Meet Our Team

Joseph DeMasi - Board President

Joseph DeMasi has served as President of the Bridges Arts Council for several years. A professional musician, he performs as a guitarist and vocalist and is deeply involved in promoting the arts in Valley City and Barnes County. Originally from the New York City area, Joseph spent much of his life touring with various musical groups. Today, he performs both solo and alongside his twin brother, John, presenting folk music concerts across the country. He has also released multiple CDs. Joseph played a key role in the renovation of the Pioneer Park Amphitheater and remains dedicated to expanding the work of the Bridges Arts Council to enrich the quality of life in our community.

Hilde van Gijssel - Board Treasurer/Secretary

Hilde van Gijssel joined the Bridges Arts Council in 2008 and has served as Treasurer—and occasionally as Secretary—since 2011. Originally from the Netherlands, Hilde earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees from Leiden University in Leiden, The Netherlands. In 2002, she moved to Valley City to begin her faculty position in the Science Department at Valley City State University. She later earned a Master of Education degree from VCSU in 2015.

Hilde firmly believes that volunteering and community involvement are vital to a healthy society. She also believes the arts make the world a better place. She enjoys attending concerts, exhibits, and performances, and is a dedicated supporter of all things art. In her spare time, she dabbles in photography, plays the violin, and enjoys singing with others.

Maggie Oakland - Board Member

Maggie Oakland was born and raised on her family farm just outside Valley City, North Dakota, where she was introduced to the arts early in life by watching her mother, visual artist Sharon Linnehan, create still lifes, landscapes, and portraits.

After high school, Maggie moved to Grand Forks to attend the University of North Dakota and began her career with the North Dakota Department of Human Services. She worked as a case manager, volunteered with the American Red Cross, served as a civil mediator, and moonlighted as a keyboardist in the band FIRE until her son was born in 2011.

She earned her Master of Arts in Counseling in 2014 and returned with her husband and son to Valley City to continue her work as a therapist in her home region. In 2018, she partnered on behalf of the South Central Human Service Center in Jamestown with the North Dakota Council on the Arts and the Jamestown Arts Center to develop Coping Skills Through Art, a program supporting individuals with chronic addiction and/or serious mental illness.

Maggie joined the Bridges Arts Council in 2019 to further her efforts in integrating the arts with recovery and mental health. She is co-author of the 2011 Psychology Journal article “The Association Between Social Adjustment and Satisfaction in Individuals Having Schizophrenia.” She currently serves as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) through the Department of Human Services and as a National Certified Guardian through Lighthouse Associates, Inc.

Diane Sommerfeld - Board Member

Diane Sommerfeld grew up on a farm in the Kathryn/Litchville area, where music was a constant presence in her family, church, and school life. During high school, she spent two summers working at the local newspaper and was encouraged to pursue Graphic Arts at NDSCS. She attended for one year before earning her "M.R.S." degree and moving to Valley City, where she began working for the Times-Record. Diane served as Graphic Arts Manager there for over 20 years, handling layout and design for a wide range of publications and projects.

After settling in Valley City, she became active with the Valley City Community Theatre, serving on its board for approximately six years. She has remained deeply involved in her family's school and community activities, as well as with her church. Diane has worked with the Valley City Park District for over 20 years and has been a member of the Bridges Arts Council for the past 6–7 years. She enjoys attending plays, musicals, and most forms of music.