Mary Minkoff grew up in the states of Florida and Maryland. She graduated from the University of Maryland and shortly after joined the United States Park Service in Washington, D.C. While there, Mary initiated a program for inner city youth to learn about archaeology. The program–The Urban Archeology Corps–still exists today and is flourishing.
In 2015, Mary came to work for James Madison’s Montpelier and was a vital part of their Archaeology team. She spearheaded most of the work for the Juneteenth events in recent years, both virtual and live, and has been a close ally of OCAAHS and, too briefly, a member of the Board of Directors.
Mary’s skill and leadership has been remarkable. She left Montpelier this summer to become Executive Director of the Florida Public Archaeology Network. Its mission is to promote and facilitate the stewardship, public appreciation, and value of Florida’s archaeological heritage through regional centers, partnerships, and community engagement.
It is an understatement to say that she will be sorely missed by OCAAHS and James Madison’s Montpelier. We feel that her sincere dedication to disadvantaged people and her overall love of people has made her an obvious choice for the 2023 OCAAHS Eclipse Award.
