About ICF
Melissa Cascella
Senior Manager, Cultural Resources
Melissa is a senior manager and a key member of our cultural resources leadership team with more than 15 years of experience in cultural resources, GIS, and database management.
Melissa is a senior manager and principal investigator with more than 15 years of experience in cultural resources, geographic information systems (GIS), and database management. A qualified archaeologist and historian (Title 36 CFR Part 61), Melissa specializes in historical archaeology, manages a diverse team, and leads complex cultural resources investigations involving multiple stakeholders, agencies, and teaming partners. She is adept at navigating the regulatory process while addressing project-specific issues to deliver the highest-quality projects on time and on budget.
Melissa’s professional experience includes project management and all phases of cultural resources investigations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act, California Environmental Quality Act, Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act, Washington Governor Inslee’s Executive Order 21-02, and local ordinances. She is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA), an approved Oregon qualified archaeologist, and an Ohio Department of Transportation qualified archaeological consultant.
Melissa is also an experienced GIS and database leader and has developed and managed datasets ranging from just a few resources to thousands of resources. She proactively innovates to streamline analysis and improve delivery on these platforms by seamlessly connecting diverse audiences to project data. Melissa began with a basic interface map more than a decade ago and has now evolved to working with tools such as custom Access databases and ArcGIS Online applications that leverage powerful GIS technical capabilities and a user-friendly interface. These platforms provide consolidated and structured management, and they support automated analysis to streamline project updates using VBA, SQL, and python scripting.
Melissa has a proven track record of coordinating diverse project teams and ensuring successful project delivery to her clients. She applies her extensive experience with project management, cultural resources, and data management to assess the available project information, develop project-specific management and analysis approaches appropriate to the project goals, and carry out that analysis effectively and efficiently.
Melissa’s professional experience includes project management and all phases of cultural resources investigations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, National Environmental Policy Act, California Environmental Quality Act, Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act, Washington Governor Inslee’s Executive Order 21-02, and local ordinances. She is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA), an approved Oregon qualified archaeologist, and an Ohio Department of Transportation qualified archaeological consultant.
Melissa is also an experienced GIS and database leader and has developed and managed datasets ranging from just a few resources to thousands of resources. She proactively innovates to streamline analysis and improve delivery on these platforms by seamlessly connecting diverse audiences to project data. Melissa began with a basic interface map more than a decade ago and has now evolved to working with tools such as custom Access databases and ArcGIS Online applications that leverage powerful GIS technical capabilities and a user-friendly interface. These platforms provide consolidated and structured management, and they support automated analysis to streamline project updates using VBA, SQL, and python scripting.
Melissa has a proven track record of coordinating diverse project teams and ensuring successful project delivery to her clients. She applies her extensive experience with project management, cultural resources, and data management to assess the available project information, develop project-specific management and analysis approaches appropriate to the project goals, and carry out that analysis effectively and efficiently.
Areas of expertise
Education
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GIS graduate certificate, Penn State University
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M.A., Cultural Resources Management, Sonoma State University
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B.S., Anthropology, University of California, Riverside
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B.A., History, University of California, Riverside
Publications
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“Tackling Mega Disasters and Streamlining Section 106: Helping Puerto Rico Move Forward in the Wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” Transportation Research Board Conference, 2020.
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“The Influence of Coastal Geomorphic Processes on Terrestrial Archaeological Site Distributions: A Puget Sound Example,” Journal of Northwest Anthropology, 2019.
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“Between Desert and Oasis: Historic Irrigation Systems in the Western United States,” Society of Historical Archaeology Conference, 2015.
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“Application of Geographic Information Systems for Historic Properties,” National Cooperative Highway Research Program, 2015.
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“On Seattle’s Edge: A Native American Refuge on the Late Nineteenth-Century Waterfront,” Society of Historical Archaeology Conference, 2015.
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“What’s in the Cellar: the Archaeology of an 1885 Officers’ Quarters at Fort Walla Walla, Washington,” Society of Historical Archaeology Conference, 2015.
