Maria Adkins – Owner/Principal Investigator
Environmental Biologist
Maria@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
Founder of Adkins Consulting Inc. in 2003, Maria has a B.S. in Environmental Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She successfully leads the ACI team with particular expertise in NEPA and ESA compliance. Maria has managed several thousand environmental projects during her career, some of which include: overseeing field investigations, coordinating project logistics and facilitating agency and client consultation. Maria has maintained strong relationships with her clients throughout the years.
BIOLOGY
Carly Bentley
Project Manager/ Environmental Specialist/Biologist
Carly@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
Carly has a B.S. in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University. She has 5 years of experience in ecology with a focus in biological surveying for public land agencies. Carly has experiencing surveying for rare plants, grazing management, and vegetation cover in Colorado and New Mexico, and she grew up in the Four Corners region.
Arnold Clifford
Botanical Expert
Arnold is one of the premier botanists in the Four Corners region with over 30 years of experience conducting biological surveys, including the identification of rare, endangered, and endemic plants. He is permitted by the USFWS to lead surveys for Southwestern willow flycatcher, yellow-billed cuckoo, and Mexican spotted owl and is permitted to survey on the Navajo Nation. As a Navajo Indian and fluent Navajo speaker, he is very familiar with traditional usage and the cultural significance of Navajo Nation natural resources. Arnold can also serve as an interpreter with the scientific knowledge and experience needed to explain concepts related to natural resource management.
Tami St. Germain
NEPA Specialist
Tami@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
Ms. St. Germain has over thirty years of experience in regulatory review, endangered species consultations, and NEPA compliance. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. She began her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), reviewing projects and preparing FWS reports on endangered species, migratory birds, and wetlands. During her FWS career, Ms. St. Germain was designated as the Louisiana state coordinator for consultations on bald eagles and red-cockaded woodpeckers. Since 1997, she has continued her career as an environmental consultant, having successfully managed field investigations and agency consultations. Her area of expertise is in management of consultations under the Endangered Species Act and the preparation of NEPA compliance documents.
Eryn Bordes
Environmental Specialist/Biologist
Eryn@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
Bringing a diverse background to the team, Eryn has worked in the environmental field for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas. She has experience in a variety of field surveying methods and in flora and fauna identification. She has prior experience as a field biologist in California, Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. And she holds training certificates for Mexican Spotted Owl, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and for Stormwater Management and Erosion Control during Construction (SMEC).
David Jaffe
Environmental Specialist/Biologist
David@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
David has a Masters in Ecology from the University of Miami and a B.S. in Geology and Environmental Studies from The Evergreen State Collegein Olympia, Washington. He has extensive experience in field surveying techniques with various consulting companies in the west and southwest as well as with the National Park Service. He has worked on several projects including landscape assessment, wetland delineation, bird banding, as well as bird, botanical, and threatened and endangered species surveys. He has experience in field surveying methods, GIS mapping, flora and fauna species identification, report preparation. David has over 30 years of experience working as an environmental educator around the world teaching audiences and students of various ages.
ARCHAEOLOGY
Nicholas Zhou
Senior Archaeologist/Project Director
Nick@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
Nick holds a PhD, MA, and BA in anthropology / archaeology. He has over two decades of archaeological experience as an instructor, archaeometry laboratory manager, and senior archaeologist / principal investigator. He is proficient with state and federal laws and policies in five states, having worked for the National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, US Navy, and several private cultural resource management firms. He has archaeological experience in New Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, the Aleutians, and Easter Island.
Michael Proper
Lead Archaeologist / Field Supervisor
Michael@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
Michael began his career in archaeology in 1973 as a volunteer at Salmon Ruin Project (Bloomfield, New Mexico) and has continued to work primarily in cultural resource management (CRM) sector of the profession. He earned a Bachelor in University Studies degree at the University of New Mexico in 1982 and Master of Arts degree from Eastern New Mexico University in 2001. Mr. Proper has worked in the states of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Texas, Nevada, and Wyoming.
Currently, Mr. Proper is a member of New Mexico Archaeological Council, Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society, Farmington Museum Association, San Juan County Museum Association, and Society of American Archaeology. He has directed surveys, testing programs, excavations, and laboratory analysis. Most of his work has been in association with the energy development field including: Oil and Gas Exploration and transportation, Mining, Power Transmission, Transportation (Highways and Aviation), Water Storage and Transportation projects.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS)
Stephan Bertsch
GIS Specialist
Stephan@AdkinsEnvironmental.com
Stephan has a B.S in Geology from Montana State University. He has experience in surveying for rare plants as well as experience with archeological surveys. Stephan has extensive GIS experience and is proficient in creating and modifying geographic data from a variety of sources to build a database of information and create digital maps.
In Memory of Deb Gibson
Deb has been a beloved member of the ACI team since joining in 2021. She had worked in the cultural resources field for 28 years in her home of Farmington, New Mexico and made a huge mark on this industry. With much sadness, Deb passed on November 11, 2023.
Her passion for people, both living and past, was a joy to experience. She will be greatly missed by all as a coworker, but more so as a friend.