As Principal Investigator on uncounted archaeological services contracts for the New Orleans District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and on numerous projects for private firms, Dr. Yakubik has coordinated and directed large, multi-disciplinary project teams for National Register evaluation of buildings, engineering structures, objects, and sites, as well as for archaeological data recovery.
Dr. Yakubik is the author or co-author of over 120 cultural resources reports and papers on both historic and prehistoric site investigations. In addition, she has extensive experience in both historic material culture analysis and archival/historical research. Dr. Yakubik is committed to the dissemination of the results of Earth Search’s investigations, and she has made numerous presentations to both professional and lay audiences.
archaeologists
Dr. Lee has worked in the CRM industry since his undergraduate years, first at HPG (1978-1984), then later at Archaeological Assessments, Inc. as a Supervisory Archaeologist, and as a Project Manager at New World Research. Dr. Lee joined the ESI staff in 1996, and since that time has directed numerous projects for federal, state, and local agencies, and for private firms and developers. Recently, Dr. Lee developed research designs for data recovery at the South Tall Timbers Site (16RA660), for which he served as project manager, and for archaeological investigation at the Troyville Mound Site. During his 26 years of CRM experience, Dr. Lee has conducted archeological and historical investigations at prehistoric and historic period sites in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas, and has authored or co-authored over seventy cultural resource technical reports and professional papers.
ANGELE MONTANA received her B.A. in Anthropology in 1989 from the University of New Orleans, and in 1990, Ms. Montana entered the Master's program at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, focusing on the prehistory of the southeastern United States, as well as human osteology and bioarchaeology. She served as an assistant supervisor at the university's summer field school, and as an undergraduate instructor in the anthropology department. Her master's thesis, An Analysis and Interpretation of the Shellfish Remains (Rangia cuneata) from the Diamondhead Site (22Ha550), focused on growth-line seasonality analysis of the shellfish remains from that site, as well as issues related to local exploitation of estuarine resources.
After completing her M.A., Ms. Montana spent several years in the employ of RCG&A, Inc. as a laboratory analyst and archaeologist, and in April of 2004, accepted a position at Earth Search, Inc. Since that time she has directed the Sky Lake survey project, participated in numerous other Phase I surveys, and continued to exercise her analytic abilities for a variety of company projects. She has authored or co-authored several papers and reports based upon her thesis research and on projects to which she contributed during her professional exploits, and is a Registered Professional Archaeologist.
After completing her M.A., Ms. Montana spent several years in the employ of RCG&A, Inc. as a laboratory analyst and archaeologist, and in April of 2004, accepted a position at Earth Search, Inc. Since that time she has directed the Sky Lake survey project, participated in numerous other Phase I surveys, and continued to exercise her analytic abilities for a variety of company projects. She has authored or co-authored several papers and reports based upon her thesis research and on projects to which she contributed during her professional exploits, and is a Registered Professional Archaeologist.
After her graduation, Ms. Pokrant continued to work at the Archaeology Institute at UWF, collaborating with Norma J. Harris on a multi-year survey of Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian sites along Santa Rosa Sound in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. In 2003, Ms. Pokrant accepted a position as Assistant Project Manager at the New Orleans office of R. Christopher Goodwin and Associates, Inc. During her time there, she participated in various Phase I surveys for pipeline companies and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District. Ms. Pokrant joined Earth Search, Inc. as a Project Manager in 2004. She is currently directing a project for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development in St. Bernard Parish. Her recent field experience includes excavation and survey in Louisiana, Wisconsin, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
marine archaeologist
Ms. Damour’s master’s thesis research created a new model for designing shipwreck survey areas in near-coastal and barrier island settings, which incorporated barrier island geomorphology, sedimentation rates, historic shoreline migration rates, aerial photography, historic cartography and historical research. Ms. Damour brings several years of remote sensing experience with magnetometer, side scan sonar, and sub-bottom profiling devices to the company. She has authored or co-authored more than ten research and cultural resources reports and co-authored or presented 13 papers at professional conferences and community-wide archaeological societies. Her recent field experience has included terrestrial investigations of prehistoric and historic sites in Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.
archaeologist/zooarchaeologist
RHONDA SMITH holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Tulane University, and she holds an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Georgia. While at the University of Georgia, Ms. Smith worked in the Zooarchaeology Lab where she worked with faunal collections from throughout the Southeast United States. She has authored and co-authored several zooarchaeological reports, and is author or co-author of numerous cultural resource technical reports and papers.
Ms. Smith has five years experience in cultural resources management and has worked in Louisiana, California and Antigua. She has supervised intensive survey, National Register testing, and construction monitoring efforts. In addition, Ms. Smith served as project manager for data recovery at 16CT416, a non-mound Coles Creek period site in northeastern Louisiana.
Ms. Smith has five years experience in cultural resources management and has worked in Louisiana, California and Antigua. She has supervised intensive survey, National Register testing, and construction monitoring efforts. In addition, Ms. Smith served as project manager for data recovery at 16CT416, a non-mound Coles Creek period site in northeastern Louisiana.
archaeologist/paleoethnobotanist
JENNAE BIDDISCOMBE holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and completed her Master's degree at Northern Arizona University in 2003. During her graduate studies, Ms. Biddiscombe managed the Elden Pueblo Public Archaeological Program from 2000 to 2002, coordinating all educational programs and budgeting. During that time, she also supervised archaeological field school excavations for the Arizona Archaeological Society field school at Elden Pueblo. During her final semester at Northern Arizona University, Ms. Biddiscombe served as a part-time faculty member, teaching Principles in Archaeology.
Ms. Biddiscombe's master's thesis research included the analysis of paleoethnobotanical remains from the prehistoric Sinagua site of Elden pueblo, while comparing the results to another Sinagua site in the area. The study focused on the Sinagua diet during three distinct time periods, examining changes in diet over time, and exploring effects of environmental stress on the prehistoric Sinagua diet. Her thesis study also explored issues of Sinagua social organization and site abandonment. Following completion of her graduate studies, Ms. Biddiscombe relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana and soon after joined the Earth Search, Inc. staff in her current position.
Ms. Biddiscombe's master's thesis research included the analysis of paleoethnobotanical remains from the prehistoric Sinagua site of Elden pueblo, while comparing the results to another Sinagua site in the area. The study focused on the Sinagua diet during three distinct time periods, examining changes in diet over time, and exploring effects of environmental stress on the prehistoric Sinagua diet. Her thesis study also explored issues of Sinagua social organization and site abandonment. Following completion of her graduate studies, Ms. Biddiscombe relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana and soon after joined the Earth Search, Inc. staff in her current position.
archaeologist/bioarchaeologist
THADDEUS BISSETT received his B.A. in Anthropology from Wake Forest University in 1999, and his M.S., with dual foci in prehistoric lithic technology and bioarchaeology, in 2003 from the Florida State University, in Tallahassee, Florida. Mr. Bissett has instructed students in human skeletal analysis and prehistoric lithic studies, and is a self-taught "flint knapper" and experimental archaeologist. His master's thesis, Morphological Variation of Bolen Haftable Bifaces: Function and Style Among Chipped-Stone Artifacts from the Early Holocene Southeast, developed a new method for describing the stylistic attributes of formal lithic tools, which can be applied to broader stylistic and functional examinations of prehistoric material culture. As a bioarchaeologist, he worked extensively with the Windover (8BR246) skeletal collection, examining questions related to occupational and behavioral stresses, juvenile long bone growth rates, and formulated an alternative technique for the estimation of complete diaphyseal lengths from incomplete subadult long bone segments.
Mr. Bissett has worked on both sides of the cultural resource management equation, having served as a member of the state of Florida's Compliance and Review Section, responsible for evaluating and recommending necessary courses of action for the preservation of Florida's cultural resources based on the applicable federal and state laws and statutes. Mr. Bissett has recent field experience in archaeological investigations in Florida, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and Mississippi, and is a Registered Professional Archaeologist. He is also the author and designer of the Earth Search, Inc. website, and is currently responsible for its organization and maintenance. Comments on the site should be directed to him
Mr. Bissett has worked on both sides of the cultural resource management equation, having served as a member of the state of Florida's Compliance and Review Section, responsible for evaluating and recommending necessary courses of action for the preservation of Florida's cultural resources based on the applicable federal and state laws and statutes. Mr. Bissett has recent field experience in archaeological investigations in Florida, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and Mississippi, and is a Registered Professional Archaeologist. He is also the author and designer of the Earth Search, Inc. website, and is currently responsible for its organization and maintenance. Comments on the site should be directed to him
archaeologist/architectural historian
Most recently, Mr. Godzinski served as Architectural Historian for cultural resource investigations for the Desire Corridor Major Investment study for the Regional Transit Authority. This study involved the recordation and NRHP evaluation of over 600 historic structures along eight alternative routes that crossed New Orleans’ Vieux Carré, Esplanade Ridge, Marigny, and Bywater Historic Districts. As a field archaeologist, Mr. Godzinski has regularly supervised two to ten field technicians on pipeline survey projects in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, as well as coordinated the operation of multiple crews. In addition to survey, Mr. Godzinski also has led NRHP test excavations.
In addition to his qualifications as an historical researcher, Mr. Maygarden has extensive training in Environmental Phase I Site Assessment, and as a subcontractor has conducted environmental site histories for ESI. Under the company’s 1992, 1994, and 1997 Services Contract with the New Orleans District Army Corps of Engineers, Mr. Maygarden authored numerous land-use histories in support of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste (HTRW) initial assessments, which included projects in both undeveloped and heavily industrialized corridors. ESI’s reports have been utilized as a benchmark for evolving standards for HTRW studies.
Mr. Maygarden is the author of the monograph Bayou Chene: The Life Story of an Atchafalaya Basin Community, one of the most popular publications for the general public ever produced by the New Orleans District Army Corps of Engineers.
SARA ORTON graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1988, with a B.A. in Political Science. She studied Spanish at the Universidad de Sevilla in Seville, Spain, receiving an asso-ciate's degree in Spanish Language, and spent five years teaching English in Spain. As a li-censed real estate agent, Ms. Orton worked with clients throughout the French Quarter and New Orleans' other historic neighborhoods, developing her knowledge of local historic architecture. In 1998, Ms. Orton entered the Master's of Preservation Studies program at the Tulane School of Architecture. During her studies, she was involved in a study of the St. Roch corridor, one of four historic neighborhoods in the St. Claude area. Following the completion of her master's degree in May of 2000, Ms. Orton accepted a position as the Vice-President of Operations at a local real estate consulting and appraisal firm. In 2001, she joined the Earth Search, Inc., staff as an historian and architectural historian. She has organized and participated in projects located throughout New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, as well as in southern Mississippi.
Laboratory Supervisor
Gray's specialty is historical archaeology, particularly African-American archaeology and the archaeology of urban New Orleans. He has served as Field Director, Co-Project Manager, or Material Culture Analyst for various widely-reported projects in the city, including data recovery at the St. Thomas Housing Project (the former location of New Orleans' Irish Channel neighborhood), excavations at the Iberville Housing Project (the former location of the Storyville red light district), and, most recently, at 535 Conti Street in the French Quarter. While Gray has presented academic papers on his research in forums such as the annual meetings of the SAA, the SHA, and SCHAC, he has remained committed to also presenting information to a more general audience. To this end, he has been a frequent participant in Louisiana Archaeology Week (with the St. Thomas excavations featured in 2001) with slide lectures and artifact displays. He has also delivered lectures for New Orleans' African-American Heritage Council and for the Archaeological Institute of America, where he was one of the featured speakers on the archaeology of prostitution for the AIA's annual meetings in 2003. Gray's research and work with ESI has been featured in local newspapers (like the Times-Picayune and the Gambit Weekly) and the national press (including the L.A. Times and Archaeology Magazine).