About FLOW


About FLOW

Liz Kirkwood,
Executive Director
Jim Olson,
President, Founder
Deirdre Ring-Marrinson,
Fund Development Specialist
Nayt Boyt,
Catalyst Coordinator
Dave Dempsey,
Senior Advisor

Over the past two years, FLOW has experienced tremendous growth, including the hire of development director Deirdre Ring-Marrinson, office manager Nayt Boyt, and most recently senior advisor Dave Dempsey. Dave brings 35 years’ experience in water policy, served as environmental advisor to former Michigan Gov. James Blanchard, was a Presidential appointee to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, and has authored and co-edited six Great Lakes-related books, including Great Lakes for Sale: From Whitecaps to Bottlecaps, tackling Nestlé and water privatization.

Since 2015, we have published dozens of policy reports and educated tens of thousands of citizens about some of the most urgent threats to our fresh waters. We also have influenced policymakers by providing legal, scientific, and technical analyses regarding the Line 5 pipelines, water diversion, fish farming, fracking, and other issues threatening the health of the Great Lakes.  Because of our science-driven law and policy work, we have become a go-to source for the media, legislators, agencies, partners, and citizens.

Our Mission

Our mission at FLOW is to protect the common waters of the Great Lakes Basin through public trust solutions. To learn more about our mission, click here.

Donate

Your gift to FLOW is an investment in the health of our fresh water for the benefit of current and future generations.  We are very grateful for your support.  Donate Now.

Sign Up Here

Stay updated on the latest happenings and alerts from FLOW. Sign Up today to receive the latest updates from FLOW including breaking news about Great Lakes issues, notices about volunteer opportunities that help support our work, and invitations to FLOW and partner events.

Host an Event

When you host an event, our staff will provide your group with valuable information on the critical issues impacting our Great Lakes.  FLOW offers three core programs covering the threats and abuses to our fresh water on a variety of Great Lakes topics. Read more.

Local Resources

Look up your local county resources or contact information within Michigan departments.

Take Action

Read more to find petitions on a variety of issues affecting the Great Lakes and learn about other ways to take action.

Become a Volunteer

Volunteers are a vital part of FLOW. Want to get involved?  Read more.