Museum Staff
Dr. Leif Tapanila
Director/Curator, Earth Sciences/Professor
Office: Museum Building 205B 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Tabatha M Butler
Executive Director of Philanthropy
Office: 62 E Terry St College of Education
Dr. Charles “Andy” Speer
Curator of Anthropology, Associate Professor
Office: Graveley Hall 162 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8005 Pocatello, ID 83209
Dr. Charles A. Speer is Curator of Anthropology at IMNH and an Associate Professor at ISU. A South Texas native, he earned his Ph.D. in Ecological Anthropology from UT San Antonio (2013) and completed postdoctoral research at Texas State University on Clovis materials from the Gault Site. As Principal Investigator on an NSF Major Research Instrumentation award, Speer led the acquisition of Idaho State’s LA-ICP-QQQ-MS instrument, which uses a laser to collect trace element data from stone tools to determine raw material sources. This high-precision work can help “orphan” artifacts—pieces without archaeological context—reconnect to the landscapes where their stories began. He also identifies community collections, replicates ancient technologies, and leads projects on lithic sourcing, Clovis caches, and exploratory isotope analysis of mammoth tusks. As a flintknapper and ancient craftsmanship enthusiast for over 20 years, he is dedicated to mentoring students and engaging the public in archaeological discovery.
Dr. Brandon Peecook
Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, Associate Professor
Office: Office: Museum Building 113 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Amber Tews, MS & MBA
Assistant Director of Public Operations, Anthropology Collections Manager
Office: Museum Building 205A 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Amber has over twenty-five years of experience in archaeological fieldwork, crew supervision, and laboratory processes. She has been involved in cultural resources projects in Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Amber has sixteen years of experience in the museum field with student supervision, collection care, exhibition and event planning and implementation, and internal and external communication and collaboration. Additionally, she has ten years of experience managing the museum's marketing efforts. Amber's background includes extensive knowledge of field methodology and techniques, archaeological theory, analysis of faunal materials, and laboratory and curation methodology. Through her training and experience, she has emphasized prehistoric archaeology of the Western Alaska Peninsula and the Great Basin.
Dr. Amy Commendador
Head of Collections and Registration, ESAR & Earth Sciences Division Collections Manager
Office: Museum Building 129 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Amy received her BA and MA in Anthropology (emphasis Archaeology) at the University of Hawaii, and joined the Museum in 2008 after working as an archaeologist in cultural resource management in the private sector in Hawaii and California. She started as the Manager of the archaeological repository, later took on the additional role of Collections Manager for the Earth Sciences Division, and is now also the Museum’s Registrar and Head of Collections. While Amy’s background originally focused on archaeology, through her term she has added experience in Museum best practices through workshops, coursework, as well as learning in day-to-day activities. In 2022 Amy received a PhD in Biology at ISU, with emphasis on environmental reconstruction using chemical signatures in soils, plants and animals. Her experience is quite varied – feel free to shoot her an email if there is something you’d like to know more about!
Dr. Indah Huegele
Life Science Collections Manager
Office: Museum Building 127 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Robert Gay
Education Manager
Office: Museum Building 205C 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Robert J. Gay is an educator and paleontologist. His educational work has focused on increasing rural students' access to authentic science experiences in Arizona, Colorado, and Idaho, and crafting non-intrusive evaluation protocols for museum education. His research covers the rise of the dinosaurs in Bears Ears National Monument and the Age of Dinosaurs in Idaho.
Tut Tran
Education Specialist
Office: Museum Building 208 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Pam Pascali
Mobile Museum Educator
Office: Museum Building 208 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Timothy Gomes
Idaho Virtualization Laboratory Manager
Office: Museum Building 204A 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Christina Seal
University Business Officer
Office: Business Administration 203 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Kate Zajanc
Museum Senior Accountant
Office: Museum Building 212A 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209
Teresa Henderson
Event Planner, Office and Store Manager
Office: Museum Building 205 921 S 8th Ave Stop 8096 Pocatello, ID 83209