Trudy Sundberg Lecture Series – Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation

"We just moved to Whidbey Island and could not believe Wade Davis was coming to Langley! We have followed him for 12 years. He is a rock star! You can bet we will support the Trudy Sundberg Lectures and will be at the lecture next year." - Wade Davis Lecture Attendees

Our 2023 Featured Speaker: Nainoa Thompson

We are delighted to announce that our 2023 featured speaker will be Nainoa Thompson, a renowned master navigator, explorer, environmentalist, cultural revivalist, educator, and the president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.

Nainoa is best known as the first Hawaiian in over 600 years to practice the ancient Polynesian art of navigation, having navigated two double-hulled canoes (the Hōkūleʻa and the Hawaiʻiloa) from Hawaii to other island nations in Polynesia without the aid of western instruments. Inspired by his kūpuna (elders), Nainoa has dedicated his life to exploring the deep meaning of voyaging, revitalizing ancient Polynesian wayfinding practices lost due to the colonization and Westernization of the Polynesian archipelagos, empowering youth, and bringing awareness to global environmental issues due to climate change. For his work, he has earned numerous honors, including the Unsung Hero of Compassion, awarded by His Holiness XIV Dalai Lama, and the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal.

47 MONTHS | 43,000 MILES | 400 CREWMEMBERS

100 INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES | 300 PORTS

36 COUNTRIES & ARCHIPELAGOES

10,000,000 NAVIGATORS INSPIRED

On June 10, 2023, Nainoa and his crew from the Polynesian Voyaging Society will embark on one of their most important explorations: Moananuiākea, a monumental 47-month voyage of the Pacific Ocean.

The goal of the voyage is to ignite a movement of 10 million “planetary navigators'' by developing young leaders and engaging communities around the world to take part in navigating the earth towards a healthy, thriving future. The voyage itself is a global educational campaign that will amplify the vital importance of oceans and indigenous knowledge through education and storytelling shared via a virtual “Third Canoe” called Waʻa Honua, meaning a canoe for the earth: www.waahonua.com.

Click here to explore our curated resource list with Sno-Isle Libraries materials about Nainoa Thompson, Hawaiian culture, and more!

Watch Past Event Videos

Community Support

The Trudy Sundberg Lecture Series is funded by community donations and would not be possible without the continued generosity of individuals, businesses, and community organizations. To help support the series with a tax-deductible contribution, please use the above Donation Form or send a check in Trudy's honor to:

Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation
7312 35 Avenue NE
Marysville, WA 98271

For information about becoming a sponsor, please contact Christina Kourteva at CKourteva@sno-isle.org or 360-547-2955.

About the Trudy Sundberg Lecture Series

Founded in 2016, the Trudy Sundberg Lecture Series honors beloved Whidbey Island teacher and community leader Trudy J. Sundberg and her lifelong commitment to discover, explore, and exchange information, ideas, and opinions in an environment of respect and consideration.

Each year, the series features a free public lecture by an eminent speaker and a special engagement activity at a Whidbey Island school designed to inspire and empower students. A planning committee of community volunteers, Library and Foundation staff selects the featured speakers. The lectures explore Trudy’s many areas of interest, including education, literature, history, the arts, civic engagement, and politics.

Presented in collaboration with the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation, the Trudy Sundberg Lecture Series exemplifies public libraries’ commitment to lifelong learning and intellectual freedom.

The series is made possible thanks to generous contributions by individuals, businesses, community organizations, and support from the Trudy J. Sundberg Memorial Fund, established in Trudy's honor. The Fund is administered according to the policies and procedures of the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation, adhering to guidelines established with the Greater Everett Community Foundation. Funds for the program may also be used to enhance pertinent library resources and access to information for residents of the Sno-Isle Libraries District.

Trudy Sundberg Committee Members

Becky Bolte, Kathryn O’Brien, Molly Carney, Kathleen Landel, Ace Martin, Katrina Morse, Susan Norman, Christina Kourteva

Past Featured Speakers:

2022 – Dr. Wade Davis, a professor at the University of British Columbia, cultural anthropologist and ethnobotanist, author of “The Wayfinders, Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World”

2021 – Dr. Mona Hanna Attisha, a pediatrician who exposed the Flint water crisis and wrote the book, “What the Eyes Don’t See”

2020 – Bob Williams, an astronomer emeritus at the Space Telescope Science Institute and director of the Hubble Deep Field Project

2019 – Chris Jordan, an internationally acclaimed photographer and documentary filmmaker of “Albatross”

2018 – Jill Tietjen, an engineer, former CEO of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and bestselling author of “Her Story: The Women Who Changed America”

2017 – Climate activists K.C. Golden, Executive Director of Climate Solutions, and 16-year-old Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, Youth Director of Earth Guardians and one of the plaintiffs suing the U.S. government over climate change

2016 – Hedrick Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Pentagon Papers" and "Who Stole the American Dream” and Emmy award-winning producer of PBS documentaries