Contact Us

Emily Wilkerson – President

Emily Wilkerson, MA, RPCA, RPA (she/her) is a professional archaeologist with over 20 years of combined academic, regulatory, and consulting experience in British Columbia, Montana, and California. She graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2010 with a Master’s degree in Anthropology and an emphasis in Archaeology. Currently, she is Director of Archaeology with the Transportation Investment Corporation (TICorp) where she has been tapped to offer expert regulatory guidance, strategic advice, and project management support for archaeology on high stakes major projects, while also finding meaningful ways to implement commitments to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act through archaeology. She currently serves as Vice President of the British Columbia Association of Professional Archaeologists as a Professional Member.

Erin Willows – Vice President

Erin has been a member of the BCAPA for over 10 years. She is a long standing member of the Board of Directors and Public Education Committee. Erin has worked as a professional archaeologist in BC for almost 20 years. Internationally, she has participated in the excavation and analysis of human remains at various stages of mummification; and the analysis of mortuary practices in the Acarí Valley of Peru. Erin spent February of 2015 in Guatemala working with individuals affected by human rights violations in an applied capacity to impart how inter/multidisciplinary fields collaborate in the investigation of human rights violations, as well as in the process of the exhumation, recovery and analysis of mass graves, and transitional justice. Erin is an active volunteer in the community working with local NGOs on environmental stewardship education & outreach programs.

Christopher Verral – Treasurer

Chris Verral has 15 years’ experience in archaeological consulting in BC. He has completed archaeological assessments, site mitigation, and archaeological monitoring across the province including Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, the Southern Interior and Kootenays, Central BC, the North Coast, and Northeast. He has completed projects for clients in oil & gas, mining, energy, transportation and infrastructure, water resources, and industrial, commercial, and residential real estate development. He was formerly a manager for WSP Canada Ltd.’s Archaeology and Heritage Group and he is currently the Civic Archaeologist for the City of Burnaby. He is an Associate Member of the BCAPA and served as the BCAPA Treasurer from 2014-2021, Vice President from 2021-2022, and President from 2022-2023.

Nolan Gizikoff – Secretary

Stay tuned…

Matthew Ross – First Director

Matt (they/them) is the current first director of the BCAPA. This is their fifth non-consecutive year on the executive they are pleased to be returning yet to hold a position yet again. Matt holds a BA in anthropology from Vancouver Island University and an MSc in archaeological science specializing in organic residue analysis from the University of Bradford.
Matt has worked as an archaeologist in BC since 2013 and has participated in projects throughout the province. They are currently a field director in the northwest coast and interior plateau regions of BC. Their project experience has included archaeological impact assessments, desk based assessments, archaeological monitoring, excavation, reporting, and a three year stint working as an archaeology program manager for the Province.
When they are not working Matt enjoys hiking, running, foraging, and cooking whatever they’ve found while foraging.

Angela Buttress – Second Director

Angela (she/her) is an Associate Member of the BCAPA and a member of the Board for Directors for 2 years. She has been a member of the Association since 2018, and also acts as the secretary for the Education and Public Outreach Committee (EPOC). Angela has been involved in archaeological research since 2016 and employed as a professional archaeologist since 2018. As a Northwest Coast Field Director, she has experience with archaeological projects relating to a variety of sectors including First Nations-led developments, public infrastructure, forestry, mining, and residential developments. While her work has largely focused on Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, and the central coast, Angela is fortunate to have had opportunities to travel and work throughout coastal British Columbia. In addition to her professional archaeological experience, Angela is currently a graduate student in the University of British Columbia’s Department of Anthropology and a member of the ADαPT Facility for Ancient DNA and Protein Research. Her research focuses on applying biomolecular archaeological techniques to investigate past human-ecosystem relationships. Angela looks forward to working with contacts in both professional and academic archaeological communities to provide BCAPA members with helpful and engaging professional development opportunities over the coming year.

Whitney Spearing – Director at Large

Whitney is currently serving on the Board of Directors as a Director at Large. For details about Whitney’s experience see below in Past President.

Marina McCaffrey – Director at Large

Marina McCaffrey is a Field Director and permit holder with approximately 20 years of archaeological experience, including in BC and Ireland. She holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Victoria, an MA in Mesolithic Studies from the University of York, and an Archaeology Field Assistant Diploma from Camosun College. Marina has extensive experience in technical writing and regulatory compliance, ensuring reports are clear, accurate, and defensible. Marina has been a member of the BCAPA for 13 years and brings expertise in both fieldwork and regulatory processes to support high quality and consistent archaeological practice.

Sean P. Connaughton – Director at Large

Stay tuned…

Raelene Danks – Administrator

Raelene joined the BCAPA in 2012. She worked as an administrator in the environmental consulting field for nearly a decade. Her exceptional organizational skills and many years of experience working with BC archaeologists enables her to successfully administer the Association.  Raelene has a diverse educational background including a B.A. in Criminology, a certificate in Applied Computer Applications, and is certified as a Legal Office Assistant.

Whitney Spearing – Past President

Whitney is a registered professional consulting archaeologist and mother of one amazing boy, who has lived and worked in the Interior of British Columbia for over two decades. Born and raised in North Vancouver, she began her career as an archaeologist at Capilano College, and then completed her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, with a focus on archaeology, from the University of Northern British Columbia. Since that time, she has completed a post-graduate degree in Project Management at the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Arts degree in Archaeology from Simon Fraser University. Whitney’s current research pursuits include geochemical analysis of lithic raw material, using portable x-ray technology; and landscape archaeology.

Whitney has travelled extensively, and participated in a forensic recovery and excavation of a site in County Roscommon. The site was featured in a documentary about deviant burials, and their linkages to ‘vampire’ skeletons across the globe. She then returned to British Columbia and began working in consulting archaeology. In 2016, Whitney accepted a position at Williams Lake First Nation as Natural Resource Coordinator. And it was from there that she began to establish an in-house consulting firm, Sugar Cane Archaeology. Since then, she has held several positions at WLFN. She is currently Senior Manager of Title & Rights for WLFN, Senior Archaeologist / Project Manager for Sugar Cane Archaeology, and Lead Investigator / Archaeologist for the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School Investigation. Her work has recently been highlited in the National Geographic documentary Sugarcane, which follows the investigative team as they uncover truths about the St. Joseph’s Mission.

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Committees & Groups

The contact list for committee and group chairs is on the Committee page.

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