Michael Mayes, a B.A. graduate of History from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and an M.A. graduate of Museum Studies from Oklahoma University is a lifelong citizen of Oklahoma who is currently employed as the National Register Coordinator for the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office. Prior to his position as the NR coordinator, Mayes was the Survey Coordinator for the Preservation office. Mayes spent 14 years as a history teacher and as a subcontractor for historical research and genealogy before his work at SHPO. While completing his M.A., Mayes worked for the Cork Public Museum in County Cork, Ireland where he transcribed personal letters of Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins from the Peter Barry Collection while assisting with the centennial celebration of Ireland’s independence from the United Kingdom.