AAHA is a Registered Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (WBE/DBE) in:

Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia

AAHA is a woman-owned, SBA 8(a), and DBE certified business that provides a wide range of cultural resources management services in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Our service platform offers our clients access to a wide range of expertise in cultural and heritage resource management. For 25 years, we have developed strong relationships with a broad spectrum of private, commercial, municipal, and non-profit partners.

Cultural resources compliance is often driven by laws and regulations (local, state, and federal) that mandate consideration of cultural resources prior to development. Often, our clients are encountering these compliance mandates for the first time or in unfamiliar jurisdictions. The AAHA team prides itself on guiding our clients through these sometimes-challenging situations with personalized and professional service. This allows us to identify, manage, and mitigate impacts to cultural resources within the framework of your project while minimizing delays and unnecessary costs.

As partners with numerous regional and national cultural resources advocacy organizations, including the American Cultural Resources Association (ACRA), the Society for American Aniquity  (SAA), the Society for Historical Archeology (SHA), the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA), the Council for Northeast Historic Archaeology (CNEHA), the Council for Maryland Archaeology (CfMA), the Mid-Atlantic Archaeological Society, the Archaeological Society of Maryland (ASM), the Archaeological Society of Virginia (ASV), and many others, AAHA integrates emerging best practices of the industry while remaining committed to connecting communities to their cultural heritage in a responsible and pragmatic manner.

To learn more about how our team can deliver your project on time, on budget, and on focus, please visit our Services pages or contact us directly at info@aahainc.com or by phone at 410-224-3402.

MEET THE TEAM

AAHA is staffed with expert consultants that will ensure timely and cost-effective completion of every project. Our staff features subject matter experts in archaeology, historic architecture, historic preservation and planning, environmental assessments (EAs), Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), historic property and deed research, project scoping and management, and archaeological laboratory procedures and analysis. In addition to our core in-house staff, AAHA has developed an extensive network of other industry specialists in geophysical survey and analysis, paleobotony, zooarchaeology, dendrochronology, and historic structural evaluation and restoration.

Please visit the AAHA staff descriptions to learn about the team of skilled professionals who you can put to work for your project!

Join Our Team

STAFF

Jeanne A. Ward

President and Principal
Archaeologist

Ms. Ward founded AAHA in 1998 and is an archaeologist and cultural resources management consultant with over 30 years experience. Her academic credentials include a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Georgia and an M.A. in anthropology/archaeology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her experience encompasses both historic and prehistoric archaeology, and has included investigations ranging from Phase I site location/identification surveys, Phase II evaluations of site significance, through large scale data recovery excavations.

Ms. Ward’s professional qualifications exceed all U. S. Department of the Interior criteria for a professional archaeologist working in cultural resources management (36 CFR 61). In addition, she is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA).

Patrick Walters

Director of Cultural Resources

Patrick Walters is the Director of Cultural Resources for AAHA and has designed and directed surveys and excavations of historic and prehistoric archaeological resources in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast since 1999. As a professional in the field of cultural resources management, Mr. Walters has served as Project Archaeologist on many cultural resources studies throughout the Mid-Atlantic. He has acted in a management role in coordination with multiple state and federal agencies, and in coordination of public outreach programs on behalf of municipalities for stewardship of NRHP properties.

Mr. Walters has a broad knowledge of cultural resource management principles and practices, archaeological survey, evaluation, and data recovery methodologies, and presentation of research results within federal and state agency, academic, and public sector frameworks. He has extensive experience on Maryland CRM projects including Phase I, II, and III terrestrial excavation, research, technical reports, and prehistoric and historic artifact analysis.

Brett Arnold

Senior Project Archaeologist & Director of Operations

Brett Arnold is a Senior Project Archaeologist and Director of Operations for AAHA. He has been working as a professional archaeologist since 2011. He received his B.A. with a double major in Archaeology and German Studies from the College of Wooster and went on to receive an M.S. in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee.

He has been contributing to technical reports and directing archaeological fieldwork since 2014, with experiences ranging from privately funded research projects to compliance surveys for state and federal agencies. Mr. Arnold meets the professional qualifications of the U.S. Department of the Interior criteria for archaeologists and historians and he is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists. Off the clock, Brett enjoys board games, cooking, and hiking.

Jasmine Gollup

Laboratory Director

Jasmine Gollup is the AAHA Laboratory Director and has been a professional archaeologist since 2010. She received her B.A in Sociology/Anthropology and History from Elizabethtown College and her M.A. in Archaeology with a minor in American Indian Studies from Cornell University. Ms. Gollup has experience conducting archaeological excavations and processing cultural material for state and local agencies throughout the Northeast, historic research, report writing, and public outreach.

In addition, she has extensive experience working with historic and precontact period artifacts from Phase I, II, and III projects. Ms. Gollup oversees the processing of collections at AAHA ensuring the collections meet state or federal curation guidelines. Ms. Gollup meets the professional qualifications of the U.S. Department of the Interior criteria for archaeologists and historians and is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists.

Emily Masters

Project Archaeologist

Emily Masters is a Project Archaeologist for AAHA. She has been working in cultural resource management in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions since 2014. She received her B.A. in Anthropology from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and went on to receive an M.A. in Applied Archaeology from Indian University of Pennsylvania.

Emily began her career as a Field Technician, traveling throughout the Eastern United States to gain a broad knowledge of archaeological survey practices in a wide range of environments. She has been directing archaeological fieldwork since 2018 and has been a contributing or co-author on over 60 technical reports, including archaeological monitoring projects, Phase IA, IB, and II archaeological surveys. Her expertise lies in field survey and resource evaluation, and she has experience excavating and analyzing cultural material from historic and precontact period sites in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Ms. Masters has extensive experience in using GPS and GIS technologies in planning, executing, and analysis of archaeological survey and research. Ms. Masters’ professional qualifications meet the U.S. Department of the Interior criteria for archaeologists and she is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists.

Celia Engel

Assistant Project Manager

Celia Engel is an Assistant Project manager at AAHA. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Towson University in 2017. She has been working for the company since 2018 and her fieldwork experience includes Phase I to Phase III assessments, cemetery delineations, and architectural surveys. Ms. Engel has been contributing to the production of technical reports since 2019.

Her responsibilities include conducting background research, producing graphics, and preparing and editing technical reports. This documentation has informed the recordation of multiple properties on the Maryland Inventory of Historic Places and eligibility recommendations for various archaeological sites in the National Register of Historic Places. Ms. Engel assists in the managing the day-to-day operations by collaborating with other administrative personnel to establish efficient and organized systems.

Kristen Browne

Crew Chief

Kristen Browne is a Crew Chief for AAHA who has been with the company since 2017. Kristen has seven years of professional archaeological experience in cultural resource management and research archaeology in the Mid-Atlantic region. Ms. Browne received a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology from Towson University in 2016 and holds an Associate of Arts from the Community College of Baltimore County. She is currently working toward a Master of Arts degree in anthropology program with a concentration in bioarchaeology at George Mason University.

Kristen has contributed to the preservation of cultural resources by assisting in and leading Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III archaeological investigations as well as the completion of technical reports. Her experience ranges from privately funded research projects to compliance surveys for state and federal agencies. Ms. Browne has experience conducting archaeological excavations and historic research for state, local, and private agencies. Her research interests include the biological and cultural consequences of colonialism within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Emily Rux

Crew Chief

Emily Rux is a Crew Chief for AAHA. She received her B.S. in Anthropology with a concentration in Public Archaeology from Bridgewater State University. Mrs. Rux has worked with private institutions, in public outreach and in cultural resource management along the east coast, the mid-west and Alaska. She has experience curating archaeological collections as well as conducting phases I, II and III excavations.

Dylan Howes

Field Technician

Mr. Howes has been working as a field and lab technician since 2016. He earned his B.A in Cultural Anthropology from California State University of Monterey Bay. He has taken part in phase 1, phase 2, and construction monitoring projects in California, Arizona, and the greater DMV region. He also has experience with archaeological lab work and report writing. When not working he is either hiking, cooking, or playing Dungeons and Dragons.