Key Personnel

Maria Adkins – Owner/Principal

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

Sam Hunt

Project Manager
Sam@AdkinsEnvironmental.com

Sam has a B.A. in Biology and a B.A. in Global Sustainability from the University of Virginia. Sam has over 6 years of experience within the environmental and biological fields, primarily in project management and scientific writing. She has worked on several energy-related projects, with growing expertise in solar energy projects. She excels in the preparation of NEPA documents, GIS mapping, field surveying methods, and multi-agency collaboration.

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.

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 holds training certificates for Mexican Spotted Owl, Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and for Stormwater Management and Erosion Control during Construction (SMEC).

Carly Bentley

Environmental Specialist/Biologist
Carly@AdkinsEnvironmental.com

Carly has a B.S. in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University. She has 4 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. 

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

Deb Gibson

Project Manager/Archaeologist
Deb@AdkinsEnvironmental.com

Deb has worked in the cultural resources field for 28 years and meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Qualifications for a Supervisory Archaeologist. She has worked on Class I file searches, Class III intensive surveys, archaeological site testing, excavation projects, execution of mitigation plans, development of research designs, and laboratory analysis. She has served as the project manager for local oil and gas projects since 2009 and has overseen numerous projects in that time.  Her project experience includes work on abandoned mining lands, linear and block surveys, test and full-scale excavations, site monitoring, artifact analysis, report preparation, and laboratory maintenance.  Her role as project manager is to coordinate with not only field personnel but also with agency and industry personnel to ensure communication and a smooth and efficient outcome of each project.

Michael Proper

Lead Archaeologist
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.

Roy Pitrucha

Archaeologist
Roy@AdkinsEnvironmental.com

Roy began his career in archaeology in 2019 as an undergraduate working for the University of New Mexico’s Office of Contract Archeology and for the Anthropology Department as a laboratory technician. He received his B.S. in Anthropology and Geography in 2022 at the University of New Mexico. In 2020 he began his McNair Research Fellowship, and in 2022 became a National Science Foundation Fellow. 

Mr. Pitrucha has experience in excavation, survey, and monitoring, as well as Historic American Building Survey site documentation, historic neighborhood nominations, and historic building preservation. Presently, he is conducting surveys, writing reports, and independently researching the history of the early to middle territorial period of the southwest.

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.

Jennifer Holland

Administrative Support/Government Procurement
Jennifer@AdkinsEnvironmental.com