These Are Your Neighbors

Janel Schmitz has called Bismarck home since she was six years old. She is married to Mayor Mike Schmitz, and they celebrated their 40 th anniversary in July 2024. Together they have two sons, Jason and David who is married to Kate and they have two children, Hazel and Harrison. Janel’s career has followed many paths. Graduating with a degree in dietetics in 1984, she washired by MedCenter One as...

Cory Thrall grew up in Bismarck before moving to McPherson, Kansas to pursue an undergraduate degree in Pastoral Ministry.  After graduating from Central Christian College, Cory and his wife moved to Olathe, KS, where he attended Nazarene Theological Seminary.  While living in Olathe, he was the resident manager of the Salvation Army Family Shelter, a homeless shelter that kept families together. ...

Deidre Hillman the founder of The 13th Hat, a corporate event planning company she launched in 2021 after serving as a state director for a nonprofit organization. With nearly 15 years of experience in event planning, Deidre thrives on creating memorable experiences—from fundraisers and galas to her personal favorite, conferences. She brings an energetic and strategic approach to every event, ensu...

Joan Klein was born and raised in Cebu City, Philippines. She moved to Salt Lake City, Utah with her mom, dad and brother at the age of 14 because of her mother's work relocation. Joan has an architectural background with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Woodbury University in Burbank, CA. She has worked in several architecture firms in Maine, North Carolina and North Dakota.  In 2022, Joa...

Jackie M. Stebbins graduated with distinction from the University of North Dakota School of Law, and at age thirty-one, she became the senior partner of her own law firm, Stebbins Mulloy. She primarily practiced in family law, criminal defense, and civil litigation. Jackie was nationallyrecognized for her work by The National Trial Lawyers, Top 40 under 40 and Super Lawyers,Rising Stars. She was a...

Paula Redmann graduated with a BA in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of North Dakota. She received her Masters in Strategic Leadership from the University of Mary. Paula is very involved in the community of Bismarck. She is currently on The Bismarck Park Board. Paula was the Community Relations Manager for the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District. In this job, she played the...

Andrew Hershey founded FOMO 10/40 CREAMERY in 2019 after spending a year traveling around the world doing missions work. For Andrew, it’s more than just ice cream, it's about making a difference in the world. During his time abroad he discovered how business was so essential for life. Making connections with leaders all around the world he found that small businesses can transform communities and...

 Mary Van Sickle is the Executive Director of Dakota Media Access (DMA) in Bismarck, ND. DMA is an award-winning, non-profit community media and training organization which provides Government and Community Media services in the Bismarck Mandan area.  Prior to DMA, Mary worked in a variety of marketing, economic development, government, and non-profit management positions. She was the Executive Di...

Chaplain (MAJ) Chad Gion is a Catholic Priest ordained in 2002.  He has served as a priest in the Diocese of Bismarck in western North Dakota for twenty-one years.  His primary responsibility has been as a pastor at various parishes across the Diocese. Chaplain Gion’s military service began in 2013 when he was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the North Dakota Army National Guard.  Chaplain Gion...

Jason Tomanek is the City Administrator for the City of Bismarck, a position he was appointed to in February 2024. Jason began his career with the City of Bismarck in 2006 as a Community Planner. During those 10 years, Jason spent much of his time working with developers, property owners, and entrepreneurs to support the reinvestment and revitalization of Bismarck’s downtown neighborhood. Jason is...

For Amy, servant leadership is the cornerstone of her educational and personal philosophy. She is an Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Mary, where she herself earned her BA in Communication. She then earned her MA in Communication from the University of Nevada. Preparing students to succeed in today’s increasingly dynamic and complex world requires a great deal of effort, p...

Episode 48 of “These Are Your Neighbors” features Kris Mount. Kris is known for impacting people through his work at the Abused Adult Resource Center. Through multiple leadership roles in our Bismarck, Kris continues to serve others, making him a changemaker in the community.  Kris Mount works for the Abused Adult Resource Center as the Coordinator of The Family Safety Center which oversees superv...

Kurt Snyder began his career at the University of Mary where he received hisbachelor of science in addiction studies in 1998. He has worked in the addictionfield since 1999 and has served as executive director of the Heartview Foundationsince 2005. He is a Licensed Addiction Counselor, Licensed Social Worker andholds a master’s degree in management. Snyder is a graduate of the AddictionTechnology...

Emily Yanish is currently the Development Director for Youthworks, and a LicensedProfessional Clinical Counselor. She received her undergraduate degree from St. OlafCollege in 2003, and her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the Universityof St. Thomas in 2007. Emily has been employed with Youthworks since December2007, and has enjoyed numerous roles at the organization, including Coord...

Holly Triska grew up in Wilton, North Dakota and began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer working in both Nicaragua and Guatemala.  After 4 years in Central America, she moved to Washington, DC where she led the Federal Programs Division at the Hispanic College Fund. Holly went on to serve as the Director of Graduate Studies in Int’l Economic Development at The Catholic University of America wh...

John Risch was the highest-ranking union official ever to be elected from the state of North Dakota.    He served the nation’s railroad workers at the national level full time in Washington DC from August 2009 through September 2019. Risch was elected national legislative director of the SMART Transportation Division (formerly the United Transportation Union) in 2014. He led the union in developin...

Justin Cancilliere loves telling stories. Led by mythical dreams and astounding visions that can only be described through writing, he is in the business of scripting legends. His desire is to bring to life that which swarms in his mind and cascades into words. But it doesn't end there.​Justin created the BisMan Writers Guild in 2019, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting writer...

 As a Regional Director for Make-A-Wish Amanda Godfread brings hope to others during challenging times, making her a changemaker in our community. Amanda Godfread is Regional Director for Make-A-Wish North Dakota, a role she’s served in since 2018. A “jack-of-all-trades” in this position, she works to elevate the awareness and understanding of Make-A-Wish in the community and with medical professi...

Episode 41 of "These are Your Neighbors" features Sydney Helgeson. Sydney is a former Miss North Dakota.  She is a changemaker in the community through her advocacy work as the Resource Development Manager at United Way as well as her volunteer work she does in the community. Bismarck native Sydney Helgeson is a change maker in our community. A 2019 graduate of Bismarck High and 2023 graduate of T...

Episode 40 of "These are Your Neighbors" features Carl Young. Carl is a fierce advocate for many in Bismarck.  Through his work with the neurodivergent community and a heavy focus on FASD, he is a changemaker in the community.   Carl Young is a father first, an advocate and lobbyist in North Dakota. Mr. Young has experience speaking with large groups of people across socio-economic and professiona...

"These are Your Neighbors" features Dawn Kopp. Dawn is the CEO of the Downtown Business Association of Bismarck.  As a small business champion, Dawn makes a local difference in our community. Dawn Kopp is the CEO of Downtown Business Association of Bismarck, a position held since May 2007 and a member of the executive board of the Downtown Bismarck Community Foundation.  She is a Mandan native and...

Episode 38 of "These are Your Neighbors" features Amy Cleary.  Amy is a Director of Public Affairs and is the Director of the Bismarck-Mandan Scholarship Pageant. Amy is actively engaged in numerous organizations in our community making her a local changemaker.   Amy is currently the Director of Public Affairs for GA Group, PC in Bismarck. She specializes in government affairs and developing effec...

Episode 37 of "These are Your Neighbors" features Brandi Schmidt.  Brandi is a licensed clinical therapist focusing on trauma and addiction.  Her passion in helping others overcome obstacles makes her a changemaker in our community.  Brandi Schmidt works in the Bismarck community in behavioral health as a licensed clinical therapist. She specializes in trauma and addiction. Brandi is also a 500 hr...

Episode 36 of "These are Your Neighbors" features Gabby Abousassaly.  Gabby is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant and Vice Chair of the Bismarck Human Relations Committee. Her work in making Bismarck a more welcoming city make her a changemaker in our community.   Gabby Abouassaly is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Consultant with Sanford Health in Bismarck. An Iowa native,...

Haley Strege is the owner of Grow Coaching Co., which is a social media management, coaching, and video content creation business. Haley helps create and post content, coach small businesses on improving their social media presence, offer video content creation, and sell digital products. She started in Real Estate Marketing in 2014 at a real estate brokerage in Brookings, SD. She received her Sou...