Our Staff

  • Bonnie Clark, Project Co-Director

    Bonnie Clark began her career as a professional archaeologist and received her Ph.D. from the University of California, at Berkeley. She serves as a Professor in the Anthropology Department at the University of Denver (DU), as well as the Curator for Archaeology of the DU Museum of Anthropology. In 2005 she began community consultations to support an archaeological and museum field school at Amache, leading the first season in 2008. Dr. Clark is proud to now co-lead the Amache Community Archaeology Project with up-and-coming scholars of collaborative, Japanese American, and landscape archaeology. She has published extensively on the Amache project including the book Finding Solace in the Soil: An Archaeology of Gardens and Gardeners at Amache.

  • Annie Danis, Project Co-Director

    Annie Danis is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Cal Poly Pomona. She began working with the Amache Community Archaeology Project in 2014 as a graduate student from UC Berekely, where she recieved her Ph.D. Her research focuses on landscapes of inequality, how inequalities of the past shape our material present, and using art as a tool of community engaged archaeology. At Amache, she has focused on field-school pedagogy, especially survey, and developed an experimental film project inspired by Amache home movies. You can see more of her work at anniedanis.com

  • April Kamp-Whittaker, Project Co-Director

    April Kamp-Whittaker is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at California State University, Chico where she teaches in both the Museum Studies and Archaeology programs. In 2008, she joined the Amache project as a master’s student. By never leaving she has risen through the ranks and is proud to help Co-Director the Amache Community Archaeology Project. Her research has focused on the archaeology of community and the development of social networks and neighborhoods and the archaeology of childhood. She has worked on historical and prehistoric projects across the U.S. and tries to find new ways to connect audiences to archaeology through public presentations, exhibits, and curriculum.

  • Jim Casey, GIS Specialist

    Jim has served as the principal GIS specialist for the Amache Project since 2010, contributing mapping tools, drone imagery, and searchable data that support both archaeological research and public access to the site’s history. He joined the project while completing a master’s degree in Geographic Information Science at the University of Denver, and brings a unique perspective shaped by four years living and working in Japan, where he developed a lasting connection to Japanese culture and language. He developed the project’s core GIS infrastructure, including the searchable online map of Amache incarcerees and drone-based imagery to support online maps, archaeological research and public engagement. His work integrates emerging technologies such as using drone imagery, augmented reality and 3D modeling to preserve and share the history of the Amache site. A Denver native and strong supporter of the Japanese American community, he continues to support students and collaborate on research honoring those incarcerated at Amache.

Community Researchers

  • Carlene Tanigoshi Tinker

    Carlene Tanigoshi Tinker, an 86 year old Amache survivor, has been a proud volunteer of the Amache Field School, every two years, since 2010. She has contributed to the legacy of Amache by serving on panels to support Amache as a National Park Historic Site, by propagating and gifting cuttings of the Amache rose, by supporting the activities of the Amache Preservation Society, as well as sharing her memories as an incarceree in interviews for ABC News Nightline and Ch 9 news in Colorado

  • Dana Ogo Shew

    Dana Ogo Shew has been engaged in Amache research since 2008, as a graduate student during the inaugural Amache Field School. Now the oral historian and interpretive specialist at the Anthropological Studies Center at Sonoma State University, she has been privileged to continue working with the Amache community for over a decade. Her work includes conducting oral histories with Amache survivors, curating exhibits, developing and implementing interpretive concepts on-site, creating public programming, and serving on the Amache Alliance Board. Dana is honored to be part of the Amache community and remains committed to preserving and sharing its story.

  • Greg Kitajima

    Greg Kitajima is an Amache descendant and member of the Amache Alliance. Both of his parents were incarcerated at Amache as children along with their respective families. Trained in Japanese Gardens, he works independently as an Aesthetic Pruner of ornamental trees andshrubs. A project volunteer since 2016, Greg’s expertise in in Japanese gardens has made him as especially valuable collaborator in archaeological study of these features.

  • Sal Valdez-Ono

    Salvador Valdez-Ono is a third-generation Amache descendant and researcher at the University of Maryland. His involvement with the Amache project spans over a decade, beginning as a high school intern and most recently serving as a crew chief at the Amache Field School. His doctoral research focuses on community storytelling, resilience, and the co-production of knowledge with fellow Amache descendants and survivors. Salvador remains actively involved through ongoing research projects that document post-camp transitions and their lasting impacts. Salvador is committed to continuing to work alongside the Amache community and is grateful for the opportunity to help preserve and share their stories.