An energetic and passionate presenter, Valerie van Heest shares the exciting stories of expeditions to discover and document Great Lakes Shipwrecks. Director of Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates, a recent inductee to the Women Divers Hall of Fame, and a 2007 recipient of the Michigan History Award, 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 as well as the History Channel discussing her projects. Valerie’s work has appeared in numerous print publications and news media outlets, she has written dozens of articles and contributed to many books, as well as having been featured in several books. In one of many expeditions, Valerie and MSRA 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
2009
Speaking Engagements/Presentations
Sept. 15, 2009 Lowell Area Historical Society
2008 Speaking Engagements/Presentations:
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 2, 2008
Sloan Museum/Book Signing
Flint, MI
Feb 7, 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/Book Signing
Moundsview, MN
March 1, 2008
Herrick District Library/Book Signing
Holland, MI
March 6, 2008
Lakeshore Elementary School
Holland, MI
March 6, 2008
Georgetown Township Library
Jennison, MI
March 8, 2008
Ghost Ships Festival
Milwaukee, WI
March 12, 2008 Cummings
Elementary School
Grand Rapids, MI
March 18, 2008 Lakewood
Elementary School
Holland, MI
March 20, 2008
The Heritage Museum
St. Joseph, MI
March 25, 2008 Sheldon
Woods
Elementary School
Holland, MI
Mar 27, 2008
Walker Library
North Muskegon, MI
March 29, 2008
The Grand Rapids Museum/Book signing
Grand Rapids, MI
April 2, 2008
Muskegon Sail and Power Squadron
Grand Haven, MI
April 5, 2008
Shipwrecks 2008
Welland, Ontario Canada
April 10, 2008 LaGrave
CRC
Grand Rapids, MI
April 17, 2008 Tri-Cities Museum/
Book Signing
Grand Haven, MI
Apr 19, 2008
Ford Seahorses/Book Signing
Detroit, MI
April 23, 2008
Muskegon Historical Society Docents Program/Book Signing
Muskegon, MI
April 24, 2008
Walker Memorial Library
Muskegon, MI
May 3, 2008
Mysteries and Histories
Holland, MI
June 12, 2008
Banger Historical Society
Banger, MI
July 23, 2008
Genesee District Library
Flint, MI
July TBD
Hope College Summer Science Camp
Holland, MI
Aug 6, 2008
The Heritage Museum
St. Joseph, MI
Aug TBD
Pentwater Library
Pentwater, MI
Sept. 5, 2007
Association for Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Annual Meeting
Muskegon, MI (pending)
Sept 13, 2008
Georgetown Township Library
Jenison, MI
Sept 18, 2008 Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Saugatuck, MI
Oct 1, 2008
Muskegon Power Squadron
Muskegon, MI
Nov, 2008 Ohio Divers Program TBD
Nov. 11, 2008
The Joint Archives of Holland
Holland, MI
Dec, 2008
Zeeland Historical Society
Zeeland, MI
2007 Speaking Engagements/Presentations:
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
Whitelake Library
Whitehall, MI
June 21, 2007
Hope College - Summer Camp for Grade School kids- Shipwreck
Detectives
Holland, MI
June 27, 2007
Hope College - Summer Camp for teens - Shipwreck Detectives
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, Michigan
Sept. 9, 2007
Association 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
Presenting with Keynote Speakers John Chatterton & Ritchie Kohler
from the Best Seller book, Shadow Divers
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
June 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
March 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
April, 2008
WZZM Take 5 with Stepahnie Webb
Promoting the book "ICEBOUND!"
Mar 19/20, 2008
WZZM Take Five Live Interview
Icebound Book and Program
March 19, 2008
WGVU/ NPR Radio Interview w/ Shelly Irvine
Icebound Book and Program
March 17, 2008 The History Channel:
Cities of the Underworld with Don Wildman, host
February 21
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 and Schooner Discovery Announcements
July 2006
WZZM Grand Rapids News 13
Hennepin, Barge and Schooner Discovery Announcements
March 16, 2006
WZZM News 13 Grand Rapids
Real Life- Real People- Woman Diver Hall of Fame Announcement
July 2005
WWMT Kalamazoo New 3
Michigan and Ann Arbor Discoveries
May 7, 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 Announcement
Sept. 2001
WWMT Kalamazoo News 3 with Kelsey Carlson
Shipwreck Discovery announcement
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 about shipwrecks off Chicago
Summer 1990
WFLD TV Fox 32 Chicago
Wells Burt Theft
Summer 1989 Missing Reward Nationally Syndicated
Series with Host Stacy Keech
The Wells Burt Theft
Summer 1989
WMAQ News 5 Chicago with Jackie Bange
Wells Burt
May 30, 1989
On The Bench- Cable Talk Show
30 Minute segment on the Wells Burt
