Dr. Larry Coben
Dr. Coben is the founder and Executive Director of the Sustainable Preservation Initiative , a not for profit organization providing sustainable business and entrepreneurial opportunities to poor communities where endangered archaeological sites are located. SPI believes the best way to preserve cultural heritage is creating or supporting locally-owned businesses whose success is tied to that preservation. SPI's grants provide a "two for the price of one" benefit: they create transformative economic opportunities for the local residents while saving archaeological sites for future generations to study and enjoy. SPI is the leading preservation organization utilizing this exciting and effective paradigm.Coben is also an archaeologist and a Consulting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. His most recent archaeological work focuses on Inca imperial expansion and the role of spectacles, rituals and theatricality in ancient societies.
