Our Staff

Julie Guidry, Executive Director

Julie Guidry has over 12 years of non-profit experience in the Twin Cities metro area working with individuals of all abilities including persons with disabilities.  Previously she worked as the Staffing Director at  Wilderness Inquiry recruiting, hiring and training staff to lead integrated wilderness trips for persons with and without disabilities. Julie was the Director of Operations, Communications and New Programs for Youth Frontiers, a non-profit organization focused on youth empowerment and character building. She oversaw day-to-day operations of the organization, and was responsible for the development and management of new programs for youth within the metro area. During her time at Youth Frontiers, Julie developed and implemented a leadership program for high school youth, focusing on the growth of their cultural competency skills.  She is  currently an ex-officio member and former co-chair for the Special Ed Advisory Council for Minneapolis Public Schools and an active board member for the South Minneapolis Arts Business Association.  

Matt Guidry, Program Director

Matt is a 17-year veteran of the Twin Cities theater scene, in which he has worked as an actor, director, producer, educator and choreographer. Matt holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota, where he has been an affiliated faculty member of the University of Minnesota's Theater Arts and Dance Department. Matt has extensive experience designing and leading theater and movement training workshops for adults and children with and without disabilities. Matt is a founding member of The Burning House Group Theater Company, located in Minneapolis, and a member of the Acting Core of Ten Thousand Things Theater Company. In the Twin Cities, he has also performed for The Guthrie Theater, The Theater Exchange, Frank Theater, Pillsbury House Theater, Actor's Theater of Minnesota, Margolis Brown Theater and The Old Log Theater. Matt's film credits include roles in the films World and Time Enough, Ramming Speed, Sugar & Spice and in David Lynch's The Straight Story.

Bree Sieplinga, Associate Director

Bree has twelve years of experience in the non-profit sector.  She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in development, fundraising and management that draws from her experiences working with Doctors Without Borders, the Center for Assistive Technology, and San Francisco Planning and Urban Research. Bree holds a BA in Literature from Northwestern University and a Masters Degree in Social Sciences from the University of Amsterdam.

Gillian Spence, Administration Director

A recent graduate of the University of Minnesota, Gillian started work at Upstream Arts as an intern in the summer of 2008.  She began doing part time administrative work that fall and continued to work for Upstream Arts until she graduated in May of 2010 with a BA in History. when she accepted a position as Upstream Arts' Administration Director.  In addition to her work with Upstream Arts, Gillian also interned at Arc Greater Twin Cities and is a longtime volunteer with Special Olympics.