NAGPRA Info Session with Bernstein & Associates
Bernstein & Associates NAGPRA Consultants will guide participants through the NAGPRA process, with a focus on recent regulatory changes effective January 2024 and their impact on academic institutions. The session will combine a concise presentation with dedicated time for audience questions.
Speaker Bios
Jan Bernstein is the Founder and Managing Director of Bernstein & Associates NAGPRA Consultants, established in 2003 to facilitate respectful repatriation through meaningful consultation. Her repatriation work began in the 1980s, when she helped lay the groundwork for the return of thousands of Native American Ancestors and cultural items under the control of the State of California—work she recognized early on as a matter of human rights.
Jan’s museum career includes roles as Registrar and Assistant Curator at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, NAGPRA Coordinator and Collections Manager at the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology, and consultant to Colorado museums preparing for NAGPRA before its enactment. Over decades, she has combined hands-on collections experience with deep regulatory expertise.
In addition to guiding NAGPRA compliance and building institutional capacity, Jan is a respected educator. She has taught collections management at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado Boulder, and since 2009 has served as National Preservation Institute faculty. She develops and delivers NAGPRA training for multiple organizations, including the National NAGPRA Program, and in 2024 joined the Center for Collection Care faculty to teach both online and in-person advanced NAGPRA courses.
Jan holds a B.A. in Art History and Studio Art from California State University, Sacramento, and an M.S. in Museum and Field Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Jane Richardson joined Bernstein & Associates in 2019 and has since facilitated the repatriation of thousands of ancestors and funerary objects. She serves on the National Preservation Institute faculty and has developed on-demand training for the National NAGPRA Program. Jane’s museum experience spans archaeology and ethnographic collections in institutions that integrate Indigenous perspectives into their work. She has collaborated with numerous museums and federal agencies to prepare for NAGPRA compliance. Jane holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Florida Atlantic University and an M.S. in Museum and Field Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Jacqueline Veninger-Robert is a NAGPRA practitioner and archaeologist whose career has been grounded in community-informed research and social justice. Before joining Bernstein & Associates, she worked in heritage management for tribal governments, museums, academia, and federal agencies, gaining extensive expertise in social justice and heritage stewardship. Her roles have included NAGPRA Coordinator, Collections Manager, Researcher, and Educator. Jackie earned her Ph.D. in Archaeology from the University of Exeter (UK), where she focused on contested landscapes, conflict, and heritage among historically marginalized populations. She has a strong background in archaeological ethics and has taught courses on decolonizing museum anthropology and cultural heritage law.
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