Voyageurs Conservancy is thrilled to welcome Sam Zimmerman, Jeff Hardwig, and Megan Dobratz to its board of directors. These new members bring a wide array of skills, and their commitment will help keep Voyageurs National Park wild forever and available for all to enjoy. The Conservancy is honored to benefit from the talent and knowledge of its incoming board members.
Meet Sam Zimmerman
Sam Zimmerman, a Grand Portage direct descendant, is a painter, author, and educator based in Duluth, Minnesota. Zimmerman draws on his Ojibwe heritage to create vibrant images filled with symbolism. This led Zimmerman to return home to Minnesota to a life of painting, educating, and storytelling on the shores of Lake Superior. He passionately believes in artistic expression as a gateway for education and cultural understanding. His work continues the Anishinaabe tradition of storytelling, with themes of environmental stewardship and conservation through his public art commissions. He has illustrated a series of bilingual children's books for the Red Cliff Band of Ojibwe schools.
Sam Zimmerman / Photo by Jed Carlson
Sam has been a recipient of Minnesota State Arts Board, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, and Duluth Superior Community Foundation awards. His first book, Following My Spirit Home, a collection of paintings and stories celebrating the beauty of the North Shore of Lake Superior was published this past April.
“Over the last two years, I have worked with the Voyageurs Conservancy as an indigenous artist and educator supporting the mission and vision supporting the goal of visitors to the park to learn, explore, volunteer, and enjoy sustainable recreation.”
Meet Jeffrey Hardwig
Dr. Jeffrey Hardwig, MD is a retired Psychiatry Specialist in International Falls, MN with over 37 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Mayo Medical School in 1985. He was affiliated with Essentia Health, International Falls Clinic. Jeff has extensive volunteer experience as well as service on various non- profit boards, a long-standing attachment to the lake country.
Jeff Hardwig
“I hope to bring a local voice to the board as someone who developed a love of the lake country from an early age. This began when my parents purchased part of Kawawia Island, Rainy Lake in the 1960s. I bought my first canoe at age 11 with paper route earnings and have canoed the BWCA, Quetico, and Voyageurs for over 50 years, “ states Jeff. One of Jeff’s favorite experiences in Voyageurs National Park is exploring its frozen landscape on skis:
“Voyageurs Black Bay ski trail is amazing in that it’s accessible only by traveling across the ice on the Bay and the trail is rugged and beautiful. There is a condition that sometimes develops on the ice in late winter, when snow melts down and forms a crust that is fast on skate skis. Then, I’m not bound by a trail and I can go to any bay or island on the lake limited only by my energy reserve and time. The feeling of exhilaration is hard to describe. It’s also a best kept secret. The only people I see are ski club members and occasional people ice fishing. If you’ve ever heard ice cracking it’s thrilling and an eerily deep sound,” says Jeff.
Meet Megan Dobratz
Megan Dobratz, LEED AP, is founder/owner of Native Sustainability. For more than fifteen years, Megan has built meaningful relationships and broad work experience throughout the environmental field. Since 2012, Megan has run Native Sustainability, which works with diverse businesses and large venues including Bushel Boy Farms, the Metropolitan Airports Commission, the Minnesota State Fair and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, advancing sustainable business operations.
Megan Dobratz
She engages clients by creating practical solutions, connecting a broad network of resources, and implementing resourceful and reliable project management. Megan has volunteered with the Urban Land Institute - Young Leaders Group, Camp Fire Minnesota and Voyageurs Conservancy. She is a LEED AP and holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Megan is an avid traveler with Antarctica being her only remaining continent left to visit. Though her enthusiasm for new places keeps her exploring, Megan reveres time spent on her family cabin in Northern MN built by her grandfather. One of her favorite memories includes floating down the channel that connected their lake chain. These early nature experiences deepened Megan’s passion for sustainability and increasing outdoor access for others:
“I have committed my career to protecting the natural environment. I truly value wilderness, wild spaces and the opportunity for people to connect with nature. I believe that having meaningful experiences outside makes you more apt to work to protect those spaces and the planet as a whole. I would like to expand the outreach and recognition of Voyageurs to a new audience to help celebrate Minnesota’s National Park.”
