Dr. Marc Gaden is originally from Oakland Township, Michigan and has spent most of his professional career working to protect and improve the North American Great Lakes. He grew up in a family of avid boaters (mostly Lake St. Clair) and fishers.

 

Dr. Gaden serves as Deputy Executive Secretary for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, a US/Canadian agency established by treaty to improve and perpetuate the Great Lakes fishery. He has worked extensively on issues involving regional coordination of fisheries policies, invasive species, and ecosystem restoration. In that capacity, he has been involved in several projects related to the Great Lakes of Africa (particularly from a governance perspective). Prior to joining the Great Lakes Fishery Commission secretariat, Dr. Gaden worked as a legislative assistant for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Great Lakes Task Force, researching, proposing, and advocating legislation of benefit to the Great Lakes region. Dr. Gaden also worked as a legislative assistant and caseworker for U.S. Congressman Dennis M. Hertel (D-MI), specializing in Great Lakes, environment, transportation, immigration, and Social Security issues.

 

Dr. Gaden is an adjunct assistant professor at the School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, and an adjunct associate professor at the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University. His research and teaching interests relate to the human dimensions of natural resource management. Currently, he teaches the course “Global Water” at the University of Michigan, Program in the Environment. He is also the faculty advisor for the University of Michigan Fishing Team.

 

Dr. Gaden received a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment (now School for Environment and Sustainability) in 2007, a Master of Arts degree in United States foreign policy from The American University in 1993, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science from the University of Michigan in 1991.