For Women’s History Month, HRA is featuring some of our women employees who contribute to all aspects of the company!
Michele Punke holds a MAIS in Anthropology and a PhD in Physical Geography from Oregon State University. She has more than 15 years of experience in cultural resources management and geoarchaeology, specializing in the archaeology and paleoenvironment of the Pacific Northwest. She has presented the results of her research at national and regional archaeological and geological conferences. Her research has been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals, including Geoarchaeology, An International Journal, the Journal of Field Archaeology, and the Journal of Northwest Anthropology. Her favorite HRA projects are those that include research about and trips to areas of the Pacific Northwest where she has not yet studied or traveled. Michele loves dirt and rocks. Her grandparents taught her lapidary techniques at a very early age, and she has carried this art with her into her adult life, cutting, polishing, and setting rocks into stained glass pieces. She and her partner maintain large edible and flower gardens on their property, which keeps her in the dirt nearly year-round. She has a dog named Burt who is not that bright but makes up for it in cuteness.