V. O. Van Heest

Valerie van Heest is an underwater explorer, maritime historian, award-winning author, and museum exhibit designer, whose personal mission is to inspire people through the study and interpretation of shipwrecks. An inductee in the Women Divers Hall of Fame, she has spearheaded the discovery of 20 Lake Michigan shipwrecks, has directed the archeological investigations of over 50 shipwrecks. In that capacity she has appeared on episodes of National Geographic, Science, Travel, and History Channels’ television series, as well as numerous print, television, and radio news stories.

The Historical Society of Michigan honored her with a State History Award in 2007 for her efforts in preserving and promoting Michigan’s maritime history, and more recently, the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History and Daughters of the American Revolution recognized her decades of work with awards for historical interpretation. She has written eight books.