Not everyone who cares about the Great Lakes does it from a stage. A lot of work happens in meeting rooms, on beaches, in classrooms, and in communities that don’t always make the news. Each year at our Great Blue Benefit, we get to recognize the people doing that work. We call them Wavemakers – individuals and organizations who have been instrumental in conserving and protecting the Great Lakes.
We’re honored to introduce our 2026 Wavemaker Honorees:
Brenda Coley, Co-Executive Director, Milwaukee Water Commons, and water justice champion
Brenda Coley has never bought into the idea that water is a separate issue from everything else. Brenda’s work recognizes that equitable access to fresh, clean water is fundamental—sitting at the center of health, equity, community, and who gets to make decisions about where they live—and, for her, it’s all connected. As Co-Executive Director of Milwaukee Water Commons, she brings years of community organizing and public health experience to the Great Lakes and a real commitment to ensuring that the people most affected by water decisions actually have a seat at the table.
Paul Culhane, Director Emeritus, Alliance for the Great Lakes
Paul Culhane has been part of the Alliance family since 1973, when he spent a year researching and documenting the organization’s early years. He joined the board in 1981 and served for nearly four decades, taking on everything from finance and nominations committees to co-leading executive director searches. Today, he continues advocating for the Great Lakes through the Sierra Club’s Illinois chapter and his parish’s Earth Shepherds ministry. We are so grateful for his decades of support to the Alliance and the Great Lakes.
Erin Huber Rosen, Founder and Executive Director, Drink Local Drink Tap, and global water steward
Erin started Drink Local Drink Tap in 2010 because she grew up near Lake Erie and couldn’t understand why more people didn’t care about it. That question took her a lot further than she probably expected. Today, her work spans 218 Alliance beach cleanups, water education reaching more than 26,000 young people, and over 225 water and sanitation projects in rural Uganda. She has made documentary films and testified in policy rooms, and she still shows up to clean beaches. Her late father told her it’s important to speak up for those without a voice. She took that advice seriously.
2026 Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Senator Debbie Stabenow, Trailblazer, former U.S. Senator, and lifelong champion for the Great Lakes
Debbie Stabenow grew up in Clare, Michigan, driving with her family to Lake Michigan on weekends, and she spent 50 years in public service making sure those lakes were still worth the drive. She passed the first federal ban on oil and gas drilling in the lakes. She created the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which put more than $4.1 billion into over 8,100 projects across the region. She was a tireless champion for the Brandon Road project to stop invasive carp from entering the lakes. In 2025, she stepped back from elected office having built a legacy of support for our lakes. We’re proud to honor her with the Alliance’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Join Us in Celebration
We hope you’ll join us at the Great Blue Benefit on Thursday, June 11, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago—good people, a great cause, and yes, plenty of lake talk.
Supporting Our Mission
All proceeds from the Great Blue Benefit will directly support the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ ongoing initiatives to ensure our waters are clean, safe, and accessible for all generations.
