Alyson Rollins
NAGPRA Program and Collections Manager
Office
Location
AH 313
Hours
Please email for appointment
About
Alyson Rollins is a bioarchaeologist and NAGPRA Program and Collections Manager with over 25 years of expertise in repatriation, osteological identification, and cultural resource management. She is currently serving at Western Washington University, where she oversees consultations with Indigenous communities, manages collections, and leads efforts in compliance with NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act). Rollins is deeply committed to WWU's mission of fostering cultural understanding and ethical stewardship of heritage resources.
Rollins's career reflects a deep commitment to collaborative and respectful engagement with Indigenous nations. As a long-standing Repatriation Consultant for Coast Salish tribal communities, she has facilitated the repatriation of ancestral remains and cultural artifacts, coordinated site visits, and prepared critical technical documentation. Additionally, her role as a Bioarchaeologist has included engaging tribal members in collections management and cultural resource preservation.
Her academic roles include teaching biological anthropology and human origins at Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College, where she inspires the next generation of anthropologists. Rollins holds an M.A. in Anthropology from Western Washington University and a B.S. in Human Biology from Lewis-Clark State College.
Well known across the Pacific Northwest for her technical skills in osteology, collections management, and professional network, Rollins remains a passionate advocate for ethical stewardship and the respectful return of cultural materials.