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.
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 and 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.
Board of Directors
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Scott Williams, President Scott is the Cultural Resources Program Manager for the Washington State Dept of Transportation. He has a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from Washington State University, and is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists. He has conducted fieldwork throughout the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, the Marianas Islands, and Australia, and did his first underwater archaeology project in 1990. He has been scuba certified since his undergrad days at the University of Hawaii, and enjoys surfing, sailing, and just being at the ocean. |
| Nicholas Mead, Vice President Nicholas is a professional archaeologist and a member of the MAS dive team, and chairs the MAS Field Operations Committee.. |
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Connie Silverman, Treasurer Connie is currently the Controller for the Columbia River Maritime Museum. And has an EMBA from Rockhurst University, Missouri and 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. |
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Jennifer Kozik, Secretary Jennifer has a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Missouri and a long-standing service background with museums and non-profit outreach. She has written numerous successful grants and has served as a peer review panelist for the NEH Division of Preservation and Access. She shares a life-long passion for history and being near the sea. |
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Mike Brown Mike has a M.S. in Biology from Central Washington University. He is a retired science and technology teacher and part-time technology specialist for Seaside Public Schools. He started and coached a competitive high school robotics team and has been involved in many STEM/STEAM projects. He loves learning about the history of the Northwest and using technology to help to catalog the stories of the past. |
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Bill Zanke Born and raised in Michigan and spending his childhood exploring the waters and shores of the Great Lakes, Bill is a true diving enthusiast and history lover. As a US Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan, he became fascinated by underwater archaeology. Bill spends his free time searching for and diving undiscovered shipwrecks of the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, having found and identified 5 previously unexplored wrecks. |
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Tom Beasley Tom is a lawyer with Bernard LLP in Vancouver where he practices employment law. Tom has been diving since 1974 with almost all of his 850+ dives being in cold water, primarily in the Pacific NW. He has been very active in the sport diving community serving on many boards and committees including the Artificial Reef Society of BC, Underwater Archaeological Society of BC, Underwater Council of BC, and the Vancouver Maritime Museum Society. Tom’s greatest passion is shipwreck research, exploration, documenting and preservation – primarily related to the sea otter trade in the PNW and focused on the elusive Tonquin (1811). |
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Drew Wendeborn Drew has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is currently working on autonomous underwater vehicles and sonar signal processing. He has 10 years of experience developing airborne imaging systems and unmanned ground vehicles. Additionally, Drew is a member of Explorers Club Hong Kong Chapter and a certified Rescue Diver. When not working, he enjoys surfing, freediving, and kayaking. |
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Christopher Dewey, Advisor/Board Member Emeritus Chris was the founding MAS President. He is a retired Naval Officer and is currently an 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. |
In Memoriam
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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. |
Contact Us
info@maritimearchaeological.org
The Maritime Archaeological Society
P.O. Box 332
Astoria, OR 97103