About GQ Environmental
GQ Environmental (GQE) is a California-based cultural resource management and environmental consulting firm headquartered in Los Angeles. Founded in 2025, by Gina Q. Zavala, M.A. and Marlayna Hecker, who have a combined 25 years of professional experience in archaeology. The company provides archaeological investigations, cultural resource assessments, tribal consultation support, monitoring, regulatory compliance, and environmental planning services. The firm serves public agencies, utilities, and private-sector clients throughout California. GQE is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) that provides high-quality Cultural Resource Management (CRM) services to a variety of clientele including local and state agencies. GQE specializes in identifying, evaluating, mitigating, and resolving impacts to significant cultural resources including prehistoric and historic archaeological sites.
Meet the Team
Gina Q. Zavala, M.A., Principal Archaeologist & Founder
Gina Q. Zavala has over 20 years of archaeological field, laboratory and report writing experience. She has a Master of Arts degree in Archaeology from Indiana University, where she studied Caribbean and Underwater Archaeology, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from University of California, Berkeley. She attended field school in cave archaeology in Belize with the University of New Hampshire, as well as a field school in underwater archaeology in Bermuda with St. Mary's College.
Zavala’s professional experience includes five years of supervisory experience at various field schools in North America and the Caribbean and over 20 years of experience as an archaeologist in California. She has spent the last seven years working with California utility companies such as SoCal Edison and SoCal Gas. She has been involved in Operations and Maintenance projects completing surveys, monitoring construction projects, writing reports, communicating with State and Federal agencies, and completing desktop reviews to ensure that the required work stays in compliance with California State and Federal law while working to preserve and protect prehistoric and historic cultural resources and heritage.
Marlayna Hecker, Director of Growth & Strategic Operations & Co-Founder
Marlayna Hecker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Indiana University and has extensive cave archaeology field school experience with the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance (BVAR) Project and the Western Belize Regional Cave Project (WBRCP). She leads business development, strategic partnerships, marketing, and operational initiatives that support the firm's growth in environmental and cultural resource consulting. Since helping launch the company in 2025, she has played a key role in establishing the firm's operational infrastructure, securing certifications, supporting proposal development, and expanding client relationships throughout California's utility and infrastructure sectors.
Hecker brings a unique combination of anthropology, research, data analytics, and operational leadership experience to the environmental consulting industry. Prior to co-founding GQ Environmental, she spent more than a decade leading cross-functional initiatives in technology, content operations, trust and safety, and quality assurance for organizations including Snap, Meta, and Slickdeals. Her background in anthropology and human-centered research informs her approach to stakeholder engagement, cultural resource stewardship, and strategic problem-solving, helping bridge technical, environmental, and community interests to support successful project outcomes.