Since 1977

BFSA has been operating since 1977 as Brian F. Smith and Associates and since 2022 as BFSA Environmental Services, a Perennial Company. Since 1977, BFSA has been providing environmental consulting services to public and private clients for archaeological, paleontological, biological, and historical projects throughout southern California and across the western United States. BFSA provides specialized environmental consulting services that comply with local, state, and federal regulations. The combined experience of the principal consultants and associates represents more than 100 years of involvement in the study of the history and prehistory of this region.

BFSA principals, senior staff, and directors have decades of professional experience in cultural resources management. Each senior staff member exceeds the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualification Standards, with a range of expertise in environmental compliance laws and regulations, including CEQA, NEPA, SEPA, and NHPA. Through their experience, our technical experts can provide comprehensive assessments and appropriate recommendations while considering our clients' budgets and time constraints.

BFSA has the largest continuously operational cultural resource staff operating in southern California and, as a result, BFSA can meet the staffing needs of any project no matter how large or small. BFSA often conducts multiple large-scale projects simultaneously, serving the needs of all of our clients while maintaining and delivering high-quality products on schedule.

BFSA TEAM

Brian F. Smith, BA, MA

President

Brian F. Smith is the president and founder of BFSA. Over the past 45 years, he has conducted over 4,000 cultural resource studies in California, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Montana, and Texas. These studies include every possible aspect of archaeology from literature searches and large-scale surveys to intensive data recovery excavations. Reports prepared by Mr. Smith have been submitted to local, state, and federal review agencies, including the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Smith has conducted studies for utility companies (Sempra Energy) and state highway departments (CalTrans).

Tracy A. Stropes, BS, MA, RPA

Director/Principal Archaeologist

Tracy A. Stropes has over 30 years of experience in cultural resource management, with experience in project management, report authorship, lithic analysis, laboratory management, Native American consultation, and technical report editing for numerous projects throughout southern California. Mr. Stropes has conducted cultural resource surveys, archaeological site testing and evaluations for National Register eligibility and CEQA compliance, mitigation of resources through data recovery for archaeological sites, budget and report preparation, and direction of crews of all sizes for projects ranging in duration from a single-day site visit to one year. Mr. Stropes is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) and is on the list of archaeological consultants qualified to conduct archaeological investigations in southern California and the county of San Diego. He has served as project archaeologist for hundreds of projects and composed data recovery and preservation programs for sites throughout California for both CEQA- and NEPA-level compliance.

Jennifer R.K. Stropes, BA, MS, RPA

Director/Principal Historian

Jennifer R.K. Stropes has over 20 years of experience in cultural resource management, with experience in report writing, editing and production, recordation and evaluation of historic resources, construction monitoring management, field survey and excavation crew coordination, and laboratory management. Ms. Stropes is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) and conducts faunal, prehistoric, and historic laboratory analysis, historic structure significance eligibility evaluations, and prehistoric and historic cultural resource report writing for both CEQA- and NEPA-level compliance.

Andrew J. Garrison, BS, MA, RPA

Archaeologist Project Manager

Andrew J. Garrison has served as project archaeologist for BFSA since 2017 and has 11 years of experience in cultural resource management directing archaeological surveys, testing, and monitoring projects since 2010. Mr. Garrison currently supports senior staff with all phases of archaeological investigations for local, state, and federal agencies including National Register and CEQA-level projects, interacting with clients, subconsultants, and lead agencies. Mr. Garrison is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) and meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Archaeology.

Todd A. Wirths, MS, PG

Senior Paleontologist, Certified Professional Geologist

Todd A. Wirths has more than 19 years of professional experience as a paleontologist throughout southern California and is a Certified Professional Geologist. Mr. Wirths has conducted on-site paleontological monitoring, drafted/evaluated RFP responses, work plans, and reports, planned, organized, and implemented projects, and trained and supervised junior staff. At BFSA, his duties include oversight of construction and development projects for fossil resources, interpretation of site geology during drilling and trenching activities/recovery of fossils, and monitoring of drilling and groundwater/well installation activities throughout San Diego.

Mr. Wirths has served as a project manager for various projects throughout San Diego County, including ExxonMobil Oil Corporation remediation activities, BNSF Railway Company groundwater assessment and remediation, and Ultramar/Valero, Inc.; supervised/managed on-site personnel, collected/managed soils, groundwater, and wood samples, wrote reports, and conducted remediation feasibility testing and remedial planning.

Elena C. Goralogia, BA

Project Manger/Senior Editor

Elena C. Goralogia is the project manager and senior editor for BFSA Environmental Services. Over the past 10 years she has edited and produced archaeological, paleontological, historical, and biological documents for local, state, and federal agencies in California, Arizona, and Washington. She manages the daily report flow for the company, including project assignments and deadline and budget management.

Jillian L.H. Conroy, BA

Laboratory Manager, Archaeologist

Jillian L.H. Conroy has over 10 years of experience in all manners of professional archaeology in California and Washington State. Ms. Conroy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Washington and has served as laboratory director and project archaeologist for BFSA since 2015. She has been involved in numerous survey, testing, and data recovery projects throughout California and Washington for CEQA-, NEPA-, and SEPA-level compliance.

Clarence (Bud) L. Hoff, BA

Field Operations Manager

Clarence L. Hoff has approximately 30 years of experience in archaeology throughout the western United States, including California, Arizona, and Washington State. Mr. Hoff's field experience includes survey, testing, data recovery, and monitoring projects of all types and sizes. Serving as the director of field operations for BFSA for over 20 years, Mr. Hoff is routinely the primary liaison between BFSA principal investigators and other personnel, including archaeological field crew, landowners and agents, outside contractors, and Native American monitors. He has a broad range of project management experience, having provided support for all cultural resource aspects of environmental review, including federal, state, and local projects. Mr. Hoff has also authored several reports for projects throughout southern California. He is a City of San Diego-Certified archaeological and paleontological monitor and maintains a 40-Hour Hazardous Waste/Emergency Response certification.

Roorkee L. Perez, BS

Controller

Roorkee Perez serves as Perennial Environmental Services Controller. Mr. Perez started with BFSA Environmental Services consulting as an accountant. He currently oversees the daily accounting operations in the California and Texas locations and guides strategic financial decisions. Mr. Perez has over 20 years of experience in financial management and operations management. His accounting and finance career began in multinational companies within the apparel and engineering industries. He has also served as Accounting Manager for charitable foundations and currently serves as an adviser to a non-profit organization.