Dr. Mario Borrero, RPA

Mario brings more than 15 years of archaeological experience specializing in ancient Maya, Southwestern, and California archaeology, with expertise in cultural resources management, archaeological survey, collections research, and digital documentation. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego, meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Archaeology, and is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA No. 5907).

Mario is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Fort Lewis College, where he directs the Digital Humanities Lab and an RPA-certified archaeology field school in the American Southwest. He is also an FAA-licensed Remote Pilot and digital researcher specializing in advanced documentation technologies.

His experience includes supporting compliance with CEQA, NEPA, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act through archival research, pedestrian survey, site recording, artifact analysis, GIS and spatial analysis, photogrammetry, 3D documentation, drone-based mapping, collections management, and technical reporting. He has led and contributed to cultural resources projects throughout California, Colorado, the American Southwest, and Central America, integrating field, laboratory, and digital methods to deliver defensible documentation that supports regulatory compliance, resource stewardship, and ethical archaeological practice.