2025 Candidates for Board of Directors

Nicki Sauvageau Combs (Mead & Hunt)

Biography

Nicki Sauvageau Combs is the Department Manager for Mid-Atlantic Cultural Resources at Mead & Hunt. She earned her B.A. in Anthropology from San Francisco State University, and an MBA and an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. In addition to her 20 years as an archaeologist, having performed, supervised, and managed projects from Alaska to Virginia, she has years of operations management and project management experience both inside and outside of the CRM industry, as well as having been a small business owner as a partner in Dovetail Cultural Resource Group.

Statement

Based on my years of experience in this industry, having worked in companies of varied sizes and in different regions, I understand firsthand the challenges that CRM firms and departments face and have watched the trajectory of the industry as a whole change over the last two decades. I believe ACRA’s mission and role is an important one, and that the organization can be instrumental in the longevity of our industry. I have been involved in ACRA on some level since attending my first ACRA conference in 2008, have served as co-chair of ACRA’s Metrics and Standards Committee since 2017, and I was ACRA’s Treasurer from 2019–2023; I would like to continue to support ACRA in whatever way I can. While this year is certainly not the first time that there have been bumps in the road for the CRM industry, there may be more potential pitfalls ahead of us than we’ve had in some time. I won’t pretend I have the answers to what can and should be done, but I believe strongly in strategized approaches that include analyzing the issues from multiple angles, gathering available data to support positions and strategies, soliciting information from and listening to our members, and trying to understand the concerns of non-members. Leveraging the partnerships that ACRA’s Executive Director and board and committee members have worked so hard to put in place over the last few years will be key. Thank you for considering me for ACRA’s President-Elect position!

Lindsay Simmons (Northern Land Use Research Alaska, LLC)

Biography 

Ms. Simmons is the General Manager of Northern Land Use Research Alaska, LLC – an Alaska-based cultural resource management firm. She has over 20 years of experience in cultural resource management and meets the Secretary of Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Archaeology. Ms. Simmons’ current job responsibilities include project and client management, business operations and strategy, and staff and service line development. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside with her friends and family, listening to live music, and exploring new craft projects.

Statement

My communication and writing skills have been acknowledged throughout my education and professional career. I was appointed as a writing tutor in both middle school and high school. During my undergraduate studies, I was selected from a group of students to work at the college’s writing center. My responsibilities included completing peer reviews and mentoring both students and professors in technical writing and document formatting. I also trained new employees at the writing center. As part of my graduate program, I mentored undergraduates in the Anthropology Department by providing peer review of papers and presentations. In my current position as General Manager of NLURA, I am responsible for the consistency and quality of our deliverables. Annually, I provide technical review and document formatting for over 100 documents, ranging from formal letters to multi-volume reports. I am also regularly responsible for providing meeting agendas and notes to private, state, and federal clients.

I am new to ACRA and interested in getting involved in a meaningful and helpful way. I had some initial hesitation about serving on the board due to my current job and family responsibilities. After talking to other board members about ACRA board roles and responsibilities, I think the secretary role aligns best with my current availability and will give me a good foundation if I choose to explore other board positions in the future.

I am an organized individual with a strong attention to detail and a developed emotional intelligence. I enjoy engaging in provoking conversations and proactive problem-solving. While I am a new ACRA member, I believe I can contribute by bringing a fresh perspective and volunteering my professional experience, time, and communication skills to help document important conversations, decisions, and other notes related to ACRA’s many initiatives.

Brandon Gabler (SWCA Environmental Consultants)

Biography

Dr. Brandon M. Gabler (PhD, University of Arizona 2009), Strategic Growth Director at SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA), has 25+ years of experience working on professional archaeological projects and 12+ years of experience directing cultural resources projects throughout the United States. During his career, Dr. Gabler has documented cultural resources in both academic and contract settings in the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southwest, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions. His substantial experience with project management, agency and tribal consultation, budget oversight, quality control, database development and management, data analysis, GIS data collection and analysis, and cartographic production have been instrumental in fulfilling client’s needs and project requests. As Cultural Resources Practice Lead at HDR, Dr. Gabler engaged with HDR’s team of 65+ cultural resources experts to ensure consistent quality and service for HDR’s clients. Together with these experts, he developed a Cultural Resources Best Practices document for implementation throughout HDR’s operating sphere for engaging cultural resources professionals at the earliest stages of project development through execution and delivery. As Regional Director and then as COO at Commonwealth, Dr. Gabler oversaw a team of twelve full-time (plus various part-time) technical experts in our Michigan office, as well as assisted our President and CFO in companywide projects to standardize and centralize administrative processes, enhance our technical capabilities, and develop protocol to improve safety, Information Technology, marketing, and communication. He also coordinated and prepared proposals for nationwide contracts and represented Commonwealth in marketing efforts to our national client base. As Strategic Growth Director and Subject Matter Expert at SWCA, Dr. Gabler is focused on business growth in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes states and provides strategic direction for cultural resources projects and staff in the region, as lending expertise to a range of projects across the country and continuing to learn about trends and regulations in the CRM industry, new ideas in technology and archaeology, and understanding more about past human behavior by engaging with project teams, clients, agencies, and other stakeholders. Dr. Gabler’s focus has been on improving efficiency and communications across teams and working with ACRA and other organizations to improve the CRM business. He has served on ACRA’s Communications Committee since 2018, the Membership Committee since 2022, the Board of Directors from 2022 to 2023, and as ACRA’s active Treasurer since 2023.

Statement

I have worked in CRM in some form since 1999 for a range of institutions (CRM projects for Mercyhurst College and Wilbur Smith Associates while in college and for professors running CRM projects while I was in graduate school at the University of Arizona; CRM on the government side at Los Alamos National Laboratory; and have been in CRM full-time since 2009 as an Assistant Lab Director and Project/Field Director at a small business [William Self Associates], Project Manager, Principal Investigator, and Cultural Resources National Practice Lead at a large engineering firm [HDR], Regional Director and Chief Operating Officer at a small business/ACRA large firm [Commonwealth Heritage Group]), and now Strategic Growth Director at SWCA Environmental Consultants. My breadth and depth of experience includes fieldwork and research in over 30 states from California to Florida to Rhode Island. It’s the range of experience working throughout all aspects of CRM across so many states that I want to continue adding to ACRA’s Executive Committee as I have as Treasurer and as I did for the Board: to put my abilities and grasp of our industry to use to advance one of ACRA’s primary missions: We are all better when we work together to promote CRM.

It’s been an honor to serve on the Communications and Membership committees, and it is invigorating to serve as Treasurer as we watch ACRA experience unprecedented sustained growth (the result of a lot of hard work by our capable Board, committees, and Executive Committee). I’m interested in continuing in my role as Treasurer to be involved in ACRA’s missions, as well as to help our member firms grow and collaborate to keep ACRA rolling as the place to go for advice on running a CRM business for everyone from students and field archaeologists through owners. I bring my ability to communicate with anyone—in any industry, any region, and of any background. I also know that as an efficient and timely communicator with a strong focus on meeting deadlines and being task-oriented, I will succeed in the needs of the Executive Committee as a Treasurer that keeps ACRA’s finances aligned with both our needs and strategic goals.

Richard Weinstein (Coastal Environments, Inc.)

Biography

Richard A. Weinstein is a Vice-President and Principal Investigator at Coastal Environments, Inc., in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he has worked since February 1975. He received a B.A. in Sociology from Wilkes College (1972) and an M.A. in Anthropology from Louisiana State University (1974). Mr. Weinstein specializes in the prehistory of the Lower Mississippi Valley and the coastal areas of Louisiana and Texas and has authored or edited over 150 contract reports covering research throughout the Gulf South. His research at the Guadalupe Bay site in Calhoun County, Texas, received an “Award of Merit” from the Texas Historical Commission (2002) and is a featured exhibit on the Texas Beyond History website. He also received the “E. Mott Davis Award” (2014) for excellence in public outreach, presented by the Council of Texas Archeologists for his direction of the data-recovery excavations at the Dimond Knoll site in Harris County, Texas. Mr. Weinstein has contributed over 30 articles and/or reviews to various archaeological journals, including American Antiquity, Southeastern Archaeology, Louisiana Archaeology, Mississippi Archaeology, Journal of Alabama Archaeology, Plains Anthropologist, and the Bulletin of the Texas Archeological Society. He has also edited, authored, or co-authored chapters and/or sections in several topic-specific publications, such as The Tchula Period in the Mid-South and Lower Mississippi Valley (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, 1986), Early Pottery: Technology, Function, Style and Interaction in the Lower Southeast (University of Alabama Press, 2003), The Louisiana and Arkansas Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore (University of Alabama Press, 2003), Gulf Coast Archaeology, the Southeastern United States and Mexico (University Press of Florida, 2005), Archaeology of Louisiana (Louisiana State University Press, 2010), Prehistoric Archaeology on the Continental Shelf (Springer, 2014), Exploring Southeastern Archaeology: Essays in Honor of Samuel O. Brookes (University Press of Mississippi, 2015), and Cahokia in Context: Hegemony and Diaspora, (University Press of Florida, 2020). In addition, Mr. Weinstein has presented more than 80 papers and/or posters at regional, national, and international archaeological meetings and conferences.

As noted in the first paragraph, Weinstein has worked as an archaeologist with Coastal Environments, Inc., for over 50 years. Prior to that, he served as a part-time survey archaeologist for Louisiana State University for two years while in graduate school, 1973-1974, aiding and/or directing surveys under the supervision of Assistant Professor Robert W. Neuman of the Geography and Anthropology Department. It might also be noted that Weinstein spent the summer of 1970 participating in archaeological research on the islands of Aruba and Bonaire, under the direction of Dr. Sonia Regier, while enrolled in a summer field school, entitled “Ecology of the Caribbean,” offered by Hunter College of the City University of New York. Weinstein also served as Vice President and President of the Louisiana Archaeological Society (1986-1987) and as editor of the society’s newsletter (1987-1997). Weinstein has also served as Arrangements Chair for three annual meetings of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference (1997, 2012, and 2025). Overall, Weinstein’s 50+ years of archaeological involvement and research, along with his years working as an archaeologist for a private consulting firm specializing in cultural resources investigations, brings a tremendous amount of experience to the Board of Directors and makes him eminently qualified to serve as one of its members.

Statement

Having worked in the private sector as an archaeologist for over 50 years, Weinstein has seen the growth of cultural resources organizations and various state agencies from their earliest, relatively simple beginnings to the much more extensive and complicated entities that they are today.  Having worked throughout most of the southeastern United States, Weinstein also has developed relationships with many of the state agencies across the region, along with many of the professors and students at universities in the area.  Thus, his contacts and familiarity with those individuals and institutions would serve the Board well should such engagement be needed.  He has seen it all, remembers most of it, and is willing to use his experiences for the betterment of ACRA.

Jeanne Barnes (HDR)

Biography

Jeanne Barnes is the Cultural Resources Practice Lead at HDR with more than 20 years of experience as an architectural historian. She has a BA and an MA in American History, with a concentration in Public History. Jeanne began her career in historic preservation working in Washington, D.C. for a small woman-owned disadvantaged business conducting architectural surveys and NRHP evaluations for thousands of buildings in the DC metro area. After 5 years, she moved to HDR where she has spent the last 14 years working in cultural resources management and Section 106 compliance onprojects in 40 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, and Canada. Jeanne serves in several roles at HDR, including as project manager, architectural history program manager, and practice lead. She has been a panelist at ACRA’s annual conference, presented on Renewable Energy and Protecting our Shared Cultural Heritage at NAEP’s annual conference, developed training on Renewables and the Historic Preservation Act for EUCI, and has delivered multiple trainings on Section 106 compliance for the Department of Defense, New Jersey Transit, New York City Transit, Long Island Railroad, Metro-North Railroad, Amtrak, and Norfolk Southern.

Statement

Having worked for both small and large firms on a wide variety of project types, I understand the unique challenges we face as Cultural Resources specialists working in an increasingly competitive and rapidly changing environment. I have spent a lot of my career working as a facilitator, whether that’s educating clients on regulatory requirements, connecting clients and project managers to the technical experts needed to support their projects, or building consensus through consultation. I see an opportunity to continue that as a member of ACRA’s board and will seek ways to encourage and foster participation from individual members and young professionals, advocate for our profession and support the accurate telling of history, and create inclusive and educational environments that advance our technical work. I look forward to this opportunity to meet more ACRA members and find ways for us to collaborate on preserving our nation’s history and shared cultural heritage.

Adam Kaeding (106 Group)

Biography

Adam oversees 106 Group’s Cultural Resources Management services, guiding compliance with regulations related to history, culture, archaeology, and the environment. For over two decades, he has been leading teams of archaeologists, overseeing various archaeological projects. His expertise includes conducting reconnaissance surveys, evaluations, and mitigation/data recovery in the North America, Central America and West Asia, with excavation experience in ten U.S. states. Adam has presented his work at professional conferences and has collaborated closely with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, monitors, elders, and community members from Dakota, Ojibwe, and Cherokee Tribes.

Statement

Adam holds a Ph.D. in Archaeology from Boston University and a B.A. in Anthropology with an Archaeology Emphasis from the University of West Florida. He has also completed training in NEPA Compliance & Cultural Resources through the National Preservation Institute. He is a Registered Professional Archaeologist, meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards for Archaeology (prehistoric and historical). Adam is interested in serving on the ACRA Board to support the advancement of responsible cultural resource management and advocate for policies that strengthen industry standards and Indigenous engagement. He values ACRA’s role in promoting best practices and is eager to contribute to the organization’s mission. Adam’s ability to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and build meaningful relationships with diverse stakeholders makes him a strong candidate. He brings a collaborative approach and a deep understanding of the challenges facing cultural resource management professionals. His leadership and strategic approach will help ACRA continue to responsibly navigate and guide its members along a pathway through rapidly changing conditions and challenges.

Scott Phillips (SWCA Environmental Consultants)

Biography

Scott Phillips is a current At-large Director seeking reelection to the ACRA board. Scott is active in ACRA, serving as theChair of the Partnership Committee and as a Membership Committee member, in addition to being a board member. AsChair of the Partnership Committee, he works to build and maintain partnerships with like organizations benefiting ACRAmembers including the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP) and the NAEP cultural resourcespractice group, and building ACRA liaisons with other partner organizations, nationally and internationally. For his efforts,Scott was recognized with an ACRA President’s Award in 2024.

Scott is the ACRA representative for SWCA Environmental Consultants, the 100-percent-employee-owned firm where hehas served for the past 24 years and is the national Sr. Technical Director for Cultural Resources. In Cultural ResourcesManagement (CRM), Scott has worked across the broad-spectrum of its disciplines, over the past 30+ years, and viewsthe industry holistically rather than from a specialized field. He continues to be directly involved and lead efforts in tribalrelations, historic preservation and architectural history, archaeology, and cultural resources review in environmentalstudies. He has worked at all levels and roles within CRM during his career and currently leads a multi-disciplinarynational CRM program. He originally comes from an academic background of History, Anthropology, Latin AmericanStudies, and Sociology (combined BA) and Cultural Anthropology emphasizing human ecology (MA). He has beeninvolved in a variety of professional organizations over the course of his career and has previously served in executiveboard positions for some (President, Vice President), and continues to actively serve on committees and working groupsfor others, such as SAA and NAEP. Scott is a member of the SAA Government Affairs Committee and is committed toaddressing the policy and related challenges of our industry and supporting ACRA’s on-going efforts in doing so. On thelocal level, he serves as a dedicated Historical Preservation Commissioner for his municipal government.

Statement

Scott believes in direct involvement and engagement in professional organizations and their governance for the benefit ofall members. At ACRA, Scott intends to continue doing his part as an At-Large Director to advance ACRA’s mission,envisioning a robust and thriving CRM industry. He believes that looking out for the diverse interests and backgrounds ofall ACRA members and their service areas in CRM is the best way to do this. Within his working lifetime, Scott has beenan employee of all ranges of CRM firms, from successful one-person operations ran from the house to large far-reachingcorporations. As an At-Large Director for ACRA, Scott will work with the board to continue to develop initiatives thatprovide value for members, regardless of their sector, discipline or specialization, or composition, and do so in forward-looking ways that are considerate of our varied and ever-progressing business environment and its immediate challenges.

Reuben Rail (Drayton Archaeology)

Biography

Mr. Rail is the Chief Executive Officer for Drayton Archaeology in Blaine, WA. As the CEO, he leads Drayton’s development and direction across all areas of the firm. He has over 19 years of business leadership experience across various industries, and he has created and led successful growth, training, operational, and marketing campaigns in the professional services, software, healthcare, and financial services industries. As CEO of Drayton, Mr. Rail works to further develop Drayton’s ability to provide quality work while offering an excellent experience for its clients and staff.

Statement

In two previous organizations, in both roles as the Director of Organizational Development & Learning, I have collaborated with and supported the Boards and Executive Teams through training, reports, representation of stakeholders’ interests, and facilitation discussions around strategic planning and operations. As a non-archaeologist working as the CEO of Drayton Archaeology, I bring a unique perspective to the position that connects my previous business experience and industry practices with the current needs and challenges facing small to medium-sized CRM firms and their employees.

I’m interested in serving on the Board because I think I can make a positive impact on ACRA members and their staff while supporting the industry’s health and development. I enjoy learning, collaborating with people from varying backgrounds, and working to support mission-driven work. As an At-Large Director, I would be in a great position to do all these things while continuing to learn and support the industry.

I have a lot of experience in strategic planning, consulting, and facilitating high-level discussions between professional and leadership groups. I’m great at asking clarifying questions and challenging assumptions collaboratively to support new ideas, action, and enthusiasm. As an At-Large Director, I believe my experience would bring a unique and useful perspective to ACRA.

Adie Whitaker (Far Western Anthropological Research Group)

Biography

I am a Principal and the Vice President for California Operations at Far Western Anthropological
Research Group. I have over 20 years of archaeological experience throughout California in both academic and CRM contexts. At Far Western, I manage a number of IDIQ contracts with federal and state agencies as well as projects with local agencies and private clients. I have published CRM-based archaeological research in a number of academic journals. I was the Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology (JCGBA) from 2017-2020, Book Review Editor for JCGBA from 2015-2017, and on the Editorial Board of the journal California Archaeology.

I served on the Executive Board of the Society for California Archaeology (SCA) as Northern Vice President (2010-2012) and Secretary (2009-2010) and have been the chair of the California Advanced Annual Meeting Planning Committee since 2013. In addition, I served as Program Chair for the Society for California Archaeology Annual Meeting in 2018 and am a member of an ad hoc group of former SCA board members that advises the current SCA board members.

Statement

I am interested in working with ACRA membership to solve some enduring issues with the lack of quality trained staff at all levels through enhanced academic collaboration and partnerships. I would also like to further ACRAs advocacy efforts to demonstrate the importance of historical and archaeological research as a public good by encouraging ACRA members to share the results of their CRM efforts with academic and public audiences.

I am a consensus builder by nature and look forward to collaborating in a meaningful way on the Board of Directors and with other ACRA members. My experience working with the Society for California Archaeology as an Executive Board member and Committee Chair has provided me with a solid background in the issues facing our industry and the best ways organizations such as ACRA can affect change.

Brian Williams (ASM Affiliates)

Biography

I hold a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of San Diego and an M.A. in Maritime Archaeology from Flinders University, Australia.With over 20 years of experience in cultural resource management, my fieldwork includes projects in Italy, Australia, the Hawaiian Islands,and California. I have conducted surveys, monitoring, records searches, excavations, and technical reporting. Currently, I serve as the CEO of ASM Affiliates, managing on-call contracts for archaeological services with major utility companies and overseeing renewable energy projects across multiple states. Additionally, I have been a member of the Board of Trustees at the San Diego Archaeological Center since 2005, where I also held the office of Vice President.

Statement

My extensive experience in cultural resource management, combined with my educational background, makes me well-suited to serve on the ACRA Board of Directors. I am passionate about preserving cultural heritage and advancing our field, which drives my interest inserving on the Board. At ASM, we believe in fostering a strong sense of community and collaboration. My recent adjustments to our Mission, Vision, and Values emphasize our commitment to inclusivity, sustainability, and innovation. These changes reflect our dedicationto not only advancing ASM’s goals but also aligning with ACRA’s objectives of creating a supportive and thriving community. I believe my project management expertise, ability to foster collaborative relationships, and strong communication skills will be valuable contributions to the Board. Furthermore, my strategic thinking and commitment to professional development will help advocate for the interests of our members and the broader cultural resources community. I am eager to bring my experience and dedication to the ACRA Board to support its mission and goals. By prioritizing community-focused initiatives, we aim to build a better future for all stakeholders involved. I will always stand by a commitment to ethical standards and believe that the preservation of our cultural heritage is even more important now than it has ever been.

Quent Winterhoff (Environmental Solutions & Innovations, Inc.)

Biography

I have 29 years of experience within cultural resource management; 17 as a Principal Investigator and 9 as a corporate administrator. I have extensive supervisory experience that extends from the field to the office, and across all aspects of marketing and business management. I have presented peer reviewed scientific papers in Sweden, Canada, the US and the Philippines, have mounted multiple university expeditions to the jungles of the South Pacific, have dug shovel tests through briars and poison ivy in over 28 states, and have overseen 350 successful CRM projects. Additionally, I have successfully built two CRM programs around the idea of livable and profitable CRM careers.

Statement

I am passionate about improving the overall work conditions for CRM practitioners, and I see ACRA as an avenue to successfully pursue such improvements. Like most of us, I was disappointed by the unmet expectations I had of our industry, both personally and professionally. The disappointment came from my own youthful ignorance, because with time, I learned that one can’t change that briars and/or unrealistic clients exist. I believe such simple disappointments lead to a larger retention problem that affects training and the overall quality of CRM. How do we aid the next generations to best combat their own disappointments and fix our retention issues? In that, I would like to work with ACRA to help address these industry issues such as personal finance, the larger permitting industry, general business education, field to office transitions, and affordable field schools.