Speaking Engagements

Perfect for your conference, community organization, business group, and more! Contact us for scheduling and pricing

Hammock Camping 101

Learn all about hammock camping; what gear to buy or make, the pros and cons, and how to get started. We've learned a lot of things the hard way, so you won't have to! 

Trip Planning: Backcountry Camping, Kayak Camping, or Canoe Camping

Customized for your group's interest and skill level, from beginner to intermediate. From selecting destinations to packing your gear and food, this overview will get you headed in the right direction.

Environmentalism and Outdoor Recreation

Explore the direct links between the personal experience of camping and the collective experience of caring for habitats, watersheds, and public lands. 

20 Years on North Manitou Island

This wilderness island in Lake Michigan has experienced many changes over time. Learn about what to expect, and where to go. We will look at historical maps and changes to the structures.

Adventure Camping Over 50

What does it take to get out and have adventures when you are past 50 years old? This beginner's presentation will answer all of your questions!

Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop

Stacie is a Certified Leave No Trace Trainer, and can provide awareness training for your group. Learn about the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace, and be a better steward of our outdoor public lands.

Packing Your Backpack, Kayak, or Canoe

What you'll need to know about planning packing up your shelter, food, and gear for a weekend or a week in the backcountry.  Top 10 essentials and wilderness ethics, leave no trace, will be covered. 

Our Top 10 Michigan Outdoor Destinations

Learn about some prime outdoor recreation spots, what we love about them, and what you'll need to know for your next trip. 

Thin Places: Spiritual Discovery in Wilderness

Explore spiritual practices that can enhance your walk through the neighborhood or your next camping adventure. This can be modified to a workshop-style field trip.

Historic Preservation on a Remote Wilderness Island in Lake Michigan

Learn about the Katie Shepard Hotel Project, a restoration project by Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. This 11+ year project has taken an island home from near ruin to ready to open to the public. For 10 days a year each August, volunteers have traveled the remote location to continue the work.  

The History of North Manitou Island

Learn about the influences of Native Americans, early loggers, homesteaders, summer cottage vacationers, the Manitou Island Association years, and the National Park Service era. 

North Manitou Island: The History of Cottage Row

North Manitou Island is a place of mystery, with many shuttered old homes and ruins, evidence of a once-thriving community. In this exploration of the Cottage Row community, learn about the people who were regular summer residents, and how their lives were shaped by the relationships built in this special place over time. LEARN MORE 

Have another idea or suggestion?  Let us know and we can create a custom presentation!

Speaker Professional Bios

Stacie Sadowski

Stacie Longwell Sadowski

Stacie has extensive experience in outreach, education, and public speaking, with a professional background in business and marketing. She has worked with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear for 10 years in various volunteer roles, including the Katie Shepard Hotel Project and on the Board of Directors, and is a former Board Chair. She holds a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Michigan State University, and a master's degree in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University. She is a Certified Leave No Trace Trainer. She has spent much of her career in healthcare and education, with an emphasis on nonprofit work, having served on numerous boards. Stacie is employed as the Major Gifts Officer at the Leelanau Conservancy in Leland, MI. She is also a Nature Writer, and Outreach and Marketing Specialist.

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Vince Sadowski

Vince Sadowski

Vince specializes in computer repair, client education, and creative solutions. He is the owner and sole proprietor of Vince Sadowski Computer Doctor, a computer repair business. He studied Computer Science at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. His early career began as a help desk analyst at the Kellogg Company. Focused on helping people, he found that he enjoyed working directly with clients and decided to create an independent business in 2003. His expertise is in making information accessible to clients, both in his computer repair work and in teaching basic and advanced outdoor skills. He has been a volunteer with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore since 2014. He has worked in the North Manitou Island Katie Shepard Project, and participated in the Port Oneida Fair.  Vince has been a regular visitor to the North Manitou Island since 2000, logging dozens of trips mapping the island's interior.

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Recent and Future Presentations

DateEventTopic
February 25, 2025Solar Outdoors, Livonia, MIWilderness Within Reach: Planning Your Visit to North Manitou Island
June 19, 2024Sharecare Leelanau, Leland, MIOutdoor Adventuring Over 50 For Beginners
April 20, 2024Oral History Workshop, Interlochen Center for the Arts, VirtualDealing with Sensitive Topics and Issues
April 12/13, 2024Festival of Faith & Writing, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MIWriting and Creating for Digital Platforms
March 19, 2024Leelanau Historical Society, Leland, MI, and VirtualWomen of the Manitou Islands
March 9, 2024Canoecopia, Madison, WSHammock Camping 101
March 2, 2024Quiet Adventure Symposium, East Lansing, MIWilderness Within Reach: Planning Your Visit to North Manitou Island
September 11, 2023Leelanau Historical Society North Manitou Island Day TripHistory of the US Life-Saving Station Complex
June 3, 2023Paw Paw District Library Oral History Workshop, VirtualDealing With Sensitive Topics and Issues
April 29, 2023Michigan Oral History Association Workshop, VirtualCreating Oral History Videos
April 27, 2023Kuehl Kuest, Backcountry Couples, YouTubeSEASON 2 - Ep 19 Two Weeks In A Hammock
September 8, 2022Benzie Area Historical Society Speaker Series, Benzonia, MINorth Manitou Island: The History of Cottage Row
March 11-13, 2022Canoecopia, Madison, WS and VirtualHammock Camping 101
March 11-13, 2022Canoecopia, Madison, WS and VirtualWilderness Within Reach: Planning Your Visit to North Manitou Island
March 11-13, 2022Canoecopia, Madison, WS and VirtualKayaking the Upper Peninsula’s Fox and Manistique Rivers: A Beginners Guide for What Not to Do
March 11-13, 2022Canoecopia, Madison, WS and VirtualOutdoor Adventuring Over 50 For Beginners
March 1, 2022Quiet Adventure Symposium, VirtualWilderness Within Reach: Planning Your Visit to North Manitou Island
March 1, 2022Historical Society of Michigan: History HoundsThe Katie Shepard Hotel: History and Restoration on a Wilderness Island
September 13, 2021Leelanau Historical Society North Manitou Island Day TripHistory of the Katie Shepard Hotel
May 13, 2021Michigan Historic Preservation Network Annual ConferenceHistoric Preservation on a Remote Wilderness Island