Lynn Brown

Lynn Brown was born and raised in Petoskey, a beautiful spot in northern Michigan, which spawned her deep commitment to conservation and environmental activism. (Those were Lynn’s poster hanging in the Petoskey post office warning about CFCs in 1975.) After studying at the University of Colorado and working in Marquette, Lynn landed in New York City where she taught high school social studies and never passed a student who couldn’t name the five Great Lakes.

Lynn currently divides her time between Palo Alto, California, and Mackinac County, where she chairs a township committee working on constructing a bike path across the north shore of Lake Huron.  Lynn also serves on various school, community, and church committees, and fundraises for worthy organizations. Lynn comes from a family with deep roots in Michigan. Lynn’s family owned Arnold Transit Company, the longest-running Mackinac Ferry Service in the state.  Prentiss Brown, Lynn’s grandfather, was an owner of the company, as well as a US Representative and US Senator serving Michigan.  Senator Brown is known as the “Father of the Mackinac Bridge”. Lynn’s father was a Regent at the University of Michigan, and her brother, Paul, is currently a Michigan Regent.

Lynn and her husband, Bob Stefanski, have three children, the youngest of whom entered the University of Michigan in the fall of 2020.