Our Team

Board President — Dr. Jon Lohse

Jon Lohse has been a professional archaeologist for 30 years and currently works for Terracon Consultants, Inc. Since the mid-1990s, he has conducted multidisciplinary research into Archaic and Paleoindian cultures in the south-central US, and in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Recent publications include Preceramic Mesoamerica, co-edited with Aleksander Borejsza and Arthur Joyce (Routledge Press, 2021) and The Calf Creek Horizon, co-edited with Marjorie Duncan and Don Wyckoff (Texas A&M University Press, 2021). Dr. Lohse completed his graduate degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. He was born in Houston, where he currently lives with his family.

Board Vice President — Dr. Eric Schroeder

Dr. Schroeder, raised in a small west Texas farming community, developed a profound appreciation for rural landscapes and their inhabitants. Weekends on his grandparent's farm fueled his imagination about the area's Indigenous peoples and early European explorers. Beginning with geology studies at Angelo State University, he transitioned to anthropology at Texas Tech University, earning a BA and a master’s in environmental science. With 27 years as a consulting archaeologist, he pursued further studies at the University of Texas at Austin, completing his doctorate in anthropology in 2019. Dr. Schroeder now works as an archaeologist for theTexas Parks and Wildlife Department and is an Affiliate Research Archaeologist at UT’s Texas Archeological Research Laboratory. His research focuses on complex hunter-gatherers, prehistoric craft production, trade, conflict, status dynamics, inequality, and ethnohistory. A retired Army colonel with 34 years of service in the Texas Army National Guard, he resides in Bastrop County with his wife, Susan.

Board Secretary — Tim Brown

Tim Brown, an architectural designer, builder, and land planner from Salado, Texas, holds degrees in Environmental Design and Land Development from Texas A&M University. Former Bell County Commissioner from 1995 to 2018, Tim has deep roots in Central Texas, with ancestors integral to the county's establishment in 1850. His historical ties fuel a passion for historic preservation and archaeological research. Tim's career spans private and public sectors, focusing on landmark restoration and preservation. He contributed to the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Grants Program, displaying dedication to heritage. Growing up amid archaeological wealth in southwest Bell County, he developed an early interest in ancient human presence, fostering a lifelong commitment to archaeology. Tim, a Texas Archaeological Stewardship Network member, joined the GSAR Board in 2013.

Tiffany Osburn

Tiffany Osburn, a North Central Texas native, developed a passion for archaeology exploring her family's farm. As Regional Archaeologist for the Texas Historical Commission since 2008, she concentrates on preserving historic Texas landscapes. Tiffany holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Denver, specializing in near-surface geophysics. With a decade of experience in cultural resource management, she joined the Texas Archeological Society and Plains Archaeological Research boards. Currently residing in Dripping Springs, Texas, Tiffany is the President of the Hill Country Land Trust, emphasizing land conservation for heritage preservation. With her husband and dog Tig, she enjoys outdoor pursuits and actively contributes to wildlife conservation in their home state.

Dr. Harry Miller, III DVM

Harry, a Tarleton State University Zoology graduate, earned his Veterinary Medicine degrees from Texas A&M University. A Captain in the army, he served three years before retiring in 1973. As owner of Westgate Pet & Bird, he practiced for 33 years, retiring in 2006. Harry was Adjunct Professor of Exotic Animal Medicine at Texas A&M (1995-2005) and Staff Veterinarian at San Antonio Zoo for a year. A Texas Master Naturalist since 2012, he featured in National Geographic's "Born Wild" (1992) and joined The Explorer’s Club in 2015. His archaeology passion began with the Midland Archeology Club at 12, continuing as a charter member of the Texas Archaeology Society. After a hiatus, he rekindled his interest by discovering a sandstone hearth on his ranch. Joining Mike Collins' Gault Lab team after retirement, he serves on the Board of the Gault School of Archaeological Research. Harry and his wife, Dayna Blazey, now reside in Austin, Texas.

Marvin Gohlke

Marvin Gohlke, Jr., hailing from South Texas, fostered a passion for "Treasure Hunting" in his youth. He pursued Anthropology and Archeology at San Antonio College and the University of Texas at San Antonio, temporarily sidetracked by a career in design and engineering at chemical plants along the Texas coastline. Upon retirement and relocation to the Texas Hill Country, his love for archeology reignited. Now a proud owner of two culturally rich tracts of land, Marvin hosted the 2021 and 2022 Texas Archeology Society field schools. A dedicated member, he holds lifetime affiliations with the Hill Country Archeological Association, The Gault School of Archeological Research, and serves as a Texas Archeological Steward under the Texas Historic Commission.

Mike McBride

Mike, a Texan with over 45 years in pharmacy practice, founded RxPartners Pharmacy LLC and co-partnered in Avita Specialty Pharmacy LLC. He retired in 2018. Since 2022, he's been on the GSAR Board of Directors. Mike is the President and Board Chairman of the Hill Country Archeological Association since 2017. He was the President and Board Chairman of the Dallas Archeological Society (now part of North Texas Archeological Society) from 2000 to 2005. As a Principal Investigator, he led archaeological projects in Dallas, Kerr, and Gillespie Counties, Texas. Currently, he leads the HCAA’s Crying Woman Ranch Project, focusing on Paleoindian occupations. In Maya and Mesoamerican Studies since 1984, he's published on ancient psychoactive agents and collaborated in field projects in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Co-developer of the Pine Ridge Preceramic Project, he resides in Fredericksburg, Texas, near the Pedernales River, with his wife Connie.

Executive Director — Dr. Sergio J. Ayala

director@gaultschool.org

Sergio Ayala, hailing from Jourdanton, Texas, was immersed in a family culture rich in natural sciences, music, and athletics. Following a brief stint in business, Sergio returned to academia to pursue his passion for anthropology and archaeology. His journey led him to Dr. Michael B. Collins at Texas State University in 2010, sparking a collaborative and enduring friendship that persists to this day. Sergio attained a science degree in anthropology from Texas State University and completed his Master's and PhD studies at the University of Exeter, UK, under the guidance of Dr. Linda Hurcombe and Dr. Bruce Bradley. Ayala's research harmonizes the realms of experimental archaeology and chipped stone analysis modeling, aiming to chart behavioral patterns, traits, and signatures from stone tool specimens and assemblages. His contributions span collections across the Great Plains, with involvement in Late Prehistoric, Archaic, and Paleoindian research across North, South, and Central America.

Lab Manager — Jennifer Gandy, MA

Jennifer specializes in the examination of micro-debitage. She received her BA in Anthropology at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. After interning for R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, Inc. in New Orleans, LA, she decided to pursue her Master’s degree. Her interest in the archaeological study of the peopling of the Americas led her to Texas State University, and Dr. Michael B. Collins, who encouraged her to analyze debitage from the most ancient deposits from the Gault site. Jennifer completed her MA at Texas State University, is the GSAR Laboratory Manager, Curation Specialist, and coordinates the GSAR volunteer and intern programs.