Anna Rebus is an author, historian, interpretive planner, and archaeologist with three decades of professional experience spanning the American Southwest, Australia, and Western Canada. Blending rigorous academic research and practical project execution, Anna has dedicated her career to transforming complex historical data into compelling, accessible public narratives. At the core of her professional philosophy is a commitment to collaborative, relational interpretation that elevates public history beyond conventional, single-narrative frameworks.

Anna honed her archaeology skills working for Parks Canada in national parks across Western Canada, supplemented by summers spent conducting lab research at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Cortez, Colorado. Additionally, Anna spent three years as an Interpretation Officer with the South Australia Department for Environment and Heritage in Adelaide, where she developed state-wide strategic interpretive plans and public materials for national parks. Moving into the consulting world, she has provided independent strategic planning and historical research for regional municipalities and museum boards. A prolific writer for the heritage sector, Anna has authored dozens of publications, including Foundations: The Building of Fort Calgary National Historic Site; Many Voices, One Heritage: A Celebration of Hungarian Culture in Calgary; Airdrie 1909-2009: Celebrating 100 Years of History, Community and Opportunity; and Inside the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology.

As an Associate with Hatlie Group since 2019, Anna steps into specialized advisory roles to develop robust interpretive strategies for major cultural and non-profit organizations across Canada. Her diverse portfolio with the firm highlights her versatility across a variety of projects. Recent advisory roles include serving as the Interpretation and Heritage Education Advisor for the National Trust for Canada’s UNESCO World Heritage educator’s guide, and as a Local Knowledge and Cultural Specialist for Parks Canada, where she developed comprehensive interpretive strategies and core storylines for the proposed Banff Block 200 Visitor Centre. She also served as the Interpretive Planner and Exhibit Development Lead for Clearwater County’s permanent exhibition, Among Clear Waters: The Stories of This Place at the Nordegg Discovery Centre. Additionally, as a Visitor Engagement Researcher, she led national benchmarking for the Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority, building on her foundational work as a national Funding Researcher investigating corporate sponsorship and grant models.

Anna’s multi-disciplinary training underpins this diverse output; she holds an MA in Heritage & Interpretation and an MA in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester, UK, alongside dual BAs in Archaeology & Museum Studies and Geography & Urban Studies from the University of Calgary.

Whether facilitating community heritage workshops, collaborating with Indigenous advisory groups, or designing public spaces, Anna focuses on co-creation and how visitors construct personal meaning from the past. By grounding her practice in contemporary identity-centered visitor models, she moves beyond traditional frameworks to ensure public history is deeply relational, inclusive, and serves as a powerful space for personal meaning-making across generations.