BFSA, INC.

Owner, Principal Investigator

Brian F. Smith is the owner and principal consultant for BFSA.  Over the past 45 years, he has conducted over 4,000 cultural resource studies in California, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Montana, and Texas.  These studies include every possible aspect of archaeology from literature searches and large-scale surveys to intensive data recovery excavations.  Reports prepared by Mr. Smith have been submitted to local, state, and federal review agencies, including the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security.  Mr. Smith has conducted studies for utility companies (Sempra Energy) and state highway departments (CalTrans).

Senior Archaeologist, Lithic Analyst

Tracy A. Stropes has over 30 years of experience in cultural resource management, with experience in project management, report authorship, lithic analysis, laboratory management, Native American consultation, and technical report editing for numerous projects throughout southern California.  Mr. Stropes has conducted cultural resource surveys, archaeological site testing and evaluations for National Register eligibility and CEQA compliance, mitigation of resources through data recovery for archaeological sites, budget and report preparation, and direction of crews of all sizes for projects ranging in duration from a single-day site visit to one year.  Mr. Stropes is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) and is on the list of archaeological consultants qualified to conduct archaeological investigations in southern California and the county of San Diego.  He has served as project archaeologist for hundreds of projects and composed data recovery and preservation programs for sites throughout California for both CEQA- and NEPA-level compliance.  

Senior Archaeologist, Historian, Faunal Analyst

Jennifer R.K. Stropes has over 20 years of experience in cultural resource management, with experience in report writing, editing and production, recordation and evaluation of historic resources, construction monitoring management, field survey and excavation crew coordination, and laboratory management.  Ms. Stropes is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) and conducts faunal, prehistoric, and historic laboratory analysis, historic structure significance eligibility evaluations, and prehistoric and historic cultural resource report writing for both CEQA- and NEPA-level compliance.

Laboratory Director, Project Archaeologist

Jillian L.H. Conroy has over 10 years of experience in all manners of professional archaeology in California and Washington State.  Ms. Conroy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Washington and has served as laboratory director and project archaeologist for BFSA since 2015.  She has been involved in numerous survey, testing, and data recovery projects throughout California and Washington for CEQA-, NEPA-, and SEPA-level compliance.

Director of Field Operations

Clarence L. Hoff has approximately 30 years of experience in archaeology throughout the western United States, including California, Arizona, and Washington State.  Mr. Hoff's field experience includes survey, testing, data recovery, and monitoring projects of all types and sizes.  Serving as the director of field operations for BFSA for over 20 years, Mr. Hoff is routinely the primary liaison between BFSA principal investigators and other personnel, including archaeological field crew, landowners and agents, outside contractors, and Native American monitors.  He has a broad range of project management experience, having provided support for all cultural resource aspects of environmental review, including federal, state, and local projects.  Mr. Hoff has also authored several reports for projects throughout southern California.  He is a City of San Diego-Certified archaeological and paleontological monitor and maintains a 40-Hour Hazardous Waste/Emergency Response certification.  

Project Archaeologist

Andrew J. Garrison has served as project archaeologist for BFSA since 2017 and has 11 years of experience in cultural resource management directing archaeological surveys, testing, and monitoring projects since 2010.  Mr. Garrison currently supports senior staff with all phases of archaeological investigations for local, state, and federal agencies including National Register and CEQA-level projects, interacting with clients, subconsultants, and lead agencies.  Mr. Garrison is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) and meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Archaeology.