HANNAH MACDONALD
“The role of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in my life cannot be understated—it has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional development for over a decade.” – Hannah MacDonald
Hannah MacDonald grew up in Alpena, overlooking Thunder Bay. She was drawn to the water. As soon as she was old enough to snorkel she was diving on the SHAMROCK.
After going through the Shipwreck Alley class at Alpena High School and meeting the team at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary she knew the direction she wanted her career to take.
She took advantage of all the opportunities she could, one of them being the Ocean for Life program that brought students from around the world together to focus on solutions for protecting the ocean. She also was a recipient of the NOAA Hollings Scholarship and chose an internship at Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
Currently, Hannah works at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute where she leads the fisheries engagement program and offshore wind initiative. She also serves on the Sanctuary Advisory Council for Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. She is passionate about engaging coastal communities to develop collaborative solutions to the challenges they face – like climate change, changing ecosystems, and new ocean uses.
“The mentorship and experiences I’ve gained there have not only shaped my career but have also enriched my understanding of our interconnected world.” – MacDonald
Clear on this link to watch a “Stories from the Blue” short film that was created featuring Hannah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywpJKkkN8ug
Top photos and bottom left: MSE and GRMI events
Bottom right photo: from The Big Five Dive
MARGARET SIGMON
“If it wasn’t for my involvement with Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in my youth, I am not sure where my life would be.” – Margaret Sigmon
It was a week-long educational program called Aquatic Academy that brought 12-year-old Margaret to TBNMS. Her love and passion for protecting the Great Lakes started with this program!
After being inspired in Aquatic Academy, her teenage years were filled with more camps, extracurriculars, and volunteer opportunities such as the Great Lakes Natural Resources Camp, 4-H Michigan Youth Conservation Council, volunteering at TBNMS, and AmeriCorps. Then Margaret enrolled in Northern Michigan University to study Environmental Science with a Water Resources concentration and a minor in Anthropology.
“Due to my involvement with TBNMS and 4-H, I was selected to be an Explorer Guide for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) during the summers while in college. I organized, promoted, and presented a vast variety of educational programs for P.H. Hoeft State Park and the surrounding community.”
Her summer connection to MDNR led her to Hammond Bay Biological Station as a U.S. Geological Survey Biological Science Technician where she worked on many projects researching control of the invasive sea lamprey. Most recently, Margaret has started working for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and helps with outreach events, engaging the public and educating them on the invasive sea lamprey, the efforts to control it, and how native fish are being supported.
“I love our Great Lakes and my passion is to educate the public and surrounding community, especially our youth, about how important our Great Lakes are to us and our ecosystems. They are beautiful and full of life. Growing up with Lake Huron has been a blessing and I want our future generations, including my daughter, to grow up with what I did. I want people to be able to fish, learn about the vast number of species in our fresh water, and enjoy our Great Lakes.
My advice for anyone thinking about being a part of this career field is to get involved. Whether it is volunteering for an event, a club, or taking an internship, all of these opportunities will help you. I would not be where I am today if I didn’t just take the leap and do.”
Top photo left: Margaret at a summer camp
Top photo right: Margaret presenting for Michigan Conservation Week
Bottom left: Margaret working with Hammond Bay and sea lampreys
Bottom right: Margaret at an outreach event at TBNMS for Great Lakes Fishery Commission
CASSIDY BEACH
For Cassidy Beach, a childhood in Presque Isle set the stage for a lifelong connection to the natural world. Evenings spent hiking with her mom and snorkeling Grand Lake sparked an early curiosity—one that evolved into a passion for environmental science and storytelling.
As a high school student, she explored Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s (TBNMS) shallow-water shipwrecks with friends. That curiosity deepened when she earned her SCUBA certification through TBNMS’s Stephanie Gandulla. “That moment felt like the tip of the iceberg,” she recalls. “It was the start of me dreaming big about working with NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) and making meaningful discoveries—just like the scientists I admired in my hometown.”
While studying Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan, she helped connect the sanctuary’s Freshwater Acidification Project with the Michigan Sea Grant internship program, which brought her back to TBNMS—this time as a budding researcher.
Her sanctuary experience launched a whirlwind of opportunities: fieldwork in the Rockies, studying abroad in the Caribbean, and becoming a NOAA Hollings Scholar at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Cape Cod. After college, she explored various environmental projects across the country before landing in Maine as the School and Library Lead Environmental Educator at the Center for Wildlife. There, she traveled with non-releasable wildlife—like porcupines and owls—teaching conservation to communities throughout New England.
“That’s when it clicked for me: it’s not just about doing science; it’s about sharing it in ways that truly resonate.”
This fall, she’ll begin a Master’s in Science Communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz, diving into science writing, podcasting, digital storytelling, and more. But first, she’s back in Alpena for the summer—working with Alpena Shipwreck Tours, reconnecting with her roots, and laying the groundwork for her next adventure: a small business focused on science communication.
Looking ahead, she hopes to travel coastlines around the world, documenting environmental stories and amplifying voices impacted by ecological change. But no matter where life leads, one thing is certain:
“There’s something about the sight of a Great Lakes shipwreck that never fails to captivate me.”
