I had the pleasure of collaborating with Mike on a community event in April of 2026, which commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Held in the public library where I serve as Library Director, our event drew a capacity crowd of over seventy attendees, most of whom stayed for the full four hours of planned events, and many of whom sought me out to share glowing feedback afterwards.

Working with Mike was stimulating, instructive, and enjoyable. He shares his ideas and insights freely, with his focus on the learning and emotional experience of his audience. He's adaptable, generous, and open-minded. His depth of knowledge and infectious enthusiasm make for enthralling and authentic lectures, lending an immediacy to topics that might feel dry coming from a different speaker.

Not content to rest on his laurels, Mike was already talking about planning a 50th anniversary program even before the applause had died down at our 40th anniversary event. As long as I'm still in my current position, I won't hesitate to work with him as often as he'd like.

Walker Evans
Library Director
Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall

Mike,

Thank you for your powerful and inspiring Chernobyl lecture last Wednesday. Many of our Masonic residents were deeply moved. You illuminated not just the causes of the disaster, but also the cover-up, the devastating impact on Ukraine, and the far-reaching consequences that still echo today.

What made your presentation unforgettable was the human touch—the haunting images of children whose lives were shattered. It was heartbreaking, and many of us were moved to tears. We also learned of the incompetence in Soviet nuclear construction, the callous disregard for Ukraine and their own people, and the brazen lies concealing the true scale of the tragedy.

Your lecture was not just educational—it was unforgettable.

Thank you again for the time, care and expertise you put into this project and for presenting it to our residents.

Slava Ukraini!
Glory to Ukraine!

— Pat Dorning

Mike,

On behalf of Taras and me, we sincerely thank you for participating in the commemoration of the Chernobyl disaster. Your images gave our audience an in depth understanding of both the devastation from the nuclear accident and its long term consequences. If a picture is worth a thousand words, you provided a detailed and compelling narrative. I am certain the images lingered and deepened the impact of the musical works to follow, especially Andrew Kaiser’s “Dolya.”

With gratitude,

Elsa and Taras

Mike,

My name is Lucas Wessel and I am writing to you from Germany. I have a deep personal interest in the Chernobyl disaster, the city of Pripyat and the life of Academician Valery Legasov.

I recently discovered your extraordinary work documenting the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and Pripyat, and I am truly impressed by the depth and scope of your photography. As one of the last photographers to document the site before its encapsulation, your work is truly unique and irreplaceable.

With kind regards,

Lucas Wessel

Germany