2024 Board of Director Candidates

Patrick Wilson Office of President for the 2024 AMMP Board of Directors Election

Background

I am a Ph.D. candidate at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology where I study dietary proxies, such as microwear and stable isotopes, and their application in the fossil record. Over the past eight years, I have been a

physical science technician in paleontology responsible for discovering and documenting fossil localities, a paleontology monitor in charge of finding and recovering fossil material during active construction activities for various government entities, a graduate teaching assistant in charge of developing and delivering educational content for undergraduate laboratory students, field instructor in charge of teaching museum visitors the basics of paleontology and how to do

basic preparation using hand tools, and a crew member and crew leader of multiple paleontology inventory survey crews. These opportunities have allowed me to develop and hone my skills as a team member and a team leader,

which is vital to serving in a leadership position in AMMP.

During the past decade, I have had numerous opportunities to observe and serve on different Board of Directors and committees for different organizations including my current position as Member-at-Large and active membership on the Annual Meeting Committee for AMMP. Over the last six consecutive years of actively serving on AMMP’s Annual Meeting Committee, I have seen the steady progress in our organization with regards to the standardization of methods and the education and inclusion of individuals of all skill levels who are excited to learn preparatory techniques. I have served as the co-chair for the Abstract subcommittee and the chair of the Workshops subcommittee. All of these positions have given me the chance to see the inner workings of our organization and has provided me with the insight necessary to better serve our organization as a whole.

Reason for Running

Being a researcher that relies on knowledge of preparation techniques being used and an aspiring curator, I find it vital to know and understand what practices should and should not be done in the preparation laboratory. I feel AMMP is meant to provide a way to openly discuss scientific principles and case studies in relation to materials and methods in paleontology, increase the standardization of laboratory practices, and be an advocate for fair acknowledgement. While our organization has made progress towards its mission, I feel like it still has a long way to go. This organization is made and run by people who are passionate about paleontology and are constantly seeking the best way to conquer the challenges that fossils can present. My vision for AMMP includes increasing the participation and input of ALL of the membership, increasing our committees’ activity, and pushing our organization to grow and thrive. 

Clear and consistent communication from the Board of Directors is vital for the success of any organization. I want to help our organization meet our mission and goals by actively engaging the membership and brainstorming ideas with our committees to develop content and meaningful policies that will help our organization thrive and grow. I feel that one of the best ways to develop the communication between the membership as a whole and the Board of Directors is to become involved and listen to the voice of the membership and the committees via the President position.

Darrah Steffen for Office of Secretary for the 2024 AMMP Board of Directors Election

Background

Darrah Steffen received a BS in Geology from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. She went on to earn her MS in Geosciences with an emphasis in Paleontology and Museum Studies from Fort Hays State University. Her research focuses on ammonites in the Western Interior Seaway. Since graduating, she has worked as a preparator at Badlands National Park, Sternberg Museum of Natural History, and Badlands Dinosaur Museum. She is currently the Paleontology Curator at Pioneer Trails Regional Museum in Bowman, ND.

Reason for Running

I am running for this position because this is an organization I am passionate about. I feel it is important that preparators have this niche space to discuss and grow as a field. I am specifically running as secretary because I feel my organizational skills will benefit the association. I also feel like this a good way to give back to an organization that has been a big part of my development since I have started my career.

Jean-Pierre Cavigelli for Office of Member-at-large 1 for the 2024 AMMP Board of Directors Election

Background

JP Cavigelli has been Prep Lab Manager and Field Trip Organizer and Collections Manager at the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College since 2004. He has been in charge of many field outings and the preparation of many fossil vertebrates from a mammoth and a T-rex to micro-mammal teeth. Before this he spent two years as Collections Manager at the University of Wyoming where he designed the database he still uses. JP has also been doing freelance fossil preparation in his private lab for private collectors and academic paleontologists. He has had the good fortune of having been invited to join paleontological expeditions to Mongolia, Niger, Tanzania, Alaska and North Dakota. When he is not involved with fossils JP enjoys birdwatching, traveling, and hanging out with his supercalifragilisticexpialidocious wife (and has recently hung up his skates after a 30-year hockey career).

Reason for Running

My name is Jean-Pierre Cavigelli, aka JP. I have been involved with AMMP since before it was AMMP. The Tate Museum hosted the second annual Fossil Preparation and Collections Symposium in 2009. After a few of these meetings, the outfit organized and became AMMP. I am running for Member-at-Large because I have enjoyed seeing this outfit become more organized and I would like to be here as it moves forward. I don’t have any great plans for the next steps, rather I think that evolution will be more organic. Having said that, I strongly believe that acknowledging preparators and techniques used in scientific publications is important. I have been fairly active in AMMP, but not held an office so if you folks want me to, I will give it a go.