About Me . . . And Us . . . And This Place We Call Home
Formerly a president for a Fortune 500 company, I replace a briefcase, calculator, and business suit with a notepad, camera, and foul weather gear and journey into unchartered waters to help build the political will necessary to clean up and protect the Great Lakes. A published writer, photographer, and blogger, when not in West Michigan, I may be found wandering the planet, usually by boat, foot, or bicycle.
Writing under the pen name, Mary McKSchmidt, I am a repeat contributor to Michigan Blue and Sail magazines, was a paid columnist for The Holland Sentinel, and have written op-ed for MLive. My essay, “Can One Person Make a Difference?” was read in the opening session of the 2006 Great Lakes Restoration Conference sponsored by the Healing Our Waters Coalition, over 145 organizations advocating for the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes. My essay, "Behind the Lens of a Camera" was selected to appear in the 2016 Bear River Review. I am the poet and photographer of the book, Tiny Treasures: Discoveries Made Along the Lake Michigan Coast. A natural storyteller, I have shared my adventures with audiences at garden clubs, professional women's organizations, state and county nature centers, and environmental organizations throughout Western Michigan.
My husband, Rubin, and I have sailed three of the five Great Lakes, the North Channel into Georgian Bay, inland lakes throughout the Midwest, the San Juan Islands and islands in the Caribbean. And while he is not too keen on tramping through the wilderness, Rubin has accompanied me on hikes in Ireland, New Zealand, and a handful of national parks throughout the United States, and on a bicycling tour through the Netherlands.
My latest book, Uncharted Waters: Romance, Adventure, and Advocacy on the Great Lakes, is a charming, funny, and honest series of vignettes sharing the tales of this Fortune 500 executive learning to sail, learning to love, learning to fight for the water and life she holds dear. To see reviews, visit my Media page. To order, visit your local bookstore or online retailer. Books are also available on this website.
To learn more, subscribe to my monthly blog or follow me on Facebook. You can also watch me in conversation with David Ullrich at the Union League Club of Chicago.
Writing under the pen name, Mary McKSchmidt, I am a repeat contributor to Michigan Blue and Sail magazines, was a paid columnist for The Holland Sentinel, and have written op-ed for MLive. My essay, “Can One Person Make a Difference?” was read in the opening session of the 2006 Great Lakes Restoration Conference sponsored by the Healing Our Waters Coalition, over 145 organizations advocating for the restoration and protection of the Great Lakes. My essay, "Behind the Lens of a Camera" was selected to appear in the 2016 Bear River Review. I am the poet and photographer of the book, Tiny Treasures: Discoveries Made Along the Lake Michigan Coast. A natural storyteller, I have shared my adventures with audiences at garden clubs, professional women's organizations, state and county nature centers, and environmental organizations throughout Western Michigan.
My husband, Rubin, and I have sailed three of the five Great Lakes, the North Channel into Georgian Bay, inland lakes throughout the Midwest, the San Juan Islands and islands in the Caribbean. And while he is not too keen on tramping through the wilderness, Rubin has accompanied me on hikes in Ireland, New Zealand, and a handful of national parks throughout the United States, and on a bicycling tour through the Netherlands.
My latest book, Uncharted Waters: Romance, Adventure, and Advocacy on the Great Lakes, is a charming, funny, and honest series of vignettes sharing the tales of this Fortune 500 executive learning to sail, learning to love, learning to fight for the water and life she holds dear. To see reviews, visit my Media page. To order, visit your local bookstore or online retailer. Books are also available on this website.
To learn more, subscribe to my monthly blog or follow me on Facebook. You can also watch me in conversation with David Ullrich at the Union League Club of Chicago.