ABOUT US

Headquartered in Astoria Oregon, MAS was created to help document and share maritime history with the public. The Maritime Archaeological Society is a registered 501(c)3 not for profit organization.

Discover Our Mission

The mission of the Maritime Archaeological Society is to seek out, investigate, and document shipwrecks and other maritime archaeological sites; conserve artifacts from those sites, when appropriate; and educate the public in areas of maritime cultural heritage, historic shipwreck preservation, and the science of maritime archaeology.

Purpose & Vision

MAS was created to help state archaeologists document the thousands of shipwrecks and other submerged archaeological sites, and to assist with the conservation of artifacts. We will share our passion for maritime heritage with the public and promote awareness in the importance of maritime archaeology through our community outreach education programs. Additionally, our internal training program will produce qualified volunteers to assist with fieldwork and research opportunities.

COORDINATORS

Connie Silverman | Financial Coordinator

Connie is currently the Controller for the Columbia River Maritime Museum. She has an EMBA from Rockhurst University and a BS in Accounting Management from Park University, Missouri. She has worked with nonprofit organizations in accounting, information technology, human resources, strategic planning and business process improvement for over 20 years.

Nicole Livering | Media & Admin Coordinator

Nicole is a Project Management, Media, and Marketing professional currently working full-time for Dutch Bros Coffee HQ. She also freelances for a variety of clients doing Executive Assisting, Content Creation, Marketing, and more. Nicole has a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from the University of Oregon, and a passion for all things History and Archaeology. In her free time Nicole collects Military History, is working on getting her pilots license, and loves to offroad in her Jeep.

Jennifer Kozik | Research & Outreach Coordinator

Jennifer is a writer, historian, and thalassophile based in Oregon who specializes in Pacific Northwest maritime heritage. She has a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Missouri and a background in grant writing and non-profit outreach. Jennifer is a founding board member of the Maritime Archaeological Society and is currently serving as Research Lead. She is the co-author and editor of Shipwrecks of the Pacific Northwest: Tragedies and Legacies of a Perilous Coast.

Interested in volunteering behind the scenes with MAS? Email us at maritimearchaeological@gmail.com

TRUSTEES

Bill Garvin | Chairperson

Bill Garvin is a resident of the lower Columbia with a deep appreciation for the great natural bounty and enchanted but contested history of the region. He traces his family roots to territorial days and the fishing industry.
After graduating from UW he served in the USAF then attended Gonzaga Law school, maintained a 30 year law practice in Olympia and Spokane, retiring in 2009 when he moved to Chinook, WA.
As well as serving as a Trustee of MAS, he serves on the Boards of the Columbia Memorial Hospital Foundation, OBON Society, Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and the Lewis and Clark National Park Association.
He lives in Astoria with his wife Cherrie Montesa Garvin.

Tom Mock | Vice Chairperson

Bio coming soon.

Sharon Gibson & Steven Gibson

Sharon and Steven Gibson call themselves “ETs” because they are “extra” hands in “terrestrial” settings. They have supported MAS since 2013 and currently serve on the Board of Trustees.

Sharon earned a master’s degree in business from The Johns Hopkins University and spent more than 20 years as a healthcare executive. In the non-profit world, she served on a variety of boards including a Ronald McDonald House where she served as PR Director and Board President. She was also appointed to the Mayor’s Art Council. In Oregon, she was a member of the Hoffman Board for 6 years and chaired the Tillamook County Cultural Coalition.

Steven is an internal medicine physician who spent his career caring for patients and as Chief of Staff and Chief of VA Ambulatory Care programs. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona Medical School and serves on the Board of the Nehalem Valley Historical Society as well as the Maritime Archeology Society. Two weeks after retiring, he took his first pottery class and was hooked. His work ranges from functional to sculptural/organic. Along with his art, he is a kiln master and all-around steward of the studio. Together they lead the Clay Program at the Hoffman Center in Manzanita.

Fun Fact: Sharon and Steven enjoy hiking and beachcombing. In fact, if you visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum Shipwreck exhibit, you might just see their name on some of the blue and white porcelain artifacts from the Beeswax Shipwreck.

Jeff Groth

Jeff Groth started his working career in commercial diving as a diver tender in the Gulf of Mexico oil fields. He holds a BS in History along with minors in Geography and Anthropology, including an archaeological field school from Portland State University. As a professional cartographer, Jeff has over thirteen years of experience with geographic information systems, GIS, and building archaeological predictive models.

Rachel Stokeld, MA, RPA, NPS

Bio coming soon.

FOUNDERS

Christopher Dewey | Retired Executive Director

Chris is the co-founder of MAS, a retired Naval Officer, and a former anthropology and archaeology adjunct instructor at CCC. He holds a master’s degree in maritime archaeology from the University of West Florida and a master’s degree in business management from Troy University. He is listed on the Register of Professional Archaeologists and is a Secretary of the Interior and Oregon State qualified archaeologist.

Scott Williams | Retired Executive Director

Scott is the co-founder of MAS and a professional archaeologist with over thirty-five years of experience in government and private sector cultural resources management in the Pacific Northwest and the Pacific Basin. Scott is an experienced Program Manager with a demonstrated history of working in historic preservation and the management of cultural resources.

IN MEMORIAM

Rick Rogers

Founding MAS board member and Beeswax Wreck Project Manager Richard “Captain Rick” Rogers was a former Army diver, retired Hawaiian Airlines pilot, shipwreck diver and explorer, avocational historian and author of the book “Shipwrecks of Hawaii.” Rick was active in the Hawaii Aviation community as a flight instructor and was also the official historian and archivist for Hawaiian Airlines.

Aloha Captain Rick. We will miss you.