Jan Balsom
Workshop: Desert Vista Watchtower
Jan Balsom first worked at Grand Canyon as a volunteer in 1981. She became a seasonal employee in 1982, then served as Park Archaeologist from 1984 until 1995. She was Chief of Cultural Resources for the Park, between 1996 and 2006. In 2007, Jan became the Deputy Chief of Science and Resource Management. In 2016, Jan became the senior adviser to the Superintendent of the Park, continuing her work on high profile stewardship issues and tribal programs. Jan received her Bachelor's in anthropology from SUNY at Buffalo and her Master's in anthropology from Arizona State University. Jan was the recipient of the 2011 National Park Service Inter-mountain Regional Director and National Park Service.
Kim Besom
Workshop: Historic Boat Tour
Kim Besom has worked in the Grand Canyon Museum Collection, a storage and research facility dedicated to preserving the various objects that tell parts of the Grand Canyon’s story, for 30 years. This Collection includes photos, archives as well as geological, paleontological, and biological examples.
Bob Broscheid
Workshop: Keynote Speaker Traditional Native Food Breakfast
Bob Broscheid: holds a bachelor's degree in Wildlife Management from Arizona State University and is a graduate of the National Conservation Leadership Institute. Prior to becoming director of Arizona State Parks & Trails, Broscheid was a biologist, Habitat Branch Chief and Deputy Director of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and Executive Director of Colorado Parks & Wildlife. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, backpacking, mountain biking and golf. Most weekends, Bob and his wife Dana are having fun discovering all of Arizona's outdoor opportunities. Bob was appointed director of Arizona State Parks and Trails in February 2019.
Diana Boudreau
Workshops: Paleontology: Dinosaurs from the Lost Continent of Mogollon, Paleontology Minding from the Neighborhood Insights from 20 Years of Fossil Exploration on Public Lands.
Diana Boudreau is a Paleontology Assistant at Grand Canyon National Park providing on-site support for a large paleontology project in progress this year. Her time is spent coordinating field work with specialists, developing novel interpretive tools, and assisting with the publication of a Paleontological Resources Inventory Report. She earned her Master’s degree in Biological Sciences from Marshall University (2017) and her Bachelor’s degree in Geology, with a Biology minor, from Augustana College (2014). Her previous and current work at various fossil sites managed by NPS & BLM in Utah, Montana, Arizona, and Wyoming, fosters her dedication to protecting public lands and the natural resources they contain.
Ellen Brennan
Workshop: Archaeology of the Grand Canyon, Cemetery Tour, Powerhouse Tour
Ellen Brennan has worked as an archaeologist for 24 years. During the last nine years she has worked as the Cultural Program Manager for Grand Canyon National Park. She completed her graduate studies at Northern Arizona University and completed a graduate assistantship studying the architectural history of the front country ruins of Wupatki National Monument. Her interests are fire archaeology, ceramics, and Ancestral Puebloan.
Blayne R. Brown
Workshop: Grand Canyon Lithics
Blayne R. Brown has been an archaeologist in the Southwest and Great Basin for over 21 years, during which time he has developed a strong interest in prehistoric technologies with an emphasis in lithic tools. Mr. Brown has been commissioned to make prehistoric artifact reproductions for experimental archaeology projects and for use in teaching collections by Aztec Ruins National Monument, Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, and Walnut Canyon National Monument. In addition, he gives presentations and knapping demonstrations at archaeological events, training seminars, and educational workshops.
Workshop: Powerhouse Tour
Criag Chenevert
Criag Chenevert is the Historical Architect at National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park. Craig has been part of some of the most important restoration efforts at the Grand Canyon including the restoration Of Desert View Watchtower and the Grand Canyon Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins. Craig is also part of the Site Steward Program.
Workshop: River Excavation Project
Jen Dierker
Jen Dierker is an archaeologist at Grand Canyon National Park. She has worked for the past 24 years to document and mitigate impacts to cultural resources on the Colorado River. Her work includes collaborating with tribal and federal agency partners, geologists and geomorphologists, to understand landscape-scale processes impacting the preservation of resources. She has worked to document and implement mitigations appropriate to the river environment such as vegetation management, constructing erosion control structures and data recovery.
Workshop: Grand View Mine Tour
Brian Donehoo
Brian Donehoo has been at the Grand Canyon for 23 years. He worked his first two seasons on the North Rim and the following 21 years on the South Rim. During those 23 years he has hiked over 2000 miles in the park. He currently works for the National Park Service where he does environmental compliance and helps with historic preservation. He has been a site steward for almost three years.
Workshop: Ten X Tour, South Rim
Betsy Donehoo
Elizabeth (Betsy) Donehoo has lived and worked at the Grand Canyon for 23 years. She began by working for two seasons on the North Rim and the remainder of the time on the South Rim. She works in Commercial Services Division and the Permits Coordinator. She has been a site steward for approximately three years.
Provider: Traditional Native Food Breakfast
Roxann Enos
Roxann Enos and her group from the Tohono O'odham tribe are providing food for the Site Steward Conference opening session. For 16 years, she worked in the school kitchen on Salt River Pima Maricopa Reservation and then Five (5) years ago she began working for San Xavier Senior Center, south of Tucson. During this time she also took traditional native foods cooking classes with the agency, Partnerships with Native Americans,. There Roxann met a fellow student Yvette Ventura and they began cooking together to represent the Tohono O'odham Nation. They provide food demonstrations and serve meals for health events around the Tohono O'odham Nation.
Workshop: Keynote Speaker for the Traditional Native Food Breakfast
Kristine FireThunder
Kristine FireThunder is the Policy Adviser on Tribal Affairs for the Office of Governor.
Kristine’s primary responsibility is to provide strategic analysis and advisement
to the Governor and serve as the inter government liaison to 22 tribal nations
to assess project development with groups representing tribal interests and
implement culturally appropriate special projects to enhance the quality of life
for tribal members. Kristine administers both the annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative day and Native Youth Know project. Mrs. FireThunder has earned both her Bachelor of Science and Executive MBA from Arizona State University and
is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Workshop: Hull Cabin/Grandview Tower/Fenceline Pueblo Tour
Margaret Hangan
Margaret Hangan earned her BA from Pitzer College in 1989 and completed her MA Thesis at California State University, Bakersfield in 2003. Margaret began her archaeological career working seasonally in the Great Basin and California, then, while a graduate student became a student intern with the Bureau of Land Management working in the Mojave Desert, California. In 2003, Margaret was hired as the Forest Archaeologist on the Cleveland National Forest in San Diego, CA then transferred to the Kaibab National Forest in 2007. Her research focus is historic archaeology with a recent emphasis on sheep grazing history of Arizona and African American history of the West.
Workshop: Museum Collections Tour
Colleen Hyde
Colleen Hyde is a Museum Specialist in the Grand Canyon Museum Collection. She has worked with the Grand Canyon collections for over 30 years. Prior to finding her forever home at Grand Canyon, she worked as a field archaeologist at the Pioneer's Museum in Colorado Springs, and as curator of the Colorado Prison Museum.
Workshop: Tusayan Ruins
Donelle Huffer
Donelle Huffer is a Vanishing Treasurers Archaeologist for the Grand Canyon. With 23 years of experience in the U.S. Southwest she has conducted all phases of archaeological investigation. For the last 5 years she has served as Preservation specialist in the Vanishing Treasures Program at Flagstaff National Monuments and Grand Canyon National Park, documenting and stabilizing prehistoric and historic architecture such as Wupatki Pueblo, Walnut Canyon Ranger Cabin and Tusayan Pueblo, among others. She has also worked in public outreach by leading backcountry site tours, working with volunteers on ruins preservation projects, and serving as the Site Steward Program Coordinator for Flagstaff National Monuments.
Workshop: Grand Canyon Lithics
Ehren Keltz
Ehren Keltz recently graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with his Master’s in Archaeology. Ehren’s thesis research was an examination of the spatial distributions of projectile points at Grand Canyon National Park. He has worked as an archaeologist at Grand Canyon NP for four summers. Ehren’s interests include using experimental archaeology to understand the production methods and uses of ancient stone tools.
Workshop: Keynote Speaker for the Traditional Native Food Breakfast
Kathryn Leonard
Kathryn Leonard is Arizona’s State Historic Preservation Officer. Kathryn is a professional archaeologist and historian who has worked in both the public and private sectors to provide expertise in National Register of Historic Places eligibility, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act compliance, and tribal government to government consultation. She is a graduate of Vassar College, and holds master’s degrees in anthropology and history from Arizona State University. Kathryn has over fifteen years of experience working in the field of cultural resources management, and prior to her appointment as SHPO, served as Operations Director of an Alaskan Native Corporation-owned environmental consulting firm. As a consultant, Kathryn has assisted federal and state agencies, municipalities and tribes with planning and consultation for complex multijurisdictional infrastructure projects. In her new role as Arizona’s SHPO, Kathryn seeks to promote historic preservation as a tool for economic development in both rural and urban areas and is working with state and federal agencies, municipalities, tribes and the development community to ensure that cultural resources are integrated into all aspects of short- and long-range planning.
Tonto Tribal Monitoring Group
Joseph Montoya
Joseph Montoya is the Tonto National Forest Tribal Monitory Crew Chief. This Program works on both cultural and biological pedestrian surveys with partners WestLand Resources Inc and Resolution Copper. The tribal monitors use Traditional Ecological Knowledge to provide information to the Tribes about the land and its inhabitants. This information helps federal agencies make informed decisions about the effects of proposed projects on cultural resources. It also allows involved tribes to understand more clearly what resources of tribal concern are being impacted from the voices of tribal members. The Tribal Monitor Program also provides employment opportunities and work training for tribal members to seek careers throughout the country.
Workshop: Ceramic Workshop
Jason Nez
Jason Nez is Zuni Edgewater born for the Salt Clan. His maternal grandfather is Tangle Clan and his paternal grandfather is from the Mexican Clan. He has been an archaeologist in the four corners area for the past fourteen years and has surveyed, excavated and monitored sites all across his reservation during this time. He has worked as an archaeologist for this tribe, various federal agencies and cultural resource management companies across the southwest. He currently works on wildfires as a Firefighter, Archaeologist and a Resource Advisor. Jason feels that his mission, as an archaeologist, is to help educate others about what we do as scientists and to help non-native people develop and understanding of who the 1st nations people are and their strong cultural connections to the world around us.
Workshop: Chasing Centuries: The Search for Ancient Agave Cultivars Across the Desert Southwest
Ron Parker
Ron Parker is an outdoorsman, xeric plant enthusiast and amateur botanist who spends half of his time gardening and the other half exploring natural habitats across Arizona and neighboring states, primarily chasing agaves and archaeological sites. He has been studying agave populations in Arizona for many years.
Workshop: Wilderness Survival
Meghan Smith
Meghan Smith is the Grand Canyon National Park Preventive Search and Rescue (SAR) Program Supervisor. She is also a paramedic and SAR technician and helps lead the park's Critical Incident Stress Management and Family Liaison Officer teams. Meghan is from western New York state and has lived in Colorado, Idaho, Alaska and New Mexico and has called Grand Canyon "home" since 2011. Prior to working for the National Park Service Meghan gained experience providing outdoor medical care by working in ski patrol. She has since adapted to the heat and loves the desert environment and all of the challenges that come with it.
John Tatum and the Grand Canyon Jeep Tours
Workshop: Jeep Tour – Pictograph, Petroglyphs in Rain Tank
Grand Canyon Jeep Tours & Safaris, located only 7 miles from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Tusayan, Arizona provides the very best tours of the Grand Canyon. Established in 1993, we are the longest running safari jeep tour company in all of the Grand Canyon, Tusayan, Williams, Flagstaff, and Las Vegas. We offer comfortable, specially designed and custom built, alternative fuel, eco-friendly safari vehicles. Each vehicle boasts forward facing stadium seating so every seat offers the best view of the Grand Canyon area. Experience the back roads of the Grand Canyon National Park and the Kaibab National Forest first hand with lifelong Grand Canyon area guides. Our Grand Canyon experts will share their stories about the early settlers, native wildlife, local history, facts and amazing geology. Site Steward Conference attendees will be going on the Indian Paintings tour -Click here for a description and video https://grandcanyonjeeptours.com/tour-details/indian-paintings-tour/
Robert Wallace
Workshop: Picture Canyon Preserve Tour
Robert Wallace is the City of Flagstaff Open Space Specialist. Robert received his B.S. from the University of Northern Colorado before becoming a National Park Service Ranger. A Park Ranger for over 15 years he is experienced in community outreach, education, resource monitoring and management, and park operations. As a Flagstaff City employee, he works to manage and preserve the community’s open space. He is particularly interested in the preservation of healthy ecosystems for the benefit and enjoyment of all. He enjoys contributing efforts to improving the community’s economy, environment, health and well-being, and overall quality of life through the Open Space Program.
James T. Watson
Workshop: Handling of Discovered Human Remains
James T. Watson is an Associate Curator of Bioarchaeology, an Associate Director of the Arizona State Museum (ASM) and an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Arizona. He is active in managing repatriations for ASM and managing state statues dealing with human burials. In addition, his research interests focus on health and disease in prehistoric populations through their skeletal remains and in understanding prehistoric human adaptions in desert ecosystems and the role of local resources in the adoption of agriculture and their impact on health.
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Presentation Materials; Handling of Discovered Human Remains
Workshop: Project Archaeology
Brooke Wheeler
Brooke Wheeler is the State volunteer, Youth, Environmental Education Lead within the Arizona Bureau of Land Management (BLM-AZ). She provides strategic policy and planning guidance to BLM-AZ staff and partners. Her passions are encouraging youth from diverse backgrounds to become the next generation of public land stewards and creating ways for the public to fulfill their civic passions through volunteerism. Prior to the BLM, Brooke worked in various education, volunteer and cultural heritage fields including the Smithsonian Natural Museum of the American Indian, Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community Elementary School, Sitka Alaska Historical Museum, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Archives and Records Administration.
Brooke is from Tuba City, Arizona located on the Navajo Nation Reservation. She has a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and native American Studies and Master’s in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management from Arizona State University.
Workshop: Site Steward Logging of Tracks
Dusty Whiting
Dusty Whiting is a retired federal law enforcement agent. He is a commissioned Game Ranger for the White Mountain Apache Tribe and an active volunteer in the Arizona Site Steward Program. He works with Archaeology Southwest, monitoring archaeological sites with a history of having been looted in Indian Country, assessing damage to sites that have been looted and assists with the damage assessment process. He has extensive experience in teaching man-tracking courses and conducting various aspects of criminal investigations for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLECT) at Artesia, NM. He is a certified structure and wildland fire investigator.
Workshops: Dos Manos Rock Shelter Tour
Neil Weintraub
Neil Weintraub has been an archaeologist on the Kaibab National Forest and the Williams Regional Site Steward Coordinator for nearly three decades. He is responsible for the management, protection, conservation, and interpretation of more than 7500 cultural resources on the more than 950,000 acres o of the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts. For the past 18 years, Neil has also volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff as a school-based mentor in the Williams Elementary School and served on its board of directors. Neil also co-founded Northern Arizona Trail Runners Association in 2001, and provides free organized group trail runs to folks of all ability levels.
Workshops: Paleontology: Dinosaurs from the Lost Continent of Mogollon, Paleontology Minding from the Neighborhood Insights from 20 Years of Fossil Exploration on Public Lands.