Sarah Souder Johnson
co-founder and Board chair
Clinician at Sentier psychotherapy
Sarah is a mental health therapist and educator with a background in the arts as a performer, teacher and director. She believes people develop as a result of their genetics, environment, beliefs and lifestyle. She is particularly interested in how people with creative personalities learn, function in the world and approach change. She started Dissonance along with David Lewis to provide broader access to wellness resources and to challenge the notion that artists must struggle to be successful.
Jeremiah gardner
board mEmber
Director of Communications & public affairs at hazelden betty ford foundation
Jeremiah is a licensed addiction counselor, media and government relations professional, and recovery advocate with a background in journalism, business and music. Sober since 2006 and grateful for what recovery has meant to his health, relationships and spirit, he now devotes his career to educating others about the promise of recovery, smashing the stigma of addiction and mental illness, and speaking into related public policy issues.
Katy Vernon
board member
Singer-SongwriteR at Katy Vernon
Katy is a London-born singer-songwriter and ukulele player. A self-described "Singer of Sad Songs on a Happy Instrument," she likes to tackle tough subjects like grief, substance use and mental health but always with a view to connect, entertain and bring joy. Katy also has a successful ABBA cover band that makes both her and her audiences happy!
jen gilhoi
board member
Owner at Sparktrack Consulting
Jen has two decades of communications and event experience centered around community and conversation. A connector at heart and on the heels of getting sober in 2014, she’s passionate about infusing vulnerability into conversations to create empathy and shatter stigmas. Her work supports and advocates for people showing up as authentic in their personal and professional lives at home and in the workplace.
HYEDI NELSON
BOARD Member
Account Director, Health Strategy at BelLmont Partners
Hyedi is a strategic communications professional with a background and expertise in health. Both music and mental health have been common threads throughout her life. This, along with Dissonance's mission of examining the intersection of creativity and wellbeing, is what drew her to the organization. Hyedi is passionate about chipping away at the stigma associated with talking about and seeking help for mental health issues.
MANUEL GARCIA
board member
Clinical Manager at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
Manuel is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor who leads the evening outpatient treatment program at Hazelden Betty Ford in St. Paul. Originally from Mexico, he also leads Spanish-language programming; serves on the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee; and hosts an internal employee interview series entitled Lifting Our Voices. Additionally, Manuel serves on the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers’ DEI Advisory Committee. He plays guitar and used to be in a punk rock band!
LUKE LEBLANC
board member
SINGER-SONGWRITER at 145 ENTERTAINMENT
Luke is a folk-rock singer-songwriter whose lyrics grapple with an array of feelings and emotions in order to (hopefully) understand them better. Outside of music, he works in finance as a billing analyst and is the owner of Access Tutoring, a tutor service dedicated to providing professional, caring and affordable tutoring for students of all ages.
