Michigan LCV Education Fund Board of Directors

William Farr, President

William is a partner at Farr, Oosterhouse and Krissoff, a Grand Rapids Law Firm. William Farr has a long history of public involvement including serving as President of the Grand Rapids Bar Association, on the Representative Assembly of the Federal Bar Association, and chairperson of the Michigan Tenure Association. He's also serves as a Voluntary Facilitative Mediator, and participates on the Grand Rapids pro bono list. Recently, William Farr served on the board of the Pere Marquette Watershed Council and he remains committed to keeping our state's rivers and lakes in great shape.

Heather Gott, Secretary

Heather comes from rural Central Michigan, where her family has lived for over six generations. Heather is currently pursuing a law degree and Masters of Science in natural resource policy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Heather’s graduate research involves an east New Orleans community that experienced the largest residential oil spill in history when Hurricane Katrina struck a local refinery. Prior to graduate school, Heather earned her B.A. at Western Michigan University, where she was the first student to be named a Morris K. Udall Scholar for excellence in environmental policy. By the time Heather graduates, she will have completed internships at the Michigan Environmental Council, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Office, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Heather’s particular area of interest is environmental justice—specifically, how environmental law and policy could be used to more equitably protect human and land health. Upon graduation, Heather plans to use her law and policy degrees to promote environmental justice throughout the Great Lakes region. She hopes to hold public office in the future.

Robert J. Martel, Treasurer

Robert has been a principal with the consulting firm of Dunbar and Martel, L.L.C. based in Ann Arbor, Michigan since 1992.   He specializes in developing large medical office building projects for physician groups. 

Mr. Martel has over twenty five years of business experience including the Consulting Divisions of Arthur Young & Company (now Ernst & Young), and Touche Ross (now Deloitte & Touche); serving as the Chief Financial Officer of several companies, including a publicly held computer start-up; starting several ventures including an inter-state trucking company and a tourist-oriented television station in New Orleans; he and his business partner also own and manage a portfolio of real estate properties in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area.

Mr. Martel has served on a number of non-profit boards including: The Ann Arbor Art Center, The NEW Center, Planned Parenthood of Mid-Michigan, The Washtenaw Land Trust, and The Washtenaw Affordable Housing Corp.

Rebecca Pearson

Rebecca is a Senior Program Specialist for Transportation and Sustainable Development at the Great Lakes Commission who has worked on a variety of projects including the Land Use Policy Roundtable Series, the Recreational Boating Study, the Great Lakes Dredging Team and the Great Lakes Biohydrologic Information System study.

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