About Us

Julie Bluhm, LICSW, CEO. She/Her/Hers.

“Guild’s staff provides high-quality services to people in need. I have the privilege to apply my skills and knowledge to support those who work hard every day to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals, families, and communities.”

A social worker by training, Julie is passionate about driving systemic change and creating solutions that really work. Prior to Guild, Julie was the Director of Clinical Innovation for Hennepin Health, Hennepin County’s award-winning health care reform demonstration project. This experience, driving innovation in the public sector, reinforced the power and impact that creating change from within can have. A mental health professional, Julie spent years as a family and adolescent mental health therapist, specializing in work with youth who struggled with suicidal ideation and self-injury.

Beth Scheetz, LICSW, Chief Clinical Officer. She/Her/Hers.

“I thrive on innovation, collaboration, and progress and I see these values in action at Guild. I look forward to the opportunity to grow and develop with an organization whose mission aligns with mine; recognizing strengths, meeting needs, and positively impacting lives.”

Beth Scheetz joined Guild in 2019 as the Director of Residential Services and transitioned to Guild’s Chief Clinical Officer in 2020. As an innovative and dedicated leader in community mental health, she brings 20 years of experience in social services, mental health, and healthcare. Prior to Guild, Beth oversaw the operations, development, and programming of three community-based teams serving over 1,200 adults living with mental illness as Director of Community Mental Health at Touchstone. Evaluating program performance, implementing program and process improvements, increasing quality and continuity of care, and achieving positive individual outcomes have benchmarked her professional performance. Beth holds a master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas. She enjoys traveling, gardening, and spending time with her family and cats.

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, Vice President of People, Space, and Technology. She/Her/Hers.

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.

Paul Bloomer, Vice President of Finance. He/Him/His.

“I am excited about Guild’s future growth and the opportunity to make an impact on back-end systems that create efficiency and ultimately improve service to clients.” 

Paul Bloomer joined Guild as the Interim Director of Operations in 2019 and transitioned to Director of Finance in 2020. In 2022, Paul was promoted to Vice President of Finance. Prior to joining Guild, Paul worked as Director of Operations for Think Small, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing quality care and education of children. Highlights of this work included the creation of data modeling best practices for decision-making and using data to tell a story to key stakeholders. Prior to the operations role, he was promoted to Co-Director of Redleaf Press (a division of Think Small) where he led Operations, Sales, and Marketing divisions. Paul holds a Master of Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University and a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia University. He enjoys spending time with family, fishing in local tournaments, and volunteering with the Band Parents Association.

Amber Michel, Director of Clinical Services. She/Her/Hers.

“Community mental health is often challenging, but I am inspired and energized by the way Guild encourages each of us to bring our full authentic selves to work every day. I am humbled by the dedication, compassion, and expertise of my team and know that working together, we will create the most accessible housing and mental health services for our community.”  

Amber Michel joined Guild in 2021. Having worked in the mental health field for more than 10 years, Amber brings a wealth of experience, most recently managing a team working to implement systems change for mental health and addiction care at M Health Fairview. At Guild, Amber looks forward to supporting the professional development of new leaders and advocating for sustainable funding that removes barriers to safe and stable housing.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. Cloud State University and an interdisciplinary master’s from the University of Minnesota in sociology and history with an emphasis on social change movements. Amber has served as adjunct instructor at St. Cloud State University, and is a Roy Wilkins Social Justice Community Fellow. Amber also co-founded and served as chair of the board of Reviving Sisterhood, a nonprofit providing leadership development and civic engagement opportunities to Muslim women in Minnesota. Amber grew up on a wheat farm in Western Kansas but is a Minnesota kid at heart and has settled in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats.

Keara Nadeau-Grandy, Director of Clinical Services. She/Her/Hers.

Keara joined Guild in 2023. She brings more than 20 years of experience in mental health and managed care with an emphasis on Crisis Services. Keara is an empathetic, quality-oriented leader who has a passion for attracting and supporting a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve and erasing stigma and discrimination towards people living with mental illness.

She holds a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from California State University, Dominquez Hills and a certification in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Keara is a California native and has lived in Minnesota since 1998.

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 two beautiful boys in the northern metro. Ali enjoys hockey (go Bulldogs!), traveling, baseball, volunteering, being outdoors, iced coffee, The Office, and theater.

Board Members