Paul N. Backhouse, Ph.D., RPA,

Snr. Director of Heritage and Environment Resources Office, Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Dr. Backhouse has served the Seminole Tribe of Florida for more than a decade.  Performing the duties as the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) since 2012 and simultaneously as the Director of the AAM accredited Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum since 2013.  He now serves as the Snr. Director of the newly formed Heritage and Environment Resources Office (HERO), which provides oversight and operational guidance to the Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and the Environmental Resources Management Department (ERMD).  Dr. Backhouse is the primary representative for the Seminole Tribe of the HERO for day-to-day operations and during government-to-government consultation between the Tribe and Federal entities.  Dr. Backhouse received a Ph.D. in Archaeology from Bournemouth University, England in 2008, is a member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists and numerous associated professional bodies.

Dr. Backhouse and his staff have been recognized with the several significant awards and nominations including Nominations by the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation for the 2017 and 2018 Secretary of the Interiors Award for Historic Preservation – THPO category.  The 2016 – Advisory Council for Historic Preservation Chairmans Award (Painted Bluff Restoration, Alabama) and the 2009 Special Achievements in GIS,  ESRI (with  Juan J. Cancel) 

Dr. Backhouse has authored or edited two major books including ‘We Come for Good: Archaeology and Tribal Historic Preservation at the Seminole Tribe of Florida’ Published by the University of Florida in 2017.  Dr. Backhouse has authored or co-authored 10 scholarly peer reviewed journal articles and contributed more than 47 chapters in edited monographs.  He has overseen the development of 2 Tribal ordinances including the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Cultural Resources Ordinance as well as appearing as an expert witness for the Seminole Tribe of Florida in cultural matters.