About Relentless

A Deadly Invader Destroying People’s Lives...

Tenacious Scientists Equally Determined To Defeat It

Relentless is a captivating mystery that engages the audience in a battle for the survival of the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth, the Great Lakes. This fascinating true story, narrated by Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, follows remarkable people tackling the mystery of why the most prized fish nearly vanished. The crash destroyed jobs and businesses, and devastated towns, tribal communities, and First Nations across the region.

Overfishing, dam building and industrial dumping had already decimated fish populations in parts of the Great Lakes, but when fish began disappearing far from industrial cities, scientists discovered what proved to be the most destructive marine species to ever invade the Great Lakes. Their tenacious search for a way to control it continues to influence the Great Lakes region’s economic fortunes and sounds a warning about the future of natural resources and the prosperity of millions around the world today.

Panelists

T. Lindsey Haskin

Director, writer, producer of Relentless

Frank Ettawageshik

President, American Association on Indian Affairs

Jennifer Read, Ph.D.

Director, University of Michigan Water Center

Ellie Katz, moderator

Environment Reporter, Interlochen Public Radio

About the Panelists

T. Lindsey Haskin

Director, writer, producer of Relentless

Haskin received his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and University of California at Berkeley. His production career began in Los Angeles with the Steve Allen organization. Then he worked as the director of business and development and as a writer/producer with Venture Films, Inc. in Denver, Colorado. He returned to California and formed CineGroup, an independent production company.

Since then he has written, produced and directed over 400 productions that include documentary films, educational films, television commercials and industrial films. Lindsey’s camera work has appeared on ABC Primetime Live, CBS 48 Hours, ABC World News and other venues. He wrote, produced and directed the 2-hour documentary history of the Great Lakes Region, Freshwater Seas, which aired on public television stations in the United States and Canada.

He formed SkyhoundMedia, Inc. in 2020. In our increasingly tech driven world, it’s easy to overlook how our prosperity, health and happiness depend upon nature and the diverse cultures of the world. SkyhoundMedia, Inc. was formed to explore those links through engaging, entertaining, thought-provoking and visually stunning non-fiction television programs, documentary films, and other digital media.

Frank Ettawageshik

President, American Association on Indian Affairs

Frank Ettawageshik lives in Harbor Springs, Michigan, with his wife Rochelle. He has four adult children and six grandchildren. He is a traditional storyteller and potter, believing that native people need to be rooted in their traditions in order to be prepared for the future.

He served in tribal elected office for sixteen years, fourteen as the Tribal Chairman of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Harbor Springs. During his tenure as Tribal Chairman he was instrumental in the adoption of the Tribal and First Nations Great Lakes Water Accord in 2004 and the United League of Indigenous Nations Treaty in 2007. Now serving as the Executive Director of the United Tribes of Michigan, he is also the Chairman of the United League of Indigenous Nations Governing Board and the Co-chair of the National Congress of American Indians Federal Recognition Task Force.

Frank currently serves on several non-profit boards including the Association on American Indian Affairs, Anishinaabemowin Teg and the Michigan Indian Education Council. In April 2016 he was appointed to the Great Lakes Water Quality Board. Frank was a 2010 Fellow at the Native Nations Institute Indigenous Leaders Fellowship Program at the University of Arizona. His 40 years of public service have included serving on the Executive Board of the National Congress of American Indians, the Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes, the Historical Society of Michigan, the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, the Michigan Climate Action Council, the Little Traverse Conservancy, the Michigan Travel Commission, the Public Interest Advisory Group for the International Joint Commission’s Upper Great Lakes Study, the Michigan Great Lakes Offshore Wind Council, and the Michigan Ground Water Conservation Advisory Council.

In December 2015 he attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Council of the Parties 21 (UNFCCC COP21) in Paris, France, as a delegate from the National Congress of American Indians. Approximately 45,000 people attended COP21 including over 100 Heads of State. Frank joined approximately 200 Indigenous Peoples delegates as a member of the International Indigenous Peoples Caucus on Climate Change.

Jennifer Read, Ph.D.

Director, University of Michigan Water Center

Graham Sustainability Institute

As Director of the Water Center, Jen provides intellectual and programmatic leadership to our mission to foster collaborative research that informs the policy and management decisions affecting our nation’s Great Lakes and coastal estuarine waters. She networks with regional partners from the public, private, and non-governmental sectors helping identify and elevate their water-related priorities. Then she works with faculty and students to develop multi-sector, multidisciplinary teams that address the cross-sector water resource priorities our partners have identified. Jen also oversees staff implementing the National Estuarine Research Reserve System’s Science Collaborative program: including development of requests for proposals; design and conduct of technical/peer and practitioner review; and providing capacity and other support for project teams implementing collaborative science projects.

Jen has more than 20 years’ experience developing and implementing user-focused programs in the bi-national Great Lakes region. She has held positions at the Great Lakes Commission, the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor (GLIER), and as Assistant Director and Research Coordinator of Michigan Sea Grant. From 2008-14 Jen served as Executive Director of the bi-national Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), a regional node of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System.

Jen currently serves on the Advisory Board for Great Lakes Blue Accounting and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System's federal Advisory Committee.

Ellie Katz, moderator

Environment Reporter, Interlochen Public Radio

Katz is an environment reporter for Interlochen Public Radio. Ellie joined IPR in June 2023. She reports on science, conservation and the environment. She's had previous stints at Heritage Radio Network, FRQNCY Media, Stitcher and Michigan Radio. She's reported on Detroit's roller derby league, dining in the metaverse, knights' training for the restaurant chain Medieval Times, and more. She also co-wrote season three of the climate change podcast A Matter of Degrees — she's thrilled to continue similar work at IPR reporting on science, conservation and the environment. Ellie first visited Interlochen as a middle school camper shortly after moving to Michigan. She's happy to have considered the state home ever since, and even happier to be back at Interlochen.