Qualifications

Aurora Research Associates, LLC, is a certified woman-owned business under the Ohio EDGE program and Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation DBE programs, as well as various agency and municipal certification programs. ARA staff are ODOT prequalified in NEPA-Categorical Exclusions, Architecture/History, Archaeology, and Section 4(f)/6(f).

Key Personnel

Courtney Fint Zimmerman, P.E., meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for professional qualifications as an architectural historian. She is also a licensed professional civil engineer in West Virginia and Ohio. Courtney holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from West Virginia University and a master’s degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University. She has had extensive experience and training in Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act review, and related topics.

Sarah Elswick is an architectural historian with over ten years of experience researching the history of buildings and communities, conducting historic resource surveys, evaluating National Register eligibility, and providing enriching heritage tourism experiences for the public. She has assisted ARA on historic resource surveys throughout West Virginia, from field surveys through report preparation, covering hundreds of properties of all types. In her work with the National Coal Heritage Area, Ms. Elswick has created interpretive signs, planned events, and promoted preservation throughout Southern West Virginia.

Jacob Spuck, Principal Investigator, has over 16 years of working experience in archaeology, including over 13 years of experience as a Principal Investigator for Archaeological Projects. Jake’s specialties include Geoarchaeology, Geophysics, Fluvial/Coastal-Marine/Lacustrine Geomorphology, Maritime and Terrestrial Archaeology, Wetland Delineations, Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems, Environmental Planning, and NEPA project management.  Jake has experience working on several islands, including the island of Maui, Hawaii; Saipan; and the Marshall Islands.  In addition to his cultural resources background, Jake is an FAA 107 Pilot, a licensed GIS Professional, and Professional Wetland Scientist.