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Ms. Pacheco Patrick has over 25 years of professional experience in cultural resource management, including prehistoric and historical archaeological and architectural studies throughout California and Nevada. She is well versed in the environmental compliance process, from the local to the federal level, with a clear understanding of the California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Protection Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. In addition, she has creatively managed due diligence work with clients in the absence of regulatory requirements. She has successfully executed projects from identification and evaluation to mitigation with extensive experience in archival research, artifact analysis, and curation as well as a working knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
She has considerable experience with small- to large-scale endeavors and on-call contracts in the energy, transportation, land management, and water resources arenas, in addition to serving clients in the private sector on development projects. She excels in client relations, teaming opportunities, and managing projects with multiple stakeholders.
Melinda joined Far Western in 2006 prior to opening a consulting firm in 2011, which she operated until returning to Far Western in 2019. She currently serves as a Principal Investigator and Project Manager. She has a B.A. in Anthropology, M.A. in Historical Archaeology, and holds the qualifications required by the Secretary of the Interior Standards for prehistoric and historic archaeology as well as architectural history and history. She is a member of the Society for California Archaeology (Past Treasurer), Society for Historical Archaeology, California Preservation Foundation, National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, and Chairman of the Glen Rose Historic Preservation Commission. She is a Registered Professional Archaeologist, RPA #49602750.
Some of her research interests include westward expansion; prehistoric and historic-era settlement of the central Sierra Nevada and Central Valley; and burial and commemoration in the Victorian era. She is passionate about outreach and making cultural resources accessible to the community, leading educational programs throughout her career, including K-12 presentations, interpretive walks, and hands-on workshops.
Featured Publications
2024 Pacheco Patrick, Melinda. Castle Crags State Park, Civilian Conservation Corps District Evaluation Project, Shasta County, California.
Funded by California State Parks, this district evaluation will lead to a National Register Nomination.
2024 Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc. Archaeological Context and Research Design for Native American Resources in the Los Angeles Basin, Caltrans District 7 and 12. Prepared for the Department of Transportation Division of Environmental Analysis, Cultural Studies Office.
Far Western prepared the above-mentioned document, funded by and produced for Caltrans, as a tool that Caltrans archaeologists and contractors working in the Los Angeles Basin area can use as a framework for future archaeological investigations. Ms. Pacheco Patrick authored the following chapters: Caltrans Regulatory Context (Ch. 2) and Recovering, Evaluating, and Realizing the Potential of Archaeological Data (Ch 18). https://dot.ca.gov/programs/environmental-analysis/cultural-studies/publications
2019 Pacheco Patrick, Melinda. Images of America: Manteca. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina.
Arcadia Publishing’s best-selling Images of America History Book series is crafted by local authors using iconic images to tell stories. https://www.arcadiapublishing.com