Meet Our Leaders
Bridges To Hope is very grateful for the dedicated volunteers who serve on our Board of Directors. Members of the Board serve a three year term and are eligible for three consecutive terms. The officers, which consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are elected annually and serve a one year term or until a successor is chosen.
Current Board Members:
Pastor Bud Christenson
Milfred Christenson (Pastor Bud) has been a Minnesota farm boy, a world-traveling sailor in the Navy, a reformed alcoholic, a sponsor for refugees and a pastor everywhere from New York City to small-town Nebraska and the Nebraska State Penitentiary. He graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth before going on to obtain a doctoral degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. A father of seven, he lost his life-long sweetheart, Muriel, in 2003. Bud has since re-married and now lives with his wife and best friend, Ruth, in Nebraska. Although Pastor Bud has been helping prisoners reenter society since the late 90’s, he and his late wife Muriel acquired a warehouse in which they could store and distribute donated items to men and women soon to be or recently released. Bridges to Hope became incorporated in 2009 and received nonprofit 501(C)(3) status in 2011 and has continued to be blessed with positive growth and support. Though retired from the ministry, he continues to dedicate his time to support prison ministry and serves as the pastor of Friedens Lutheran Church, 6th and D, Lincoln, Nebraska.
FOUNDER AND HONORARY BOARD MEMBER
Art Wilson
Art Wilson works for the People's City Mission, a Lincoln, NE shelter that offers guests a safe atmosphere promoting recovery, self-sufficiency, and independent living. It also serves as a place of refuge for battered women and children. Art oversees the mission's transitional housing department, and has been working here for five years. Art enjoys spending time with his wife Kayla, having a variety of outdoor adventures like hiking, fishing, camping, and bicycling. He also loves to read.
PRESIDENT
Jim Rowoldt
Jim Rowoldt has been volunteering with Bridges to Hope for nearly 12 years. At that time, he was a volunteer with the FEAST prison ministry at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and a CCCL sponsor. While transporting people from CCCL to the B2H warehouse he was recruited to “shop” with the re-entrants. That led to spending more time at the warehouse assisting shoppers, sorting/shelving clothing, and picking up furniture donations. Jim has been a member of the B2H Board of Directors since 2015, and President since 2020. Jim has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and a Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska – Omaha; both in Criminal Justice. He began his career as a case manager at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, worked for eight years as a State Probation Officer in Lincoln, and for 25 years served as a United States Probation (Parole) Officer, retiring as the Chief Probation Officer for the U.S. Courts/District of Nebraska in 2010. After retiring, Jim was an instructor at Kaplan University, contracted with State Probation, and continued to volunteer with prison ministries. Jim and his wife, Kathy, have been married 47 years. They have three grown children and eight grandchildren. When not spending time with family, Jim bicycles, reads, boats, performs with the Radio Active Players at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, leads a group of Rock & Roll singers called the Playhouse Greasers, and has been playing guitar/singing with Jubilee Bluegrass/Gospel for the past 27 years.
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Scott Smith
I’m Scott W. Smith, a devoted husband to Allysa and proud father of two. While I currently reside in Lincoln, Nebraska, North Idaho holds a special place in my heart, serving as a constant source of inspiration.
I'm on my way to earning a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Nebraska College of Law, with an expected graduation in May 2025. I hold a Bachelor of Engineering in Biological Systems Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, awarded in May 2022. I've also earned degrees from the Community College of the Air Force (Aviation Operations and Aerospace Maintenance) and Bellevue University (BSBA of Technical Studies).
My career has been driven by a commitment to service and justice. I've had the privilege of interning at the University of Nebraska College of Law's Civil Clinic-Clean Slate Project, gaining valuable legal insights.
Before embarking on my legal journey, I proudly served in the United States Air Force, where I was both a maintainer and aviator, gaining invaluable experience and a deep sense of duty. Additionally, I worked as an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic at Empire Airlines, honing my skills in aircraft maintenance.
My dedication extends to the community, where I support organizations like the Tenant Assistance Project, Bridges to Hope, and RISE of Nebraska, contributing to the betterment of individuals transitioning from incarceration. I'm also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), where I honor and support our veterans.
I'm passionate about helping incarcerated individuals succeed and supporting the children of incarcerated parents. Outside of my commitments, I enjoy snowboarding and have a keen interest in airplanes.
My unwavering commitment to justice and my desire to empower individuals and families drives me. Whether in the legal realm or the community, I strive to make a positive impact on the lives around me.
Secretary
Eve Brank
Eve Brank, J.D., PhD., is a Professor of Psychology and the director of the Center on Children, Families, and the Law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She attended Jacksonville University for her undergraduate studies and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for her graduate and law degrees. Her research primarily focuses on the way the law intervenes (and sometimes interferes) in family and personal decision making. Eve is married to her college sweetheart, Adam, and they have one daughter. She enjoys running, sewing, and home-improvement projects. She and her family attend Sheridan Lutheran Church.
SECRETARY
SECRETARY
Tony Britten
Anthony Britten was born and raised in Lincoln, NE. He graduated from Syracuse High School after my dad got a job in the area. He then attended University of Nebraska-Lincoln and received a degree in criminal justice. Shortly after graduation, he began his career with the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. He has been with the Department for over a decade. For the last six years, he has worked in various roles with the Reentry Team and assisting individuals with rejoining the community. For the last two years, he has served as the reentry program manager. Anthony is married and has a very spoiled labradoodle. He and his family enjoy traveling the country and seeing what the world has to offer.
Don Nevins
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Don Nevins grew up with a passion for sports, running track and field in high school. After graduating from University of Nebraska – Lincoln with a degree in psychology in 1997, he began his career as a therapist. Seven years later, he began work as a Senior Parole Officer with the State of Nebraska, where he remains today. After over two decades working in state government, Don has seen and worked with all kinds of cases. Some of the parolees he works with were incarcerated decades prior to meeting him and released with no family or friends to rely on, and often struggled securing basic necessities such as food, clothes, and furniture. Don first heard about Bridges to Hope in his early years as a parole officer. When he began to volunteer at the warehouse, he was surprised and inspired by the warm way people welcomed everyone coming through its doors. That initial connection stayed with him to this day, and during his orientations with new parolees, he eagerly tells them about Bridges To Hope. A proudly active member of the Lincoln community, Don volunteers with several organizations in the area, including the YMCA, where he engages with youth sports. He is also a member of UNL Alumni’s Kappa Alphi Phi chapter. He spent 15 years coaching youth football before the COVID-19 pandemic, and he hopes to return to it soon. When he isn’t working or volunteering, Don spends his free time golfing and riding bike trails.
VICE PRESIDENT
Jeri Winkelmann
Jeri Winkelmann is the Director of Administration & Finance at the Lincoln Airport Authority, where she is responsible for the management of airport resources. Jeri has many years of nonprofit leadership experience ranging from credit unions to healthcare. Her passion is communicating highly complex financial scenarios to diverse audiences without putting them to sleep. Jeri is a dog person, baseball fan, and lifelong Nebraskan.
TREASURER
Tarvis Banks
Tarvis Banks was born and raised in Lincoln, NE and attended Lincoln High School. He later attended University of Nebraska at Omaha and played football there as well. Tarvis graduated cum laude with a degree in criminal justice, with minors in history and sociology. He also attended UNO for graduate school and obtained his master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in criminology. Tarvis has been with the Lincoln Police Department for 14 years. As a captain in the department, he is responsible for being the Shift Duty Commander and Assistant SWAT Team Commander. He is married with three children.
Cathy Maasdam
Cathy Maasdam, a native of Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska, is a retired music and public school teacher. Cathy has two undergraduate degrees from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, a Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology and a Bachelor of Music. She has worked for both Omaha and Lincoln Public Schools. Cathy is passionate about education and serving others. She has been involved with many non-profits as a volunteer. Cathy also enjoys spending time with family and friends, participating in music ensembles, writing poetry and is an avid reader. She plans to never stop learning.
Michael Beltz
Michael is the Vice President of Cloud Operations at Upland Software, where he leads a global team responsible for the reliability, scalability, and security of a portfolio of SaaS business applications used by organizations worldwide. His role includes overseeing cloud infrastructure strategy, operational excellence, and incident response across multiple globally distributed platforms.
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Michael is a native of Lincoln, Nebraska, and a graduate of Northeast High School. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from Doane College and a Master of Business Administration from Nebraska Wesleyan University. He began his career as a software developer and database administrator, which gave him a strong technical foundation that continues to shape how he approaches leadership and problem-solving.
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He joined the Bridges to Hope board of directors in 2025 to support the launch of Hope Village and to help advance the organization’s mission of supporting individuals as they transition from incarceration back into the community. He is particularly passionate about mentorship, second-chance opportunities, and building systems that promote long-term stability and independence.
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Outside of work, Michael enjoys listening to audiobooks, playing disc golf, and teaching self-defense at Longoria’s Tactical Martial Arts.
Layne Hoffman
Layne works in the Clinical Law Programs at Nebraska Law, where he supports clients with compassion, clarity, and a commitment to dignity. He was drawn to Bridges to Hope by the organization’s powerful work in offering second chances and building a more inclusive, hopeful community. In every interaction, Layne strives to help people feel truly seen and heard, believing that respect and understanding are the foundation of meaningful connection.
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Originally from St. Louis, Layne moved to Lincoln from Kansas City in the fall of 2024. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys being creative through art, crafts, writing, and music. He also loves spending time with his senior dog, Copper. Layne’s passion for community and creativity shapes both his personal and professional journeys.
In Loving Memory of Harlan Baehr
Honorary Vice President
Craig Hoffman
Craig Hoffman brings a unique combination of professional experience and lived perspective to the Bridges to Hope Board of Directors. He is the owner of Hoffman Promotional Products and Cowboy’s Auto Parts. As a business owner and former attorney, he has built and led multiple ventures with a focus on relationship-driven growth, strategic planning, and community engagement. His background in law, sales, and entrepreneurship provides a practical understanding of governance and long-term sustainability.
Equally important, Craig is a Bridges to Hope beneficiary. Twice incarcerated, he relied on Bridges to Hope services during reentry and understands firsthand the challenges of rebuilding after time in prison. A defining moment for Craig, Bridges to Hope volunteers treated him with kindness and dignity. That small gesture immediately after his release, helped kickstart the restoration of his self-worth.Today, his journey from incarceration to business ownership and board leadership reflects the mission of Bridges to Hope in action. Outside of his professional and board work, he enjoys spending time at the junkyard, watching sports, and playing with his dogs.
Staff:
Rhonda Mattingly
Executive Director
Rhonda brings over 40 years of leadership and management experience, including more than 16 years in the nonprofit sector. She holds a Psychology degree with a Sociology minor from Wayne State College. Her career spans roles in child protection, nonprofit executive leadership, and university research and operations. Since 2015, she has served as Executive Director of Bridges to Hope, where her passion for nonprofit work thrives. Outside of work, Rhonda enjoys time with her husband Dave, their two Morkies, and their growing family of five children and six grandchildren, who lovingly call them Mimi and Papa.
Kathy Herr
Thrift Shoppe Manager
Kathy Herr is a long time Lincoln resident. She graduated from Lincoln Northeast and UNL, where she received a degree in Home Economics with an emphasis on Interior Design. Kathy has over 45 years of retail experience. She first worked at Miller & Paine Department Store in Lincoln and then in Grand Island in the home furnishing and interior design departments. Returning to Lincoln, she worked with a local Interior Design Studio, which lead to partnering with a friend and starting Fashion II Consignment Boutique. In 1985 Kathy became the sole owner of Fashion II, which continued in business until 2016.
After closing Fashion II, Kathy was interested in working in the non-profit sector. An article written in the Lincoln Journal Star of her stores’ closing, led to a meeting with Rhonda Mattingly, executive director of Bridges to Hope. Kathy began working with Bridges to Hope in April of 2016 and in November of 2017, Bud’s Thrift Shoppe was opened. Kathy has grown to understand the needs of those trying to start a new life after incarceration. Giving reentrants a second chance needs the support of everyone in the community.
Outside of the store, Kathy enjoys attending live theater and concerts, and spending time with family.
Valerie Dahlke
Office Manager
Valerie was born and raised in Northeast Kansas as one of nine siblings and is the proud mother of two adult children. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Management and a minor in Accounting, from
Wichita State University in December 2016.
With over 20 years of office experience across various industries and more than a decade in the food-service field, Valerie brings a strong background in administration and customer service. She relocated from Wichita, Kansas, to Nebraska in September 2019 and joined Bridges to Hope in November 2019. She now serves as the organization’s Office Manager.
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Outside of work, Valerie enjoys reading fiction, attending live music performances, baking, gardening, caring for houseplants, camping, and traveling.
Tina Daberkow
Thrift Shoppe Assistant Manager
Tina grew up in northeast Nebraska. She received an A.A. in Business Administration from Northeast Technical Community College in Norfolk. She moved to Washington DC and completed a B.S. in Business Management at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA and for over 30 years worked various jobs including retail management, membership services, event planning and childcare provider. She returned to Nebraska in late 2019 and was a dedicated volunteer at Bud’s Thrift store and later became a paid member of the staff.
Mary Nilius
Operations Associate
Mary was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska and moved to Lincoln in 2022 to pursue a degree from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Mary first became connected with Bridges to Hope in the Fall of 2024 where she began to serve as a volunteer, passionate about assisting those who have been justice involved.
After graduating in 2025 with a Bachelor's of Psychology, Mary accepted a position as an operations assistant with Bridges to Hope. Mary plans to attend the University of Nebraska at Omaha to pursue her Master's of Social Work this fall with the goal of engaging with at-risk youth and families in a nonprofit setting. In her free time, Mary enjoys volunteering, staying active, doing puzzles, reading, and baking!
Jan Riedman
Office Assistant
Jan Riedman has served Bridges to Hope for many years as a member of our board and dedicated volunteer. More recently, she joined the staff as the Office Assistant and manages data entry, donation pick-ups, assembly of care packages and much more!
Jan says, "We all come with our individual life experiences and have made choices that impact where we are today. My years of working with people who have experienced incarceration have taught me that if I look for the good in others, I will likely find it. Watching them find their “goodness” and value makes it worth it. We are more alike than we are different, both wanting to find purpose in the life we have been given."
Karen Pease
Hope Village Development Assistant
Karen was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) and Minor in Psychology from University of Nebraska at Omaha. She obtained her Certified Social Worker (CSW) License and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska with her husband, Andrew, in 2010. For ten years she has worked with vulnerable populations in the Lincoln community experiencing homelessness, mental health, substance use and physical health issues. Karen was introduced to Rhonda Mattingly, Executive Director of Bridges to Hope, in 2023. Their joint passion for affordable housing programming, and commitment to second chances has created a partnership for the advancement of Hope Village through Karen’s role as Development Assistant.
Karen and Andrew have three girls and are involved in their school and extracurricular activities. They are active members of their church and assist with women’s and men’s fellowship ministries. They are also passionate about JDRF fundraising and spreading Type 1 Diabetes awareness on behalf of their daughter. In her spare time Karen enjoys exercising, gardening, listening to podcasts, drinking coffee on the porch and walking their dog, Margot.