I am an anthropological archaeologist, with focuses on ancient history and archaeology, Indigenous heritage, and historical archaeology. For the past 15 years, I have worked as a consulting archaeologist in addition to contracting as an instructor and facilitator. As a consultant, my work involves Indigenous engagement, capacity building, and training.
As an Instructor, I have taught for Simon Fraser University, University of Arizona, University of Toronto, Royal Roads University, Vancouver Island University, and Wilfred Laurier University, and am an Instructor for the Provincially-certified RISC course in Archaeology and Culturally Modified Tree Inventory for Crew Members. I have also developed curricula for First Nations, private industry, municipal and provincial governments, and public universities. As an active public speaker and engager, I present at local and international conferences, engage with the media, and volunteer regularly at educational and community events related to heritage.
As a field-based professional archaeologist, I have held and completed more than 80 permits in BC, and have supervised and/or led field schools and programs in BC, Arizona, Jordan, and Belize during the past 16 years, focusing on human stories from 14,000 years before present to modern times. Most recently, I have been working with a colleague at Wilfred Laurier University to develop a community-based participatory research field school in Jordan.
Earlier in my career, I was an independent consultant to the Government of Canada for four years, as a historian and analyst within the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. In this position I worked on behalf of residential school survivors to research their individual experiences at residential schools in BC and the Yukon, and I undertook research for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
I completed by PhD in Archaeology at Simon Fraser University (2017), my Masters in Near Eastern Archaeology at Universiteit Leiden (2005), and my Bachelors in Classical, Near Eastern, and Religious Studies at University of BC (2004). I also completed my Provincial Instructors Diploma at Vancouver Community College (2020).