An
energetic and passionate presenter, Valerie van Heest shares the
exciting stories of her expeditions to discover and document Great
Lakes Shipwrecks. A recent Inductee to the Women Divers Hall of
Fame, and a 2007 recipient of a Michigan History Award for her work
preserving and promoting Michigan’s maritime heritage, Valerie has
researched and dived some of the most significant shipwrecks in the
Great Lakes over the past 20 years. She has written and directed
more than a dozen documentary films and appeared on the major
television networks discussing these projects. Valerie’s work has
appeared in numerous print publications and news media outlets, she
has been a major contributor to many books, and newspaper features,
and featured in several books. She is an author, of the
award-winning children’s book, Icebound! The Adventures of Young
George Sheldon and the SS Michigan, and co-author of Buckets
and Belts. In one of many expeditions, Valerie and the MSRA
team are working with Clive Cussler’s team in search of Northwest
Flight 2501, a DC-4 that crashed into Lake Michigan in 1950.
Her programs feature spectacular underwater images
and video, and are filled with excitement, adventure, surprises and
ultimately offer a “deeper” look at the roots of the Great State of
Michigan steeped in maritime tradition.
Valerie can provide several different programs depending upon the interests of the audience. To schedule a program please contact Valerie via email: shipwrecked@chartermi.net. She is listed on the Michigan Humanities Touring Directory f. You may consider applying for a small l grant towards her honorarium. http://www.michiganhumanities.org/programs/touring/index.php
DETAILED
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
You will also find
High resolution images for use in promoting these programs
2010
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/BOOK SIGNINGS
Jan. 8, 2010
Heritage Christian School—Grandville,
MI
Jan. 15, 2010
Cummings Elementary—Grandville,
MI
Feb. 16, 2010 Holland Literary Club—Holland, MI
Feb. 20, 2010 Our World Underwater—Chicago, IL
Feb. 27, 2010
Great Lakes Shipwreck Film Festival—Ann
Arbor, MI
Mar. 6, 2010 Ghostships Festival—Milwaukee, WI
Mar. 13, 2010
Herrick District Library—Holland,
MI (Deckhand for a Day)
Mar. 20, 2010 ScubaFest—Columbus, OH
April 24, 2010 Mysteries and Histories—Holland, MI
July TBD
The Heritage Museum
TBD
Berrien County Historical Society
2009
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/BOOK SIGNINGS
Jan.
13, 2009 Hackley Library—Muskegon, MI
Jan. 18, 2009 Michigan Maritime Museum—South Haven, MI
Jan. 22, 2009 Cummings Elementary—Grandville, MI
Jan. 27, 2009 Olive Township Historical Society—Olive
Township, MI
Jan. 30, 2009 Woodside Elementary—Holland, MI
Feb. 12, 2009 Grand Rapids Power and Sail
Squadron—Grand Rapids, MI
Feb. 14, 2009 Womens Fellowship—Holland, MI
Feb. 19, 2009 Freedom Village—Holland, MI
Feb. 21, 2009 Our World Underwater—Chicago, IL
Feb. 18, 2009 Ford Seahorses—Detroit, MI
Mar. 12, 2009 Tri-Cities Museum - Grand Haven, MI
Mar. 17, 2009 Haslett Library- Haslett, MI
Mar. 18, 2009 Leslie Library- Leslie, MI
Mar. 21, 2009 Scuba Fest - Dayton, OH
Mar. 24, 2009 Mason Library- Mason, MI
Feb. 26, 2009 Spring Lake Schools - Spring Lake, MI
Mar. 25, 2009 Webberville Library-Webberville, MI
Apr. 25, 2009 Evening Beneath the Inland Seas- Holland,
MI
May 15, 2009 Holland Professional Club - Holland, MI
Jun. 02, 2009 Pine Ridge Elementary - Grand Rapids, MI
Jun. 11, 2009 Bangor Historical Society - Bangor, MI
July 06, 2009 Childrens Shipwreck Exploration - South
Haven, MI
July 21, 2009 North Berrien Historical Museum -
Coloma, MI
Aug. 06, 2009 Berrien County Historical Association -
Berrien Springs, MI
Aug. 08, 2009 Red Barn Playhouse - Saugatuck, MI
Sep. 09, 2009 Boy Scouts of America - Holland, MI
Sep. 15, 2009 Lowell Area Historical Society - Lowell,
MI
Sep. 25, 2009 Elder Hostel - Kalamazoo Community
College, Hastings, MI
Oct. 01, 2009 Tri-Cities Historical Society - Grand
Haven, MI
Oct. 02, 2009 Historical Society of Michigan - Grand
Haven, MI
Oct. 09, 2009 Hope College Science Banquet - Holland,
MI
Oct. 17, 2009 Grand Rapids Public Library - Grand
Rapids, MI
Nov. 07, 2009 Gales of Movember Keynote Speaker -
Duluth, MN
Nov. 10, 2009 Ionia Library - Ionia, MI
Nov. 10, 2009 Zeeland Literary Club - Zeeland, MI
Nov. 16, 2009 Schoolcraft Library - Schoolcraft, MI
Nov. 21, 2009 Shipwrecks and Sscuba - Huron, MI
2008
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/BOOK SIGNINGS:
Jan. 15, 2008 Tri-Cities Museum- Grand Haven, MI
Jan. 16, 2008 Rockford Public Schools- Rockford, MI
Jan. 21, 2008 Retired Pilots Group- Grand Rapids, MI
Feb. 02, 2008 Sloan Museum/Book Signing- Flint, MI
Feb. 07, 2008 Waukazoo Elementary School- Rockford, MI
Feb. 16, 2008 Our World Underwater/Book Signing-
Chicago, IL
Feb. 19, 2008 Flat River Historical Society-
Greenville, MI
Feb. 23, 2008 Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation
Society- Moundsview, MN
Mar. 01, 2008 Herrick District Library/Book Signing-
Holland, MI
Mar. 06, 2008 Lakeshore Elementary School- Holland, MI
Mar. 06, 2008 Georgetown Township Library- Jennison, MI
Mar. 08, 2008 Ghost Ships Festival- Milwaukee, WI
Mar. 12, 2008 Cummings Elementary School- Grand Rapids,
MI
Mar. 18, 2008 Lakewood Elementary School- Holland, MI
Mar. 20, 2008 The Heritage Museum- St. Joseph, MI
Mar. 25, 2008 Sheldon Woods Elementary School- Holland,
MI
Mar. 27, 2008 Walker Library- North Muskegon, MI
Mar. 29, 2008 The Grand Rapids Museum/Book signing -
Grand Rapids, MI
Apr. 05, 2008 Shipwrecks 2008 - Welland, Ontario Canada
Apr. 10, 2008 LaGrave CRC- Grand Rapids, MI
Apr. 17, 2008 Tri-Cities Museum/ Book Signing - Grand
Haven, MI
Apr. 19, 2008 Ford Seahorses/Book Signing - Detroit, MI
Apr. 23, 2008 Muskegon Historical Society/Book Signing-
Muskegon, MI
Apr. 24, 2008 Walker Memorial Library- Muskegon, MI
May 03, 2008 Mysteries and Histories- Holland, MI
Jun. 12, 2008 Banger Historical Society- Banger, MI
July 23, 2008 Genesee District Library- Flint, MI
July 02, 2008 Hope College Summer Science Camp-
Holland, MI
Aug. 06, 2008 The Heritage Museum- St. Joseph, MI
Aug. 26, 2008 Pentwater Library- Pentwater, MI
Sep. 05, 2008 Assoc. for Great Lakes Maritime Heritage
Annual Meeting - Muskegon, MI
Sep. 09, 2008 Aurelious Library- Mason, MI
Sep. 13, 2008 Georgetown Township Library- Jenison, MI
Sep. 18, 2008 Saugatuck Center for the Arts- Saugatuck,
MI
Sep. 21, 2008 Flight 2501 Memorial Program - Saugatuck,
MI
Sep. 23, 2008 Bretton Village Seniors- Grand Rapids, MI
Sep. 24, 2008 Holland Women's Club - Holland, MI
Oct. 01, 2008 Muskegon Power Squadron- Muskegon, MI
Oct. 02, 2008 Rockford Area Historical Society-
Rockford, MI
Oct. 17, 2008 Moby's Dive Shop Grand Rapids, MI
Oct. 23, 2008 Lakewood School West Ottawa, Holland, MI
Oct. 28, 2008 Fifth Reformed Church Senior Group- Grand
Rapids, MI
Nov. 08, 2008 Herrick District Library, Holland, MI
Nov. 10, 2008 Spring Lake Library- Spring Lake, MI
Nov. 11, 2008 Heritage Christian School - Grandville,
MI
Nov. 14, 2008 Waukazoo School, West Ottawa Holland, MI
Nov. 21, 2008 Sheldon Woods School, West Ottawa
Holland, MI
Nov. 25, 2008 The Joint Archives of Holland- Holland,
MI
Dec. 03, 2008 North Holland School- West Ottawa-
Holland, MI
Dec. 05, 2008 Zeeland Historical Society- Zeeland, MI
2007
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/BOOK SIGNINGS:
Feb. 10, 2007 Our World Underwater- Chicago, IL
Feb. 13, 2007 Lowell Public Library - Lowell, MI
Mar 24, 2007 Ghost Ships Festival- Milwaukee, WI
Mar 31, 2007 Shipwrecks 2007- Ontario, Canada
April 10, 2007 Patmos Library- Jamestown, MI
April 19, 2007 Georgetown Township Library- Jenison,
MI
April 24, 2007 Berrien County Historical Society-
Benton Harbor, MI
May 5, 2007 Mysteries and Histories Beneath the
Inland Seas- Holland, MI
May 16, 2007 Trinity Luthern Church 7th Grade class-
St. Joseph, MI
May 17, 2007 Loutit Library- Grand Haven, MI
May 26, 2007 SS CITY OF MILWAUKEE Museum Ship-
Manistee, MI
June 6, 2007 White Lake Library- Whitehall, MI
June 21, 2007 Hope College - Summer Camp- Holland, MI
June 27, 2007 Hope College - Summer Camp- Holland, MI
June 9, 2007 Waterfront Film Festival- Saugatuck, MI
July 10, 2007 Forest Hills Senior Center- Forest
Hills, MI
July 17, 2007 Zeeland Rotary- Zeeland, MI
Aug 18, 2007 Michigan Maritime Museum- South Haven, MI
Aug 19, 2007 Michigan Maritime Museum- South Haven, MI
Aug 30, 2007 Grand Rapids Kiwanis- Grand Rapids, MI
Sept. 6, 2007 Walker Library- North Muskegon, MI
Sept. 9, 2007 Assoc for Great Lakes Maritime Heritage
Annual Meeting
Mackinac City, MI (In
partnership with William Lafferty PhD)
Sept 12, 2007 Caledonia Library (Kent) Caledonia, MI
Sept 20, 2007 Knights of the Round Table- Grand Rapids,
MI
Oct. 2, 2007 Alto Library- Kent County
Oct 4, 2007 Michigan Maritime Museum- South Haven,
MI
Oct. 9, 2007 Grandville Library- Kent County
Oct. 30, 2007 Spencer Library- Kent County
Oct. 17, 2007 Rockford Public Schools- Rockford, MI
Nov. 5, 2007 Crousse Memorial Library- Kent County
Nov 6, 2007 Hackley Library- Muskegon, MI
Dec 19, 2007 West Michigan local Government Managers
Assoc.- Grand Rapids, MI
2006
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/PRESENTATIONS
Nov 14, 2006 Otsego Library- Otsego, MI
Nov. 9, 2006 Spring Lake Library- Spring Lake, MI
Nov. 4, 2006 Shipwrecks & Scuba - Sandusky, Ohio
Oct. 18, 2006 Fort Miami Heritage Society- Benton
Harbor, MI
Oct. 12, 2006 Ford Museum- Grand Rapids, MI
Aug. 24, 2006 Hope College - MSRA Announcement
Presentation- Holland, MI
Aug. 18, 2006 Press Conference - Shipwreck Discovery
Announcement- Holland, MI
Aug. 16, 2006 Pentwater Historical Society- Pentwater,
MI
Jun. 10, 2006 Waterfront Film Festival- Saugatuck, MI
May 6, 2006 Mysteries & Histories - Evening Beneath
the Inland Seas - Holland, MI
April 27, 2006 Freedom Village- Holland, MI
Mar. 25, 2006 Beneath The Seas- Secaucus, NJ
Feb. 25, 2006 Our World Underwater- Chicago, IL
Feb. 2006 Forest Hills Senior Center- Forest
Hills, MI
TELEVISION/RADIO APPEARANCES:
Sep. 20, 2009 Fox TV News- Griffen Court Case.
Sep. 18, 2008 NPR- Flight 2501 Mass grave found.
Sep. 16, 2008 Michigan Public Radio with Charity Nebbe.
Flight 2501 mass grave found.
Sep. 12, 2008 WGVU radio with David Moore. Flight 2501
mass grave found.
April, 2008 WZZM Take 5 with Stepahnie Webb.
Promoting the book, Icebound.
Mar 19, 2008 WZZM Take Five Live Interview. Icebound
Book and Program.
Mar. 19, 2008 WGVU/ NPR Radio Interview w/ Shelly
Irvine. Icebound Book and Program.
Mar. 17, 2008 The History Channel: Cities of the
Underworld with Don Wildman.
Feb. 21, 2008 Radio Interview Minneapolis, MN. Icebound
Book and Program.
May 2007 WWMT Kalamazoo News 3. Update - Search
for Northwest Flight 2501.
May 2006 WWMT Kalamazoo News 3. Search for
Northwest Flight 2501.
July 2006 WWMT Kalamazoo News 3. Hennepin,
Barge, Schooner Discoveries.
July 2006 WZZM Grand Rapids News 13. Hennepin,
Barge, Schooner Discoveries.
Mar. 16, 2006 WZZM News 13 Grand Rapids. Real Life-
Real People. Woman Diver of Fame.
July 2005 WWMT Kalamazoo New 3.Michigan and Ann
Arbor Discoveries.
May 07, 2005 WXMI Fox News 17 with Dan Krauth. Flight
2501 Search.
May 2005 Wood TV8 Grand Rapids with Jam Sardar.
Flight 2501 Search.
May 2005 WZZM13 Grand Rapids with Linda Paige.
Flight 2501 Search.
May 2005 WWMT News 3 with Leslie Randall. Flight
2501 Search.
June 2002 Wood TV8 Grand Rapids with Mia
Shay.Akeley Discovery announcement.
June 2002 WZZM News 13 Grand Rapids with Chris Tye.
Akeley Discovery.
Sept. 2001 WWMT Kalamazoo News 3 with Kelsey
Carlson. Shipwreck Discovery.
July 1998 WWMT Kalamazoo News 3 with Kelsey
Carlson. Chicora Search Continues.
Summer 1993 CBS News 2 Chicago with Bill Curtis. Under
Lake Michigan News Special.
Summer 1992 Illinois Adventure. Illinois Valley Public
Telecommunications Co. Segment.
Summer 1990 WFLD TV Fox 32 Chicago. Wells Burt Theft.
Summer 1989 Missing Reward Nationally Syndicated Series
with Host Stacy Keach.
The Wells Burt Theft
Summer 1989 WMAQ News 5 Chicago with Jackie Bang. Wells
Burt.
May 30, 1989 On The Bench- Cable Talk Show. 30 Minute
segment on the Wells Burt
