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Past Meeting Topics
2026
January…Viral Pandemics: Past, Present, and Future
Dr. Ryan Miller, Infectious Disease at Munson Medical Center
February…Dam Removal and River Restoration
Patrick Ertel, Michigan DNR
March…US Foreign Assistance: Its Purpose and Impact
Dan and Phyllis Craun-Selka, career USAID
April…Tulipia: The Fascinating History of a Horticultural Treasure
Linda Young, former Director of Museum Education at The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
May…Protecting Great Lakes Waters:What’s at Risk, and What We Can Do
Carolan Sonderegger, Policy Director of FLOW Water Advocates
May 31…Health Benefits of the Clean Energy Transition: Panel Discussion
Co-sponsored with MiCCA…Dr. Debra Hendrickson, pediatrician and author; Dr. Mark Elliott, cardiologist; Dr. Lisa Franseen, Clinical Psychologist; Dr. Lisa Del Buono, Radiologist
June…Mental Healthcare in the Grand Traverse Region
Judy Barrett and Jeff Rhodes from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
July…The Wolves of Isle Royale
Jack Hondorp of Michigan Tech’s School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
August…The Earth’s Vital Canopy: World Forest Preservation
Paige Langer of the World Respurces Institute
2025
January…So You Are Having a Heart Attack
Dr. Mark Elliott, retired cardiologist
February…AI for You and I: An Exploration of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Scott Morey
March…Buried Alive: The Continuing Story of Dr. William Beal’s Audacious Seed Experiment
Dr. Grace Fleming, Professor MSU
April…Inspired by Art: GTH Members Art Show and Discussion
May…Documentary Film…Searching for Anna and Levi: A Forgotten History of Black Homesteaders in Leelanau County
Joe VanderMeulen, director, and Isiah Smith, narrator for Q&A
June…The Housing Crisis
Yarrow Brown from Housing North
July…What’s All the Fuss about Herbicides, GMOs, and Organic Agriculture?
Dr. Eric Patterson, Professsor MSU
August…Genetic Disease: Advances, Treatment, and Ethical Considerations
Julie Berger, Genetics Counselor
September…The IQ of AQI: Air Quality and Health
Dr. Robert Brook, Cardiologist, Wayne State Medical School
October...Immigration Chaos (Immigration in America)
Karen Segal, retired diplomat
November…The Traverse City FishPass Project
Dr. Dan Zielinski, chief engineer and scientist
December…Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Dr. Paul Coussens, Professor Vetrinary Science, MSU
2024
January…Ultra-Processed Food
Dr. Mark Elliott, retired cardiologist
February…Documentary Film…Finding the Money (Modern Monetary Theory)
Maren Poitras, director (remote Q & A)
March…Roundtable: Advocating for Humanism Moderaror-Heather Kingham
April…The Israeli/Palestinian Conflict: The Two-State Delusion
Jack Segal, former diplomat and NATO advisor
May…The Answer is Champion Trees
David Milarch, founder and director of Archangel Tree Archive:
June…Documentary Film: God and Country (Christian Nationalism) Film and discussion
July…Separation of Church and State
Eleanor Lynn, attorney
August…Microplastics in the Great Lakes
Art Hirsch
September…On the Ground Global
Tim Young, founder, and Stella Young, executive director
October…Why Emotions Matter: Elevating our Humanity through Neuroscience and Personal Practice
Anya Nyson, counselor
November...Environmental Law
Jim Olson, attorney and author
December…Personal Online Safety and Internet Security
Ken Hartman
2023
January…The Mostly True Story of Dick Bassett, Celebrity Hermit of Grand Traverse Bay
Jordan Owen, Traverse City historian and storyteller
February…Depolarizing Political Discussions – How to get librals and conservatives in the same room for a civil discussion without bloodshed
Dr. Mike Radke, from Braver Angels
March…Water for All: The Future of Water in the Great Lakes Region
Liz Kirkwood, executive director of FLOW
April…Roundtable: Paths to Humanism
May…Sturgeon for Tomorrow
Brenda Archambo, founder of Sturgeon for Tomorrow
June…Community Supported Agriculture
Nic Welty, co-founder and treasurer of MI Farm Cooperative and co-owner of 9 Bean Rows
July…Artificial Intelligence
Eric Bravick, CEO of The Lifted Initiative
August…Spiders!
Craig Olsen, Nation Park ranger and naturalist, with Mark Elliott, MD, on spider silk
September…Inland Seas Education Association
Izzy Cooper, Program Coordinator for Inland Seas
October…Making Local Government Work for You
TJ Andrews, attorney and GT County Commissioner
November…Why I Cook
Chef Eric Patterson, Chef of The Cook’s House
December…Northern Lights and the Dark Sky Initiative
Dr. Jerry Dobek, astronomer, professor at NMC, director of Rogers Observatory and founding member of International Dark Sky Association
2022
February…Voter Redistricting Maps and Gerrymandering
Joey Andrews from the AFL-CIO, (Virtual Zoom Meeting)
March…The Traverse City FishPass Project
Dr. Dan Zielinski, Principal Engineer/Scientist with Great Lakes Fishery Commission (Virtual Zoom Meeting)
April…Dennos Museum outing
May…The Russia/Ukraine Conflict
Jack Segal, Retired diplomat and former NATO advisor
June…A Look at Indian Country in the 21st Century
Eric Hemenway, Director of Repatriation, Archives, and Records for the little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
July…Empowered Aging
Kim Bauml of Options for Senior Living, Sharon Neumann of Advanced Grief Recovery
August…Tour the Historic Barns Botanic Garden
Docent-led tour on site
September…E3 (Anti-Racism Task Force…Educate Engage Elevate)
Marshall Collins, Courtney Wiggins, and Holly Bird, co-founders of E3
October…Diving Great Lakes Shipwrecks
Chris Roxburgh, underwater photographer
November…The Endangered Monarch Butterfly
Cyndie Roach, founder and director of Butterfly House and Bug Zoo
December…Climate Change and its Impact on the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
David Fenlon, park ranger and naturalist
2021
February…To Catch a Bird
Dr. William Scharf, ornithologist and retired professor at NMC
March…From D-Day to the Founding of the U.N.
Karen Segal, retired diplomat
April…The National Writers Series
Doug and Anne Stanton, founders of the National Writers Series
May…The Next Generation of the Secular Movement: Are You Ready?
Kevin Bolling, executive director of the Student Secular Alliance
June…Great Lakes: Protection vs. Profit (Line 5)
Barb Stamiris, GTH member and retired educator
July…Norte! (outdoor meeting and bike ride) Nonmoterized Transportation Infrastructure
Ty Schmidt, founder and director of Norte
September…Lower Boardman River Traverse City Plan (walking tour)
Harry Burkholder, Chief Operations Officer for the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority
November…Dennos Museum Tour
Docent-led tour of Inuit art and modern art on site
2020
January…Kirtland’s Warbler
Bill Rapai, Michigan Audibon Society and author
February…How to Be an A+ Recycler
Deb Lake of American Waste
September…New York Times Rabbit Hole podcast series discussion
https://www.nytimes.com/column/rabbit-hole
November…Election Reflection (Discussion)
2019
January…Red Tide (Toxic Algal Blooms)
Celia Villac, marine biologist
February…Fox Island Lighthouse Association (Lighthouse Preservation)
Catherine Allchin
March…Maritime Heritage Alliance, and Champions Sailing Program (for troubled youth)
Rich Brauer and Anne Donn
April…Key Energy Issues of our Day
Tony Anderson of Cherryland Electric Cooperative
May…Environmental Law
Ross Hammersley, attorney
June…Native and Invasive Plant Species
Katie Grzesiak, coordinator at the Northern Michigan Invasive Species Network
July…Food Safety and Food Poisoning
Dr. David Martin, infectious disease doctor at Munson Medical Center
August…Skeptical Medicine
Dr. Byrne
September…The Optimal Diet: What Science Says
Dr. Jim Fox, cardiologist at Munson Medical Center
October…Cuba
Karen Segal, retired diplomat
November…Smarter Justice
Anna Dituri of the ACLU
December…American Patriotism
Isiah Smith, retired attorney
2018
January…Documentary film viewing and discussion: Losing Our Religion
February…Darwin Day! Celebration
March…Eyes on the Forest
Kama Ross, forester with Leelanau, Grand Traverse, and Benzie Conservation Districts
March 26…Candidate Without a Prayer
Herb Silverman, author and president emeritus of the Secular Coalition for America
April…Roy Speckhart on the AHA
Roy Speckhart, executive director of the American Humanist Association
May…Humanism in Literature
Mark Gustafson, retired English professor
June…Autism
Cari Noga, author and parent of a son with autism, and Carol Danly
July…Lyme Disease
Dr. Christopher Ledtke, infectious disease at Munson Medical Center
August…Crisis in Bangladesh
Golem Rabbani, lawyer, refugee, human rights activist from Bangladesh
September…Climate Science
John Wierenga, GTH member
October…CRISPR, Cloning, and the ABC’s of DNA
Greg LaCross, professor at NMC
November…Election Reflection
Steven Tuttle, Record-Eagle columnist
December…TART/GTRLC
Brian Beauchamp of TART and Marissa Duque from Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
2017
January…Police and Community
Jeffrey O’Brien, Traverse City Chief of Police
February…GMO? OMG!
GMOs in Medicine: Dr. Mark Elliott, cardiologist
GMOs in Agriculture: Kevin Query, graduate student in agricultural science at MSU
March…Truth in News
Peter Payette, Executive Director of Interlochen Public Radio
April…The Ann Arbor to TC Rail Project/Groundwork
Jim Bruckbauer of Groundwork
May…Lake Invaders (Invasive Species)
Bill Rapai, author
June…Why Atheism is Not Enough
Ed Brayton, host of the blog Dispatches from the Culture Wars
July…The Galapagos and Evolution
Greg LaCrosse, professor at NMC
August…Secular Buddhism
Jeremy Beahan from Center for Inquiry
September…Gerrymandering
October…The Power of Neighbors
Susan Odgers, NMC instructor and Record-Eagle columnist
November…Documentary film viewing and discussion: The Ottaway: A River Reborn
Dan Bertalan, director
December…Celebration of Grand Traverse Humanists’ 10th Anniversary
2016
January…Raptors
Rebecca Lessard, founder and director of Wings of Wonder
February…Planned Parenthood
Carrie Ullery-Smith, education specialist…
March…Roundtable: Justice and Redemption
TED talks by Bryan Stevenson, Shaka Senghor
April…Healthy Eating: Rethinking your Plate
Ali Lopez, chef
May…Documentary film viewing and discussion: Naneek
Tim Keenan of Veterans for Peace
June…Reason Rally and 75th AHA Conference Highlights
GTH conference attendees
July…Enduring the Extremes (Limits of Human Physiology)
Dr. Cara Ocobock, Grand Valley State University professor
August…Documentary film viewing and discussion: 1971
John and Bonnie Raines, activists who broke into FBI headquarters in 1971
September…Roundtable: Communication
TED talks by Monica Lewinsky, Celeste Headlee, Sally Kohn
October…Neuroscience and Humanism
Mark Reimers, MSU professor (via Zoom meeting)
November…Homelessness in TC
Mike McDonald of Safe Harbor
December…The Importance of Pollinators
Cyndie Bobier-Roach of the Butterfly House and Bug Zoo
2015
January…Water’s Future
Carl Ganter, founder and director of Circle of Blue
February…What’s Wrong with the Middle East?
Jack Segal, former diplomat and NATO advisor
March…Rehab: Then and Now, Secular Options
Doug Moser, addiction counselor
April…Carbon Fee and Dividend Legislation
Lisa Del Buono of Citizens Climate Lobby
May…Roundtable…Our Secular Community
June…Bad Biology: How Adaptationist Thinking Corrupts Science
Dr. PZ Myers, Professor University of Minnisota, Pharingula Blog
July…Field Trip to the Rogers Observatory
Bob Moler of Grand Traverse Astronomical Society, Dr. Jerry Dobek
August…Humanism in the Movies
Mark Gustafson, retired NMC English professor
September…Aid in Dying: The Ultimate Human Right
Ed Gogol of Final Options Illinois
October…Who Watches the Watchers? Humanism and Star Trek
Craig Olsen
November…How the Media Controls and Shrinks Our Identity
Mella McCormick, NMC professor
December…Sending Love into the Universe: The Healing Power of Music
Jeff Haas, composer and jazz musician
2014
January…The Art and Soul of Local, Sustainable Cuisine..
Chef Eric Patterson
February…Does Religion Make People Better?..
Jeremy Beahan of CFI Michigan
March…The Evolution of Morality: Fact and Fiction..
Chris Kuchuris & Mella McCormick, NMC
April…Walk This Way
TART Trails and Michigan Land Use Institute
May…Judicial and Governmental Reform
Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth Weaver
June…The Writing Life
Robert Downes, founder of Northern Express and author
July…Winemaking in the Grand Traverse Area
Larry Mawby, vintnor
August…Sierra Club
Rebecca Skeels
September…Roundtable: Handling Non-Critical Thinking with Friends, Family, and Community
October…TED talks and discussion
Hans Rosling, Steven Pinker, Jonathan Haidt
November…Devil in the Woods: The Demonization of Fire in our Culture
Jed Jaworski, Fire Ranger, Michigan DNR
December…Justice: The Endless Pursuit
Isiah Smith, retired Deputy Assistant General Counsel
2013
January…Ernest Hemingway’s Search for Truth and Affirmation
Ken Marek, retired professor
February…The Science of Evolution..
Greg LaCross, biology professor, NMC
March…Atheism 2.0…TED talk by Alain de Botton
April…No Santa, No Tooth Fairy, No God: The Need to Challenge Faith in America
Michael Spry, author
May…E.E. Barnard: A Lifetime of Astrophotography
physicist and Astronomer, Dr. Jerry Dobek
June…Everything You Always Wanted to Know from a Rabbi
Rabbi Chava Bahle
July…Past, Present, and Future of the State Theatre
John Robert Williams, co-founder of TC Film Festival
July 29…The Young Atheist’s Survival Guide
Hemant Mehta, the Friendly Atheist
August…Highlights: 50th Anniversary American Atheists Convention
GTH Board members
September…Special viewing and discussion of film God Loves Uganda
October 11…Hope After Faith: An Ex-Pastor’s Journey from Belief to Atheism
Jerry DeWitt
October…Great Lakes Water Levels
Hans Van Sumeren, Professor, Great Lakes Maritime Academy, NMC
November…Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy and GT Conservation District
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
December…Roundtable: LGBT in TC
2012
January…Campaign Communications and the Media
Stephen Tuttle, columnist
January 30…Antarctica
Bo Clampitt, explorer
February…Roundtable: Humor in Humanism
March …Women of Humanism
GTH members DeAnna, Mary, Kieran, Gail, Jennifer
April…Global Freshwater Studies Program
Constanza Hazelwood & Hans Van Sumeren, NMC
April 30…Filling out our End of Life Notebooks
Kimberli Bindschatel & Larry Dean
May…Report on the Reason Rally and AA Convention
Heather Kingham and Scott Blair, GTH members
June…Roundtable: The Face of the Secular Movement
July…Working with What Is…Mission of Humanism
Suzanne Paul, UU minister
July 30…Celebration of the Arts
GTH members art show and discussion
August…You Are What You Breathe: The Biology of Air Pollution
Dr. Robert Brook, Cardiologist, U of M Medicine
September…Israel and Nuclear Iran
Jack Segal, NATO advisor
October…The Danger of Relativism in Reason
Mella McCormick and Chris Kuchuris, NMC
November…Roundtable: “Election Dissection”…How do the election results affect Humanists?
December…GTH Fifth Anniversary…State of the Humanists
2011
January…Eastern Religions: What do 2.8 Billion People Believe?..
David Bunce, educator
February…Roundtable: The ‘Collins Effect’ (discussion of Francis Collins as head of NIH)
March…Women’s History Project of NW Michigan
Kathy Houston and Nancy Bordine
April…Dare to Be Radical
Dean Robb, attorney
May…Afghanistan, Libya, and the Greater Middle East: America’s Changing
Relationship to the Islamic World
Jack Segal, former diplomat and advisor to the commander of NATO
June…The Galapagos: Our Pilgrimmage to the Holy Land (Darwin and Evolution)
Dr. Mark Elliott, cardiologist and GTH member
July…Can We Be Good Without God? A Discussion of Three Films
Mark Gustafson, English professor
August…Sleeping Bear Dunes
Kerry Kelly, Chairman of Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
September…Roundtable: What’s in a Name?(Humanist, atheist, agnostic, freethinker…)
September 26…Peter Popoff and his Television Miracles
Jim Skinner, history professor, Victoria BC Humanists
October…Secular Allies
Kendal Taylor, Petoskey’s Freedom From Religion Foundation
November…Roundtable: Current Issues in the Separation of Church and State
December…End of Life: Munson Hospice
Kristin Harrison and Patty Amalfitano
2010
January…Global Freshwater Issues
Carl Ganter, Dirrector of Circle of Blue
February…Adult Vaccination
Dr. Karen Spiers, Infectious Disease, Munson Medical Center
March…Domestic Violence
Valerie Kirn-Duensing, Women’s Resource Center
April…Community Sustainability and Resiliance
Dave Barrons, retired broadcaster
May …Roundtable: Being a Humanist in a Religious Society
June…Secular Treatment Options for Addiction Recovery
Doug Moser, Munson MC
July…Humanism, Film, and the Grail
Mark Gustafson, retired English professor
August…Turning Sewage into Water
Scott Blair, Dirrector Traverse City Wastewater Treatment
September…Science and Morality, Sam Harris TED lectures
October…Critical Thinking: An Unnatural Act?..
Dave Terrell, retired NMC professor
November…Roundtable: Skeptics Night, Michael Shermer and James Randi TED lectures
2009
January…Secular Options for End-of-Life
Vaughn Seavolt, Life Story Funeral Home
February…Darwin’s Theory of Evolution
Greg LaCross, Northwestern Michigan College
March…Local and Global Reproductive Issues
Janna Deering, Planned Parenthood
April…Invasive Species in Grand Traverse Bay
Christine Crissman, Inland Seas
May…Creationism’s Trojan Horse
Barbara Forrest video
June…Evolutionary Biology and Genetics
Christian Orlic, Michigan State University
July…Evolution and Morality
Eric Berling, Michigan State University
August…Constructing a Humanist Morality
Roy Speckhardt, executive director, AHA
September…Gabriel said ‘Wamb:’ My Journey to Humanism
Mark Gustafson, retired English professor
October…Roundtable: Individuals’ Journeys to Humanism
November…Highlights from the AHA Conference
Larry Dean, GTH member
December…Green Burial (Conservation Cemeteries)
Kimberli Bindschatel
December…End of Life: the Humanist View
Linda Wasielewski, attorney & Vaughn Seavolt