Meet The Board
Ondrea Brussee
Director at Large
​Ondrea is a freshwater enthusiast. She tours Great Lakes coasts pursuing her passions that include hunting for beach glass & rocks, creating community, hosting beach cleanups and learning about shoreline history. Ondrea was raised in north Michigan and finds adventure in all outdoor activities like gardening, hiking, kayaking and camping. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado with a degree in political science and public administration. Ondrea is living in Kalamazoo with her goldendoodle, Barley and works in IT for Greenleaf Trust.
Alec Ochs
Director at Large
Alec grew up on the southern shores of Lake Erie in a small town called Port Clinton, Ohio. He still lives here today and spends most of his summers on or as close to the water as possible. He is currently a City Planner for the City of Sandusky, a small city on Lake Erie. As a natural wanderlust, he spends much of his time adventuring outside and traveling.
Alec has always had a deep appreciation for nature and environmental protection. As a kid, he found himself picking up litter on the local beaches for fun. In the summer of 2021, his passion turned into fromStreamtoBay—an apparel business with an environmental mission. For every item purchased, they pick up litter from streams and coasts.
Ashley Repke
Secretary
Ashley is a northeast Michigan native whose love for our Great Lakes and the surrounding area began at a young age. Her parents and grandparents taught her how to be a steward of the land and water through hunting, fishing, camping and boating. Ashley studied civil and environmental engineering, with a minor in wetland management, at Michigan Tech University. She currently works for RS Scott & Associates in Alpena, MI as a civil designer and has designed many waterfront parks for local government agencies. Ashley also holds a certificate in Geographic Information Systems and hopes to use that background to impact the way information is shared about our waterways. Ashley and her husband live on Long Lake and have three small children at home.
James Mott
James Mott is a Great Lakes native, having lived his whole life in Michigan. Raised in Metro-Detroit, childhood summers in Gladwin, family motel in Barton City, a cabin in Paradise, James has felt at home all over this great state. As a diving educator, James has traveled, dived, and enjoyed the waters of all five of the Great Lakes.
For three decades, James has guided others to see and experience these waters and has hosted beach, shore and underwater clean-ups around Michigan’s in-land and Great Lakes. He is a diving educator, a recurrent public speaker at Shipwreck Festivals, and volunteers his teaching for High School Outdoor Education.
Director at Large
Caelyn Brintnell
Caelyn’s professional background is in nonprofit administration and has spent the past several years working with environmental and Great Lakes-focused organizations.
Caelyn is a northern Michigan native and loves exploring the beauty the region has to offer through hiking, kayaking, and walking local beaches. Caelyn recently moved from Northwestern Michigan to the Northeastern region, and is eager to get more acquainted with the Lake Huron watershed.
Matt McAmmond
Director at Large
Matt is a Michigan native passionate about exploring the state's natural wonders. He currently resides in the southeast of Michigan but frequently visits the northeastern region to indulge in his hobbies of scuba diving and kayaking. As a certified scuba diver and experienced kayaker, Matt deeply appreciates the beauty and diversity of Michigan's Great Lakes, both above and below the surface.
Matt holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Kettering University and an MBA from Oakland University. He has extensive experience in both the technical and business aspects of the engineering field. Additionally, he has a strong interest in leveraging technology to support the stewardship of Michigan's water and land resources. When Matt isn't working, he can often be found hiking or volunteering with the Friends of Negwegon State Park, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Michigan's natural environment. Through his volunteer work, Matt has developed a deep understanding of the ecological challenges facing Michigan and the importance of community involvement in addressing them.
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Madalyn Saddler
Director at Large
Madalyn Saddler is a recent Environmental Science and Water Resource Management graduate from Northern Michigan University. Lake Huron has a special place in her heart as she was born and raised in Alpena, Michigan, but it is her goal to protect and preserve each of the Great Lakes and global Ocean alike. She has in worked a variety of positions at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary over the past few years, but is currently leading a climate based study on freshwater acidification in Lake Huron. In her free time you’ll find her paddle boarding, mountain biking, running, and hiking, all with my dog Juneau.
Meag Schwartz
President & Founder
Meag founded Great Lakes Great Responsibility in 2020 to empower others to take action on behalf of our most precious resource: the freshwater of the Great Lakes. Meag's background is in Biology (BS, Alma College) and Environmental Science (MS, Indiana University). She serves in her professional role as Network Coordinator with the Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, a network of educators and community partners that foster place-based stewardship education to protect the Great Lakes and natural resources.
Meag enjoys exploring the Great Lakes through snorkeling, paddle boarding or just walking the shoreline.
Olivia Miller
Youth Representative
Olivia Miller is a recent graduate from Alpena High School, and is in the Early Middle College program with Alpena Community College. She is currently pursuing a degree in marketing, and hopes to transfer to a larger university to major in marketing and minor in environmental and sustainability studies.
Olivia was born and raised in Alpena, MI, and her love of all things nature started at a young age. Her best memories have all been outdoors, and whether it be tubing down the river, or fun beach days with friends, it has left a lasting impact on her.
In her free time, Olivia enjoys being active, listening to music, thrifting, and spending time with her friends and family.
In March 2024, Olivia became a Marine Plastics Ambassador with EarthEcho International, and will create a community project to reduce plastic waste in Alpena.