Dr. Lees has been Executive Director of FPAN since 2005. He is a Registered Professional Archaeologist and a member of the Florida Archaeological Council. He has a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from the University of Tulsa and a Master’s and Doctorate in Anthropology with a specialization in Historical Archaeology from Michigan State University. Dr. Lees is the current president of the Society of Historical Archaeology, is a member of the Florida Historical Commission, and sits on the Florida National Register Review Board. He has previously served as president of the Plains Anthropological Society, the Society of Professional Archaeologists, and the Register of Professional Archaeologists. Throughout his career he has focused on public archaeology and historical archaeology in the Great Plains and Southeastern US, with specialization in the Antebellum Period and the Civil War.

Cheryl is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. She worked 8 years in New Orleans in marketing before returning to Pensacola in 1989 to work at UWF.

Jason graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology with a minor in Computer Information Systems in 2008. He worked as Web Developer for the UWF Libraries after graduation for some time before joining FPAN in 2010.

Mike Thomin graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the University of West Florida in 2006 where he studied history and international studies. As the son of a military officer Mike moved across the country and overseas several times before relocating to his adopted home state of Florida (Arizona, Ohio, California, Colorado, Okinawa). For the past four years Mike worked for the museum division of the City of Fort Walton Beach as the Museum Program Coordinator and CRA Marketing Coordinator at Heritage Park and Cultural Center. In this role Mike developed educational and public programming, events, and exhibits to enhance awareness about the historic and archaeological resources of Northwest Florida. Mike's most recent exhibit debuted in the summer of 2010 titled Pirates: The Last Scourge of the Gulf. This exhibit is scheduled to travel to Seminole County for exhibition in the summer of 2011. Mike is interested in military history, Atlantic World studies, and southeastern Native Americans.

Dr Della Scott-Ireton graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and a Master's degree in Historical Archaeology. She also has a Master's in International Relations from Troy University, and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Florida State University. Della is certified as a Scuba Instructor with the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI). She worked with the Pensacola Shipwreck Survey, West Florida Historic Preservation, Inc., Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research, and the government of the Cayman Islands before joining FPAN. Della is an officer and elected board member of the Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology and is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists. Della's research interests include public interpretation of maritime cultural resources, both on land and under water, and training of avocationals in archaeological methods and practices. Her specialties are maritime archaeology, colonial seafaring and public archaeology.

Irina Sorset graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. She is currently completing her Master’s degree at the University of West Florida in the Historical Archaeology Program, with a maritime focus. Her thesis involves creating a model maritime heritage trail for the Apalachicola River through ethnographic research. Before joining FPAN as the Northwest Region Outreach Coordinator, Irina worked with the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research’s Underwater Program and Fernbank Museum of Natural History's Public Archaeology Program. She has supervisory field experience in maritime, terrestrial, and public archaeology and is a NAI Certified Interpretive Guide. Irina’s research interests include developing and delivering effective archaeological interpretive programs for the general public.

Barbara Hines is a Registered Professional Archaeologist who specializes in historic archaeology, 19th and early 20th century. Her interests include the turpentine and lumber industry, specifically focusing on the social aspects of "camp life". She also has taken an interest in early Florida architecture, and did her thesis work on an early 1900s Folk Victorian structure in Sopchoppy, Florida. Her thesis focused on examining the relationship between architecture, societal relationships and social class perceptions. Barbara has also taken an interest in Southeastern Indian communities after European contact, specifically in the late 1800 up to the present, focusing on the mixing of cultures and how the Southeastern Indian population has survived and adapted.

Sarah Miller received her Masters degree in Anthropology from East Carolina University in 2001 where she developed archaeology education programs at Tryon Palace in New Bern, North Carolina. Upon graduation from ECU, Ms. Miller supervised field and lab projects with public involvement for the Kentucky Archaeological Survey, as well as reviewing compliance projects for the Kentucky Heritage Council. She now serves as Director for FPAN’s Northeast Regional Center, statewide coordinator for Project Archaeology, and sits on the Historic Resource Review Board for St. Johns County. Her specialties include public archaeology, historical archaeology, 19th century material culture and historic cemeteries.

Amber Grafft-Weiss earned BAs in Anthropology and English from the University of North Florida in 2004. After graduating, Mrs. Weiss spent three years working in the City of St. Augustine’s Archaeology Division, managing records and assisting in site excavation and artifact analysis. Research interests include the African-American Diaspora, Colonial St. Augustine, and Archaeology Education. She currently sits on the board for the St. Augustine Archaeological Association.

Toni has a B.A. in sociology from FSU, and an M.A. in anthropology with a specialization in archaeology and a graduate certificate in museum studies from Harvard. She has worked as a field laboratory director with the Programme for Belize and has done prehistoric and historic archaeology in Massachusetts and Florida. Her research interests are laboratory analysis, colonial Florida archaeology, Maya studies and Native American body decoration. She is currently the President of the St. Augustine Archaeological Association.

Rich Estabrook directs the FPAN Central Regional Center at the Crystal River Preserve State Park in Citrus County. Rich’s research interests include Community Archaeology, Public Archaeology, Cultural Resource Management (CRM), stone tool analysis, and remote sensing technologies. With 30 years of experience, Rich has conducted archaeological surveys and excavations throughout Florida and the southeast. While working in the private sector he supervised several hundred archaeological site surveys, more than 40 Phase II site assessments, and nine major archeological excavation data recovery projects. Rich has worked on a variety of sites from 10,000-year-old Paleo- Indian stone tool quarries and stone tool manufacturing sites in the Panhandle to modern urban trash pits in Key West.

Historic cemeteries have long been one of Florida’s most neglected historic resources. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is one of the best tools available to investigate and document these resources. Rich is currently working to establish a Historic Cemetery GPR program in for FPAN that will allow stakeholders to help scan historic cemeteries and complete Florida Master Site File forms to record their locations and histories.

Rich holds a B.A. in Anthropology and History from Stony Brook University in New York, an M.A in Applied Anthropology (Public Archaeology), as well as a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the University of South Florida (USF). He is currently ABD in his Ph.D. research at USF.

Jason Moser is an archaeologist and historian with approximately 18 years of professional experience in the field of archaeology. Jason has a BA in History and Ancient Studies and an MA in History from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Throughout his career Jason has worked as an archaeologist for the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, the Maryland State Highway Administration, Anne Arundel County and a number of private CRM firms. In 2002 Jason and his wife, moved from Maryland to Florida so that he could pursue a PhD in Anthropology at Florida State University. Prior to arriving in Florida Jason worked as a Public Archaeologist for five years for Anne Arundel County government. In this capacity he supervised professionals, volunteers, and students in the excavation of seventeenth and eighteenth century sites. This project integrated the county’s historical archaeology program into the social studies curriculum of the public and private school system.

Jason has maintained a strong research interest and focus on the historical archaeology of the Colonial Period. In addition to this interest he has an interest background in maritime and underwater archaeology. In Maryland, Jason served as volunteer SCUBA diver with the Maryland Maritime Archaeological Program and he has also worked with the Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society. His other archaeological research interests include Geographic Information Systems applications in archaeology, industrial archaeology, prehistoric ceramics, maritime history, historic architecture, video editing, photography, 3D modeling and animation for public outreach.

Jeff earned a Masters degree in History/Historical Archaeology and a Bachelors degree in Anthropology from the University of West Florida (UWF). Jeff researched and wrote a thesis on the documentation of the SS Florida, a sidewheel steamboat wrecked in St. Joseph Bay near Port St. Joe, Florida. Built in 1851, Florida represents a common mid-nineteenth century eastern-style steamboat that participated in the coastal trade. His work documents the history and archaeology of the vessel and builds an architectural comparison to previously-documented contemporary steamboat vessel types. Other research and professional interests include 19th century settlement along the Florida Gulf Coast, Florida’s maritime trade, and the development of historic working watercraft. Jeff's work experiences in archaeology and related fields comprise employment as a technician for Archaeological Consultants, Inc (Sarasota, FL) as well as an underwater archaeologist with the Bureau of Archaeological Research in Tallahassee where he acted as administrator for Florida’s exploration and salvage contract program. Before becoming director of the West Central Regional Center, however, he held the position of museum curator at the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez, a historic waterfront community located in Manatee County. As a longtime resident of the west central coast of Florida and graduate of Manatee High School in Bradenton, Jeff feels somewhat qualified to offer pretty strong opinions as to where one might find the best smoked mullet around.

Rae earned a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from the University of South Florida. The majority of her archaeological experience has been working at prehistoric sites in Florida and Georgia, but she also has worked on historic/urban archaeological sites in the Tampa Bay area. Rae is very passionate about working with educators to incorporate archaeological and anthropological concepts into their classrooms and curriculums. She have compiled and edited a resource workbook entitled Beyond Artifacts, which has been distributed not only throughout Florida but also sent to interested public archaeologists throughout the continental United States, Canada, and the UK.

Zaida earned a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and a Master's Certificate in GIS from the University of South Florida. Zaida is presently working on her Master's in Applied Anthropology from the same university. Zaida's interest is human-environment interaction and how this reflects on ways societies manage natural and cultural resources. Her archaeological experience has been working at prehistoric and historic sites in Florida as well as prehispanic sites in Honduras. This experience has led Zaida to believe that the best way to preserve cultural resources is to take a proactive collaborative approach to resource management, which includes educating and engaging the public.

Dr. Wentz graduated from Florida State University with a PhD in Anthropology and specializes in the analysis of human remains with foci on ancient disease and population health. Her master’s thesis was an analysis of fracture frequencies among the Windover skeletal population, a 7,000-year-old site in Titusville, FL. Her doctoral dissertation was a bioarchaeological assessment of the same population. Dr. Wentz has also analyzed remains from Little Salt Spring and Calico Hill, both prehistoric sites in Florida. She has done skeletal work in St. Croix, England, and Ukraine. She obtained experience in forensic anthropology at the C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory at the University of Florida, Gainesville and has taught courses in physical anthropology, human osteology and forensic anthropology at Florida State University. She sits on the board of the Florida Archaeological Council and is a Brevard County Historical Commissioner.

Gregg Harding is the Outreach Coordinator for the East Central Region and earned his B.A. in Anthropology at the University of Central Florida. His current research focuses on the archaeological evidence of human utilization of caves and sinkholes in Florida. Gregg also serves as Director at Large for the Central Florida Anthropological Society and is involved in ongoing excavations with the Oakland Archaeology Project in Orange County, FL.

Dr. Williams gradated from Washington University in St. Louis with a MA and PhD in Anthropology with a specialization in Archaeology. Dr. Williams has participated in excavations throughout the southeastern United States for the past 20 years. Her specialty within archaeology is the use of plants by prehistoric Native Americans.