manager in our TCM department. She comes to Guild with vast experience in human and social services with the aptitude to lead cross-functional teams. With a background in program and project management, Diana is invested in improving systems and processes to serve our staff and clients. Diana holds a Master of Health Administration from Louisiana State University.

Diana enjoys mentoring youth through coaching sports, and volunteering with animal rescues. She also enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and playing flag football.

Lily Anderson, MSW, LICSW, Director of Clinical Services. She/Her/Hers.

Since joining Guild in 2009, Lily has built her journey, advancing through seven distinct roles to currently serving as our Director of Clinical Services. In her pivotal role, Lily serves at the helm of  Community Treatment services, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Targeted Case Management (TCM), Employment Services, and the Community Support Program (CSP). Lily’s extensive experience across housing, social services, and employment are rooted in her mission driven perspective. She actively contributes to numerous Guild committees, agency-wide projects, and proudly represents Guild through her role on the “Heading Home Ramsey” Steering Committee.

Lily is passionate about building strong teams centered on transparent communication, clinical best practices, system advocacy and developing new clinicians and leaders.

In her free time, she enjoys her two cats and dog, gardening, live music and visiting her family cabin in Hibbing with her partner, Tim.

Board Members