Dean Ohlman grew up in West Michigan as a conservative, anti-environmentalist, Republican evangelical.  He first learned to enjoy the outdoors as a ruthless, pre-teen BB-gunner, the bane of anything with fur, feathers, or four feet.  After graduating from "The West Point of Fundamentalism," Bob Jones University, Dean followed a career path that led from high school English teacher, to college Rhetoric and Practical Psychology instructor, to Bible college dean of students, to Christian school administrator, to professional writer and photojournalist for mission agencies, Christian universities, and eventually to script writer and TV producer for the RBC Ministries' Day of Discovery broadcast. 

At 64 Dean is a much more mellow fellow who gave up his gun over 25 years ago, and was converted to Christian environmental advocacy shortly thereafter.  As Dean puts it, he feels he "discovered the lost fundamental" of evangelical Christianity: the biblical requirement of creation stewardship.  His avocation as writer and speaker on Christian environmental ethics began when he founded the now non-operational Christian Nature Federation in 1989.  Dean is still a conservative evangelical, but he gave up any specific political alignment years ago.

Dean and his wife Marge have been married for forty years.  They have three grown sons and five grandchildren.