Stephen Austin, M.A.

Stephen graduated from Texas State University with his B.A. and M.A. in Public History in 2011 and 2014, respectively. During his graduate studies, Stephen specialized in Cultural Resources Management and Historic Preservation. He authored his master’s thesis on the preservation and management of historic dam infrastructure in Texas. His work experience before joining Drayton includes the Texas Historical Commission, the Texas Department of Transportation, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and subcontracting for numerous private companies. Stephen worked as an architectural historian for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) from 2015 to 2021. During his time at WSDOT, he managed the State’s Historic Bridge List and was the Agency’s subject matter expert for all built environment resources. He meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualifications Standards in History and Architectural History and specializes in historic infrastructure including bridges, highways, dams, levees, irrigation, and more. Over his ten years in the field, Stephen has participated in professional training administered by National Preservation Institute, Federal Highways Administration, and served as an instructor for WSDOT’s annual Cultural Resources Training from 2015-2021. Stephen has two boys under 3-years-old that keep him and his wife busy. When not working, he can be found reading, riding bikes, or pretending he is Bob Vila.