John Schmidt

John Schmid Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers

John Schmidt serves as Program Director for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers, where he leads the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative, which seeks to fully utilize each fish caught, raised, or processed in the region by creating new industries and opportunities from underutilized byproducts. He also supports GSGP’s Regional Maritime Initiative and Cruise the Great Lakes tourism program, driving innovation, economic growth, and stronger regional connections.

Previously, John worked in international economic development with the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization, and U.S. Peace Corps.

John holds an MBA from William & Mary, an MPP from the University of Chicago, and a BA in Economics from Loyola University Chicago. He also studied at SciencesPo in Aix-en-Provence, France, and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China.