I managed the accessioning process for all artifacts coming into our museum, which required meticulous research and accurate compilation of artifact lists to guide quarterly collections committee meetings. This role allowed me to hone my detail-oriented approach, as I worked to ensure that every item was documented with precision and clarity. Reviewing and refining artifact information became a valuable exercise in accuracy.Many collections arrived unsolicited, which provided opportunities to engage with donors, uncovering fascinating details much like an archaeological expedition. Once collections were approved for accession, I took pride in carefully processing the documentation needed to legally acquire these artifacts for the museum. This attention to thoroughness and accuracy is foundational to my work style.As the database administrator for our permanent collection, I oversaw data integrity for the Past Perfect system, which required consistent information capture and precise record input. Working with our 30,000+ artifact records trained me to prioritize accuracy, ensuring that each entry was not only correct but also aligned with overall database standards.Like many in small museums, I wore several hats beyond my Registrar role, including Curator, Collections Manager, and Exhibit Content Writer. This experience sharpened my adaptability and my ability to maintain quality across various types of content.One of my most rewarding experiences was often observing visitors’ reactions in the galleries, witnessing their smiles and curiosity. It reminded me daily of the importance of clarity and detail in conveying information.

Part of a team that carried out a comprehensive inventory of the holdings of the Anthropology Department [specifically focused on the Pacific Ethnographic collection]. After the inventory was completed, we pulled the artifacts from their original location, organized them, created stable storage mounts as needed and moved them to the newly constructed Collections Resource Center. I also headed a digitizing program that imaged 59,000+ Pacific Island artifacts. While part of this project I noticed certain artifacts tagged with detailed, beautifully written object notes. These artifacts were part of a sub-collection of Pacific artifacts that were at one time owned by Alfred W. Fuller. He competed with other collectors of his time to amass one of the most comprehensive collections of Pacific ethnographic collections in the Western Hemisphere. These tags caught my eye, and I dug into the scope of the collection to see how it could be made relevant. This led to rediscovery of the audio tapes [Sonobands] recorded some 40 years previously by the Pacific Curator of the Field Museum [Roland Force] and Mr. Fuller, where they went through the collection piece by piece.

Part of a team that unpacked, rehoused, and organized the ethnographic component [168,622] of the permanent collection of First Nation artifacts at the Cultural Resource Center [CRC] research and storage facility of NMAI in Suitland, Maryland. On average our team received nearly 20,000 artifacts a month from the Bronx NYC facility, and we unpacked; tracked; stabilized; organized; shelved; and reconciled any discrepancies before the next shipment arrived. I was also a Project manager for the Caribbean and the Upstate New York Nations Collections. Much like my role in the larger projects, I managed a small team that unpacked; organized; shelved and worked with the Registration dept for any anomalies.

Assisted in maintaining the records of a nationwide collection of federally owned art dating back to the 1850’s. This included developing and documenting collections management technical procedures for the national headquarters. Under direction of the full-time staff, acted as a liaison to public and non-profit institutions concerning status and distribution of information of the many works of art in the collection. Assisted management of conservation and inspection reports, researched works for publication and display.Assisted in installation of works from the collection in Federal buildings in Washington DC Metro-Area.Constructed archival storage mounts for long-term safety and storage of works.

Updated records in the permanent database-Gallery Systems’ The Museum System (TMS) software. Assisted in various stages of the digitization process of the N.M.A.A.’s permanent collection. Checked copyright clearance and media image quality before integration into permanent database.

Excavated archaeological material from multiple time period including: Mycenaean, Classical, Byzantine, Frankish and Turkish, as part of a 30-person crew in the ancient marketplace of Athens.Assisted in the cataloguing and re-housing of human remains in the site’s collection.

Successfully carried out a comprehensive wall to wall inventory of the museum's entire human remains collection, which at that time had not been fully cataloged. This entailed going through roughly 700+ drawers containing several thousand individuals comprised of tens of thousands of bones, identifying them, and then updating their corresponding artifact records. Assisted the Anthropology Department Registrar, by updating and maintaining accession files, museum logbooks, and creating database fields to access the records easily via museum workstation.

Excavated archaeological material from multiple time period including: Mycenaean, Classical, Byzantine, Frankish and Turkish, as part of a 30-person crew in the ancient marketplace of Athens.Assisted in the cataloguing and re-housing of human remains in the site’s collection.

Worked as part of a 10-person team on various archaeological survey contracts in Northern Illinois, in various phases of the archaeological excavation as well as processing of found artifacts in the lab. This included Phase I surveys, conducted to identify possible prehistoric or historic remains on landscapes scheduled for modification, as well as Phase II testing, carried out to assess a site's potential for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

Assisted Dr. Anne L. Grauer as part of a 5-person team in cataloguing a cemetery population from Chicago's Dunning Poorhouse [consisting of about 16,000 fragmentary human remains]. Served as a teaching assistant for the fall semester course: Anthropology 326: Human Osteology.