Heading Upstream to find lasting solutions to the toughest issues.
THE UPSTREAM MISSION
UpStream Strategy Partners is committed to building stronger communities through prevention and mind wellness education.
The Upstream Dream
The idea for UpStream was born out of a simple question…
Where does it start?
The issues we face as a society and a culture are messy and complex. We seem to be trapped in an endless cycle of crisis management. What if, instead of waiting for situations to spiral out of control, we headed UpStream to find solutions at the source, before things reach a crisis stage?
At UpStream Strategy Partners, we use proven prevention methods and emapthetic mind wellness education to resolve problems before they occur.
MEET THE FOUNDER
Professional experience and personal crisis merged to create an innovative solution to our toughest social challenges.
Melanie Schwarz
FOUNDER/CEO
It would have been impossible for Melanie to imagine in the fall of 2008, when her daughter’s addiction upended both their lives, that the painful journey would some day help her find her true purpose. Melanie’s experience of denial, enabling, tough love, and ultimately her daughter’s triumph against the disease that threatened to end her life, led her on a winding professional road UpStream.
Through her professional and personal experiences, Melanie became acutely aware that personal crises begin long before they make a public impact such as legal or marital pitfalls. Her journey to root out the origins of her daughter’s addiction took her UpStream, identifying systemic failures and personal missteps that – had they been addressed earlier – could have prevented so much heartbreak.
Melanie’s 25+ year corporate career in marketing, public relations, and development – combined with a mother’s journey through her child’s addiction – informed her passion to develop innovative programs to support families facing addiction and mental health struggles.
UpStream Strategy Partners was born out of Melanie’s unique blend of leadership, resilience, and compassion to empower individuals, organizations, and communities to positive, lasting change. She and her partners are dedicated to meaningful change at all levels – from individuals, to the workplace, to entire communities – before they upend lives and communities.
In 2022, Melanie published her memoir “LifeJackets: A Mother’s Journey Through Her Child’s Addiction.” This dream project provides her the opportunity to travel the country, connecting with families experiencing addiction, offering hope and real-world solutions based on her own lived experience.
MEET THE UPSTREAM TEAM
Sara Beth Wald
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING
Sara is a former social worker and journalist with a passion for mental health advocacy and education. Her professional life has been an exciting mix of human services, writing, and editing for 20+ years in the academic, non-profit, media, and corporate sectors.
Sara and Melanie met in 2020 in an online author’s group. Their shared passion for personal growth and community services kept them in the same orbit in the years since. When they realized they were working separately on very similar projects, they naturally formed a collaboration.
Sara is an Amazon bestselling author, TEDx speaker, blogger, and entrepreneur committed to breaking generational trauma cycles and advocating for mental health in our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities. Watch Sara’s TEDx talk and learn more about Redefining Love at www.redefine-love.com.
Jessica Reddick
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in health administration, Jessie started her journey in prevention education in collegiate alcohol and drug education programs, earning national recognition for her programming adaptability during the Covid 19 pandemic. Jessie’s experience in grant management and programming then led to her role as the Director of the Foster Grandparent program.
Jessie’s strong logistical skills, experience leading diverse groups, and passion for prevention makes her a perfect fit for the UpStream team. She brings with her unwavering enthusiasm, a creative approach to education, and joy for collaboration with our prevention partners and trainers.
Taylor Coey
COMMUNICATION & CLIENT MANAGER
During her college years, Taylor was an active member of HEROES (Health Educators Reaching Others & Encouraging Success) at MSU Billings that promoted healthier lifestyle choices among students, where she earned the Outstanding Member award while also developing training sessions for her fellow peers.
After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Health and Human Performance, with a focus on teaching, she began her career in a childcare program before transitioning to a private nonprofit organization. In her position as the Outreach and Communications Specialist at District 7 Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) in the childcare department, Taylor collaborated with numerous coalitions, partnering with diverse organizations and individuals. She took charge of organizing community events, administering grants, and overseeing the website and social media channels.
Fueled by her passion for health and wellness, Taylor joined UpStream Strategy Partners in January 2025. Taylor’s exceptional organizational skills, extensive networking, training experience, and dedication to health and wellness make her a valuable addition to the UpStream team in the role of Communication and Client Manager.
READY TO NAVIGATE YOUR UPSTREAM JOURNEY?
Join us at UpStream and be part of a community that nurtures leaders, embraces resilience, and propels businesses to new heights. Welcome to a world where challenges become opportunities—welcome to UpStream.