Major Christopher Zaczyk, MBA
Operations Manager
Maj. Christopher Zaczyk is an US Army armor officer who graduated in spring of 2020 from UW-Madison’s School of Business MBA program as class president, after completing two years of study while on active-duty orders. Since joining the team in late fall of 2018, his focus and expertise in the realm of data analytics has tremendously assisted the team in developing engaging and interactive visualizations of the in-state origins and last known global locations of Wisconsin MIA service members, as well as conceptualizing and implementing a business model by which to develop the UW MIA Recovery and Identification Project. Maj. Zaczyk traveled with the UW MIA RIP to Western Europe in summer of 2019 to assist the team with its most recent MIA service member remains recovery attempt mission, the efforts of which are ongoing. Maj. Zaczyk commissioned as an US Army officer in 2010 after his graduation from St. Norbert College with a degree in economics (math emphasis), and previously served two deployments overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In January 2021, Maj. Zaczyk was awarded an honorarium appointment to continue to support the UW MIA Recovery and Identification Project.
Nam Kim, PhD
Recovery Project Principal Investigator
Dr. Nam C. Kim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at UW-Madison. He holds a BA in International Relations (University of Pennsylvania, 1996), an MA in Political Science (New York University, 1998), and a PhD in Anthropology (University of Illinois at Chicago, 2010). Dr. Kim investigates prehistoric societies using data gathered through archaeological fieldwork and is interested in the cultural factors and historical trends that led to the emergence of some of the earliest forms of urbanism and archaic states. His fieldwork in recent years has been focused on the site of Co Loa, an ancient settlement located near modern-day Hanoi in Vietnam. Dr. Kim also performs research on organized violence and warfare, exploring various dimensions of violence including associated cultural practices, attitudes, and belief systems. Dr. Kim has served as a faculty member at UW-Madison since 2010 and is affiliated with the Center for East Asian Studies and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies.
Dr. Kim joined the team in the summer of 2017 and traveled to France to assist with the successful recovery of the remains of 1LT Frank Fazekas.
Leslie Eisenberg, PhD, D-ABFA
Forensic Anthropologist & Archaeologist
Dr. Leslie Eisenberg received her Ph.D. from New York University and Board Certification in Forensic Anthropology from the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. She is one of approximately 85 actively practicing Board Certified forensic anthropologists in North America and the only Board-Certified forensic anthropologist in Wisconsin. Her experience includes university teaching, legislative work, consulting for the New York City Medical Examiner’s office in forensic anthropology (1986-1993) and consulting for many jurisdictions in Wisconsin and neighboring states. Leslie works full-time in the Division of Historic Preservation at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison as an archaeologist and was recruited in 1993 as the Program Coordinator for the Burial Sites Preservation office. She has worked on many prehistoric and historic archaeological sites in the United States and in southwestern France and has received numerous federal and state research grants, as well as financial support from the Centre de Recherches Scientifiques (CNRS) in France.
Dr. Eisenberg was part of the initial group that helped identify the remains of PFC. Lawrence Gordon in summer 2014 before the team was officially formed. Dr. Eisenberg traveled to France for both recovery missions to recover the remains of 1LT Frank Fazekas in the summers of 2016 and 2017.
John W. Hall, PhD
Historical Research Fellow
Dr. John W. Hall is the inaugural holder of the Ambrose-Hesseltine Chair in U.S. Military History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He previously served fifteen years as an active duty infantry officer in the U.S. Army and is a former member of the faculty at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. As a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, he currently serves as a Historian in the U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. His academic research focuses on early American warfare with a particular emphasis on intercultural conflict and cooperation between European and Native American societies during the eras of the American Revolution and the Early Republic.
Dr. Hall is a historical research fellow who provides valuable insight for the UW MIARIP team, aiding in the research aspects behind recovery missions.