Welcome to the new AIA Programs Blog!

This blog will be maintained by our Programs Staff to keep you informed about what’s going on at the AIA. We also hope to use this as a resource for our members, for students, and for those interested in learning more about archaeology.

First, I would like to introduce you to the AIA’s Programs Department staff members who will be working on this blog and recruiting articles.

Ben Thomas
Director of Programs

Ben has a PhD in Archaeology from Boston University and wrote his dissertation on ancient Maya settlement patterns along the Sibun River in Belize. Ben became the Director of Programs in 2009 after four years with the AIA and oversees the National Lecture Program, Outreach and Education Programs, the Site Preservation Program, and much more. Ben is also an Assistant Professor in the Liberal Arts program at Berklee College of Music.

Laurel Nielsen Sparks
Lectures and Fellowships Coordinator

Laurel studied Anglo-Saxon Archaeology at the Universities of York and Durham in England, and wrote her thesis on the regional patterning of sites on the Yorkshire Wolds. She joined the AIA in 2007, and coordinates the nearly 300 lectures the AIA sends to its 108 local societies annually, along with the AIA's fellowships and scholarships. Laurel is an avid gardener and is always on the lookout for the next great AIA lecturer.

Deanna Baker
Outreach and Education Coordinator

Deanna has a B.A. in Archaeology from Boston University. She was a work-study student for the AIA as an undergraduate and joined full time in 2009. Deanna coordinates correspondence with the AIA's 108 local Societies and administers the AIA's annual Awards. She is particularly interested in Aegean Prehistory and has excavated for several field seasons in Greece.

Meredith Anderson
Site Preservation Program Coordinator

Meredith has a B.A. in Archaeology and History from Boston University and joined the AIA in 2009. Meredith administers the Site Preservation Grants and Awards, organizes AIA Advocacy efforts, and coordinates site preservation related outreach and education activities. Meredith is also a Teaching Assistant at Boston University’s Field School in Menorca, Spain and enjoys coaching ice skating in her free time.

We plan to use this blog to better inform our readers of the many AIA Programs for our members and the public as well as to share our passion for archaeology through articles on the field, web resources, and interesting pieces of literature.

We hope you enjoy our new blog!