Friday morning's conference kickoff keynote will be the explorer team of Mike Link and Kate Crowley.

Expedition Director & Leader
Naturalist, Teacher, Writer, Traveler, Grandfather

Mike has just recently retired after 38 ½ years as the Director of the Audubon Center of the North Woods. Starting in 1971 with a simple job description, “see what you can do”, he devoted his career to creating a residential environmental education center that served elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges. The Center became a field campus for Northland College and Hamline University and Mike served as an adjunct faculty for each. During his career, he had a chance to not only define his profession, but also to help design the degrees and training that would prepare his successors. He is also a writer, with over 20 books on travel and nature. He has had the pleasure of sharing his life with his four children and a wonderful group of people, both international and national who crossed his path, looking for career guidance, a place to stay, and a desire to learn. Travels have included paddling, peddling, and hiking in all 50 states and 19 countries. Mike’s life has been devoted to the environment with the belief that education prepares students for the future, but activism protects the environment, until the students are ready to assume responsibility.

After a life in Education, retirement will not be a sedentary time, it is instead a new challenge and with it an opportunity to seek new adventures and engage in a new educational effort. It is a time to be focused on the single issue that raises above all others in Mike’s life and career – fresh water. And because of that recognition, his need for adventure, his shared love and experiences with Kate, the energy of his children, the memory of the son he lost in a kayaking accident in 1989, and the focus on the future that comes from his grandchildren – a Walk Around Lake Superior is the perfect lead in to the last chapter of his life and career.

Expedition Naturalist & "Motivator-in-Chief"
Naturalist, Writer, Traveler, Grandmother

Growing up as a ‘tomboy’, I loved sports, playing outside and exploring by the Minnehaha Creek. After 9 years and two children (Alyssa and Jon) I received my Bachelors Degree in Recreation and Park Administration from the University of Minnesota, followed by a job on the Minnesota Zoo’s Monorail, which led to becoming a naturalist and meeting and marrying Mike. That led to life in Willow River, writing books, traveling all over the world, and finally coming to this point of planning a bigger-than-life adventure.

Because of my tomboy childhood, I believe I am a healthier 58 year old than I would have been otherwise. In my mind, I am still as fit and capable as I was at 30 – though the mirror is my enemy.

Four years ago, my long held dream of becoming a grandmother came true. And in those four short years, I have welcomed four grandchildren – Matthew, Ryan, Aren and Annalise. They are truly the joy of my life, though I live far away from three of them. This Hike Around Lake Superior is as much for them, as for me. I want to set an example for them – to do something grand and almost impossible to imagine, so they will see life as an exciting adventure that is only limited by your own expectations. They will face challenges in the coming years that I cannot even imagine. I worry a great deal about the condition of the world they will live in and that is another reason I want to do this Walk. I want to wake people up to the consequences of our behavior, our lifestyles, our thoughtless consumption and the impact it is having on the resources we absolutely require for existence – in this case, most notably – freshwater. I hope that in some small way, our Walk will bring attention to this resource and the larger issues of climate change. Maybe by setting the example of two old people walking, we can help the next generation create a new, more sustainable path.