Christopher

Christopher D. Dore, PhD, MCIfA, RPA, President (2027)

Today I consult on heritage business, law, and policy through Heritage Business International/Cultural Heritage Experts. I also serve as Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona and Adjunct Professor of Archaeology at Simon Fraser University. Earlier in my career I investigated Maya settlement and community organization, both archaeologically and ethnoarchaeologically, in the Puuc Region of Mexico. I was an early adopter and user of geospatial technologies (satellite remote sensing, spatial statistics, lidar, GIS, GPS, etc.) and used these as research tools to understand both the visible and invisible spatial components of the archaeological record. It is important to me to be accessible to SAA members. Please feel free to contact me to tell me how SAA can do a better job in helping you be more successful in your career.

Christopher can be emailed at christopher_dore@saa.org or a phone call can be scheduled here.

Terry

S. Terry Childs, PhD, RPA, Secretary (2027)

I am retired after spending 10 years of writing policy and guidance on the curation of 200+ million museum objects and records owned by Department of the Interior bureaus, and over 15 years of national-level database and policy development to protect National Park Service archaeological sites and collections. I look forward to helping shape the future of the organization. SAA is working on its new strategic plan. Both my involvement with the development of that strategic plan and my background with archives will help to understand, acknowledge, and contextualize the SAA as critical issues are tackled and informed choices are made in the future. The issues of concern to me are: ethics reform; improving relations with descendant communities; diversity and safety of the membership; collections preservation and accessibility; effective communication with membership; open access in publishing; curriculum reform; and professional development.

Reymundo

Reymundo Chapa, MA, RPA, Treasurer (2026)

Sarah

Sarah Herr, RPA, Treasurer-elect (2028)

I am president of Desert Archaeology Inc., a private-sector cultural resource management firm whose work considers the connections between past and present peoples and the landscapes of the US Southwest. Between 2016 and 2025 I worked as part of a team to publish the SAA journal Advances in Archaeological Practice. The understandings that provided about archaeological research, methods,  and ethics has been a highlight of my professional service work. I see budgets as a balanced quantification of an organization’s mission and values and look forward to serving the SAA’s membership in this way. 

Kurt

Kurt E. Dongoske, MA, Director-at-Large (2026)

I have been a professional archaeologist for the past 45 years; 31 of which have been dedicated to working with descendant Native American tribal communities (Zuni and Hopi). I am currently the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Pueblo of Zuni, where I’m also the principal investigator for the Zuni Cultural Resource Enterprise.

Claudia

Claudia García-Des Lauriers, PhD, Director-at-Large (2028)

I am currently the director of the Kellogg Honors College and professor of anthropology at Cal Poly Pomona. My archaeological research centers on the art and archaeology of religion, ritual, trade, identity, and exchange in Mesoamerica focusing on Teotihuacan and the Pacific Coast of Chiapas. I have a BA in art history and history from California State University, Bakersfield, and an MA in art history and an MA and PhD in anthropology from University of California, Riverside. In my current role, I recruit and mentor some of our most talented students at Cal Poly Pomona, support career preparedness initiatives, and support faculty mentorship and professional development efforts across the Cal Poly Pomona campus.

Jerry

Jerry Howard, PhD, RPA, Director-at-Large (2026)

I am currently an archaeologist for Orange County Parks. I am an African American scholar with experience across several subfields of archaeology. In addition to my work with SMBMI, I have worked as a museum curator, assistant professor, outreach coordinator, and Cultural Resource Management field and laboratory technician. These experiences have afforded me a unique perspective into the world of archaeology and the issues facing the field.

Susan

Susan C. Ryan, PhD, Director-at-Large (2028)

I am the executive vice president of the Research Institute at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, a nonprofit research and education institution located in Cortez, Colorado. Having specialized in the archaeology of the US Southwest for over three decades, I focus on research initiatives pertaining to the built environment, human-environment studies, Indigenous archaeology, and community formation/dissolution. Since 2015, I’ve had the privilege of directing a college field school that ethically and responsibly trains the next generations of professionals. In everything I do, I strive to create change for the betterment of humanity. At my core, I believe (1) everyone’s history matters; (2) possessing detailed knowledge about our shared humanity generates cultural understanding, empathy, and respect for others; (3) knowledge bolsters resilience and helps people make more informed decisions in their lives and work; and (4) appreciation for nondominant ways of knowing can generate creative solutions for issues in the present and future.

Ken

Kenneth E. Sassaman, PhD, Director-at-Large (2027)

I am the Hyatt and Cici Brown Professor of Florida Archaeology and Director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies. For the first time in its history, my home institution is offering an M.A. degree with a concentration in Public Archaeology. The new program with was designed considerable input from colleagues in federal and state government, private-sector firms, non-profit organizations, and tribes. I will serve the SAA Board by helping the organization prepare for continued growth in public archaeology by attending to pressing needs for more and better student training; increased participation and collaboration with colleagues in the private sector and government; and greater commitment to the prerogatives and well-being of Indigenous people throughout the western hemisphere, particularly in their efforts to develop heritage capacity in support of sovereignty.

Marcela

Marcela Sepúlveda, PhD, Director-at-Large (2027)