Board of Advisors

Learn about the Board of Advisors and how you can get involved!

What do members of the Board of Advisors do?

  • Advise

    Give input on Arkansas Archeological Survey Station activities

  • Improve

    Collaborate with ARAS Station Archeologists to suggest improvements to programs and activities

  • Communicate

    Strengthen your writing and communication skills

  • Collaborate

    Participate in a Board of Advisors meeting with other committee members across the state

  • Connect

    Build your resume and network in the archeology career field

How to Serve on the Board of Advisors

  • AAS Membership

    Members of the Board of Advisors must be statewide AAS members for the duration of their term.

  • Arkansas Residency

    Members who serve on the BoA must be Arkansas residents since meetings are conducted in-person at ARAS stations.

  • Reach out to a local ARAS Station Archeologist

    Find the county you live in, and contact the ARAS Station Archeologist who works in that territory. Reach out to them via phone or email to express interest.

  • AAS Membership Vote

    The final step in this process is for the AAS membership to vote on your nomination to the ARAS Station BoA at the Annual Meeting, held each September.

In the Arkansas Code

The Board of Advisors, a standing committee within the Arkansas Archeological Society, was created to fulfill requirements put forth in Act-39-of-1967 in the Arkansas Code. Please refer to the Arkansas Archeological Survey’s (ARAS) website with more information about laws in Arkansas pertaining to archeological sites and artifacts, historic preservation, human remains, historic cemeteries, and the creation of the ARAS.

ACT 39 of 1967- AN ACT TO DESIGNATE THE PROGRAM OF THE ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY PROVIDED FOR IN ACT 82 OF 1959.

Section 9. The Arkansas Archeological Society is hereby requested to annually review and evaluate the programs and activities of the Arkansas Archeological Survey and to provide written reports of such evaluation to the Director of the Survey, each state-supported institution of higher learning and such other interested institutions and agencies that may request the same.

In the Society Bylaws

The Society decided to create the Board of Advisors within our organization to fill the need for this annual review process. The requirements for advisors, the election process, and information about the written report process is spelled out in Article IV of our AAS Bylaws. These are available on our website for review; the relevant section is included below.

Section 4.10  Committees.  The Executive Board may create one of more committees.  Each committee shall have two or more members.  To the extent specified by the Executive Board, each committee may exercise the authority of the Executive Board.  Unless the Executive Board otherwise provides, each committee may make, alter or repeal rules for the conduct of committee business. The President shall appoint and remove for cause Members of the Society to serve as Chairperson and / or committee members as necessary.  The following standing committees shall serve the Society as follows:

  1. Board of Advisors. The Board of Advisors shall consist of three (3) individuals (each, a “Station Advisor”) from each of the Survey districts established by the Arkansas Archeological Survey, a unit of the University of Arkansas System (the “Survey”). Each member of the Board of Advisors shall be elected by the Members at a meeting of the Members. The term of a Station Advisor shall be three (3) years, one being elected each year.
  2. The Board of Advisors shall meet two (2) times per year to review activities of the Society and of the Survey: one meeting to be called by the Chair of the Board of Advisors during the first calendar quarter, and one meeting preceding the annual meeting of the Members. Preferably, meetings should be held at Survey Research Stations.
  3. The senior Station Advisor of each Survey district shall prepare a written report of the Survey Station’s activities, needs, and problems. This report shall be delivered to the Chair of the Board of Advisors by September 10th of that year.
  4. The Chair of the Board of Advisors shall review and combine the Station Advisors’ reports and make a written report of the Board of Advisors’ activities and recommendations, and deliver that report to the Executive Board at the annual meeting of the Society.
  5. The President shall forward this report to the Director of the Survey and to the University of Arkansas System president.

2024 Board of Advisors

UAF Station, Fayetteville

Kim Foster

Marlon Mowdy

Casey Shireman

UAFS Station, Fort Smith

Lexie Rue Harris

Phil Hayden

Mary Brennan

HSU Station, Arkadelphia

Janice Fisher

Sherri Bradbury

David Hendrix

SAU Station, Magnolia

David Jeane

Anthony “Clay” Newton

Gary Walker

UAPB Station, Pine Bluff

Michele Jones

John House

Peter Bleed

UAM Station, Monticello

Mary Jo Tucker

John Henris

Cynthia Weaver

WRI Station, Morrilton

Joshua Lynch

Kristina Hill

Plum Bayou Mounds Station, Scott

Chris Fletcher

Aaron Eller

ASU Station, Jonesboro

Louis Intres

Shelley Cullum Bonner

Lloyd Goff

Parkin Station, Parkin

Ben Swadley

Melinda Martin

Scott Akridge