J. Claire Dean is a professional conservator in private practice, based out of Portland, Oregon, USA. She has a B.A Hons. in archaeology from the University of Leicester, England, and a postgraduate degree in conservation from the University of Durham, England. She is an accredited conservator in Europe and a Professional Member of the American Institute for Conservation. Claire is an objects conservator with special interests in archaeological and ethnographic materials, rock art, public art and historical materials. Throughout her 40 years of international practice she has worked for many museums as a general conservator of collections and archives, as well providing services to Native American communities, State agencies and all of the main federal land managing agencies in the USA. She is an assessor for new commissions for the State of Washington Arts Commission and for the Collections Assessment for Preservation program, carrying out up to three CAP surveys every year. Claire has been a regular face at the University of the Witwatersrand's, Rock Art Research Institute (RARI), Johannesburg, South Africa, since 1999, not only working with the archives and collection, but carrying out rock art site conservation and some teaching. She has a passion for bringing professional conservation practice to RARI and South Africa, and she has supported this effort by donating most of her time there over the years.