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
Amy Sturz
Amy calls Duluth, Minnesota her home and is in love with the shores of Lake Superior. She has earned an undergraduate degree in Field Biology from UW-River Falls, a master's degree in Environmental Science & Policy from UW-Green Bay, and a master's degree in Environmental Education from UW-Steven's Point. She currently works as the social media and marketing coordinator for the Great Lakes Aquarium. She is an avid rock hound, nature lover, and bird wrangler.
Vice President
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.
Shanna Johnson
Treasurer
Shanna Johnson is a Certified Public Accountant in Alpena, Michigan. She has a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Western Michigan University. She owns her own CPA practice where she serves numerous business and individual clients with tax preparation and other accounting services. She was born a Navy brat and as a child was always stationed with her family in areas surrounded by water. Her father retired from the Navy in 1978 at which time the family moved to Hillman, Michigan. Even at a young age, she had a passion against trash and would always carry a bag with her to pick up trash along walks with her family. As a girl scout, she began a recycling program on the Naval base where her father was stationed in Maryland. As an adult, the passion against trash has not diminished. She takes a fishing net with her to pick up litter off the bottom of the lake where her paddle boat is located.
Meag Schwartz
President
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.
Great Lakes Guardians
The Great Lakes Great Responsibility Board values your input and wants to hear from you! Send your ideas, questions or concerns to greatlakesgreatresponsibility@gmail.com.