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Jo-Anne Bright
Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR) New Zealand
Jo-Anne Bright is a Senior Science Leader within the Forensic Biology group at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR) New Zealand, where she has worked since 1999. Jo is one of the co developers of STRmix™, expert software for the interpretation of forensic DNA profiles and the new Australasian standard.
Jo-Anne Bright
Deneen Brown
The Washington Post
DeNeen L. Brown has been an award-winning writer for The Washington Post for more than 35 years. Brown is an associate professor at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, where she teaches feature writing and the "Power of the Writing Voice."
Deneen Brown
Bruce Budowle
Director, Center for Human Identification
Dr. Budowle is the Director of the Center for Human Identification and Professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, Texas. His current efforts focus on the areas of human forensic identification, microbial forensics, and emerging infectious disease with substantial effort in next generation sequencing. He is a Commissioner on the Texas Forensic Science Commission.
Bruce Budowle
Cheryl Carreiro
Assistant Director of Forensic Science Laboratory, DNA Technical Leader, Connecticut
Cheryl has been at the CT Forensic Laboratory for 15 years. Prior to working at the lab, she worked at a DNA sequencing company which manufactured one of the first-generation DNA sequencing instruments using pyrosequencing which, at that time, was an innovative methodology.
Cheryl Carreiro
Teresa Cheromcha
Senior DNA Analyst, DNA Labs International
Teresa has approximately 17 years of forensic molecular biology experience. Her forensics career began at a biodefense laboratory in 2004, transitioned to human genetics in 2007 at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, and continued in the biological sciences unit with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation from 2011-2021 where she served as the Assistant DNA Technical Leader for four years.
Teresa Cheromcha
Michael Coble
Associate Director, Center for Human Identification, UNTHSC
Michael Coble, PhD, is an Associate Professor and the Associate Director of the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas. He serves as a member of the OSAC Biological Data Interpretation and Reporting Committee and is an invited guest at the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM).
Michael Coble
John Collins
High-Stakes Leadership Consultant and Executive Coach at Critical Victories
John Collins is a High-Stakes Leadership Consultant and Executive Coach at Critical Victories, a company he founded to help people, teams, and organizations thrive in high-pressure environments where perfection is an expectation and failure is a ticket out the door. He is also among the most respected forensic experts in the United States, recently publishing his first book on leadership and management in forensic science, which was released by Academic Press just last month.
John Collins
Marsha Deitz
AABB
Marsha Deitz has worked for AABB as the staff Lead Assessor for Relationship Testing since January 2010. Marsha is a Certified Quality Auditor with ASQ, a certified lead auditor for ISO/IEC 17025, a forensic scientist and licensed Medical Technologist.
Marsha Deitz
Linda Doyle
Genealogist, LDF Research
Linda Doyle is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, with over a decade of research experience. Specializing in Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG), reuniting hundreds of adoptees and those of unknown parentage with their biological families. Through LDF Research, Linda provides FGG services for Law Enforcement, ensuring science serves justice.
Linda Doyle
Colleen Fitzpatrick
President and Founder of Identifinders International
Colleen Fitzpatrick, PhD, the President and Founder of Identifinders International LLC, is widely recognized as the founder of modern Forensic Genealogy. She has worked several hundred cold case violent crimes and Doe cases using genetic genealogy analysis
Colleen Fitzpatrick
Dr. Claire Glynn
Associate Professor, University of New Haven
Dr. Glynn, who joined the University of New Haven in 2014, teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in forensic science, focused on forensic biology, forensic DNA analysis, and forensic/investigative genetic genealogy (F/IGG). Her research interests are focused F/IGG, and a broad range of applications for this novel investigatory tool. This includes investigating the effects of degraded samples and novel technologies, establishing best practices, the international feasibility of this tool, historical applications, and ethical considerations, to name just a few. Her other research interests include Rapid DNA analysis, RNA (mRNA and miRNA) analysis, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) applications, and DNA Methylation markers.
Dr. Claire Glynn
Rebecca Gonzales
Assistant CODIS Administrator in the Forensic Biology Division, Houston Forensic Science Center
Rebecca Gonzales has worked in Forensics for approximately 12 years. She started working in traditional serology, performed manual technician work, and went on to learn DNA interpretation with Identifiler Plus and Globalfiler and now STRmix, and currently she works in the CODIS unit at Houston Forensic Science Center.
Rebecca Gonzales
Ed Green
University of California, Santa Cruz, Dovetail Genomics, Claret Bio, Astrea Forensics
Ed Green received his B.S. in Genetics at the University of Georgia in 1997 and Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley in 2005. He was a pioneer in the field of high-throughput sequencing of ancient DNA as the lead bioinformatics scientist on the Neanderthal genome project. He is currently Professor of Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz and founder of Dovetail Genomics, Claret Bio, and Astrea Forensics.
Ed Green
Lisa Grossweiler
NDIS Custodian, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laboratory Division
Ms. Grossweiler is the National DNA Index System Program Manager in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's CODIS Unit. Lisa has over 31 years of experience in the forensic DNA field, serving in the private and public sectors. She joined the FBI Laboratory as a DNA Examiner in 2010 and has been the NDIS Custodian since 2019.
Lisa GrossweilerDouglas Hares
Rapid DNA Implementation Program Advisor for the FBI’s Biometric Analysis Section
Dr. Hares is the Rapid DNA Implementation Program Advisor for the FBI’s Biometric Analysis Section. He joined the DNA Analysis Unit II of the FBI Laboratory in 2000 as a Forensic Examiner. In 2006, Dr. Hares transferred to the CODIS Unit where he served as the NDIS Custodian for over 13 years.
Douglas Hares
Danny Hellwig
Intermountain Forensics Laboratory
Armed with a black belt certification in Lean/Six Sigma process improvement and extensive experience in both quality and operational leadership, he provides executive direction and oversees the quality system of the Intermountain Forensics laboratory.
Danny Hellwig
Brian Hoey
Director, Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory System
Brian Hoey is the Director of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory System. Brian has been with the MSHP Crime Lab for 29 years. Brian began his career as a DNA analyst and served as the Laboratory’s TL for 8 years. His current leadership focus is to coach the transition from bench Criminalist to supervision and management.
Brian Hoey
Sylvain Hubac
Head of DNA Division, Forensic Science Laboratory, French Gendarmerie (IRCGN)
Dr Hubac joined in 2004 the French national Gendarmerie at the Forensic Science laboratory (IRCGN) to carry out research, development and validation of methods for DNA analysis. The positions he has held at the IRCGN include deputy head and head of the high throughput DNA unit for reference samples, head of DNA unit for casework samples and DNA expert since 2007 and now head of the DNA division including reference samples and casework units.
Sylvain Hubac
Ronaldo Carneiro da Silva Junior
Custodian of the National DNA Database, Brazilian Federal Police
Forensic Expert at Technical Scientific Directory of Brazilian Federal Police. Custodian of the National DNA Database and Coordinator of the Steering Committee of the Brazilian Network of DNA Databases.
Ronaldo Carneiro da Silva Junior
Tim Kalafut
Associate Professor of Forensic Science, Sam Houston State University
After over twenty years as a practicing forensic DNA analyst, most with the US Army Crime Lab, Tim Kalafut made a mid-life career change into the world of academia. His new role allows him to have freedom to take on new projects, and hopefully shorten the learning curve for the next generation of forensic scientists.
Tim Kalafut
François-Xavier Laurent
DNA Database Manager, INTERPOL
Dr. François-Xavier Laurent holds a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Paris-Saclay. He was recruited in 2013 by the French Forensic Police as Head of Research & Development in Forensic genetics. Since 2020, he has been the DNA Database manager at the INTERPOL General Secretariat based in Lyon, in charge of the INTERPOL DNA Database & I-Familia, a new dedicated DNA database to identify missing persons globally using DNA from their relatives.
François-Xavier Laurent
Jessica Charak Lehrner
DNA Technical Leader, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Jessica Charak Lehrner is the DNA Technical Leader of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, where she has worked since 2014. Prior to moving to Las Vegas, she spent 11 years working as a forensic DNA analyst with the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) and the Prince George’s County Police Department outside of Washington, DC.
Jessica Charak Lehrner
Kevin Lord
Director of Lab and Agency Logistics, DNA Doe Project
Kevin Lord has experience in all facets of utilizing investigative genetic genealogy to solve law enforcement cases. Through his role as Director of Lab and Agency Logistics at DNA Doe Project, he works with agencies to determine the best way to approach each case, and shepherds each precious sample through the lab pipeline with the goal of getting the best results possible.
Kevin Lord
Charla Marshall
SNA International, LLC, contractor supporting the AFMES-AFDIL
Charla Marshall is Chief of the Emerging Technologies Section at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System’s Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFMES-AFDIL). She is a molecular anthropologist by training and has a background in ancient DNA. Dr. Marshall’s group develops and validates new MPS/NGS methods to improve DNA-assisted identification of missing US service members.
Charla Marshall
Pamela Marshall
Director, Duquesne University
Dr. Marshall has extensive graduate and undergraduate teaching experience in the forensic disciplines of serology, DNA, and microscopy. Her research interests include low copy number DNA, human and wildlife DNA identification challenges, nanoparticle technology, pressure cycling technology, and PCR enhancement.
Pamela Marshall
CeCe Moore
Chief Genetic Genealogist, Parabon
CeCe Moore, Chief Genetic Genealogist at Parabon, is the leading authority on investigative genetic genealogy (IGG), successfully collaborating with hundreds of law enforcement agencies across North America. Her small team boasts the unparalleled track record of 175 successful identifications of violent criminals and unidentified decedents, averaging one solved case per week. CeCe’s cutting edge work has led to the first conviction, the first conviction through jury verdict, and the first exoneration in cases where the suspect was identified through investigative genetic genealogy.
CeCe Moore
Zoraya Reyes Mora
Forensic Analyst, Biology Section, Houston Forensic Science Center
Zoraya Reyes Mora started working as a Criminalist at the Houston Police Department Crime Laboratory in 2012. In 2014, the lab became the Houston Forensic Science Center, an independent entity. Throughout the years, she was trained in serology, DNA processing and writing.
Zoraya Reyes Mora
Timothy Nafziger
DNA Analyst, Greenville County Department of Public Safety, Forensic Division DNA Lab
Tim Nafziger is a forensic DNA analyst and Alternate CODIS Administrator for the Greenville County (South Carolina) Department of Public Safety. He has analyzed an extensive range of DNA cases, and has used his detailed data collection to develop many of Greenville County’s forensic policies.
Timothy Nafziger
Rachel Oefelein
DNA Labs International (DLI)
Rachel Oefelein is currently the Director of Research and Innovation, Quality Assurance Manager, and a Senior DNA Analyst at DNA Labs International (DLI). Since joining DNA Labs International in 2014, Rachel has testified in eleven Florida counties, five states and U.S. Territories, and five countries as an expert witness for both the prosecution and the defense in misdemeanor and felony trials, as well as Williams, Daubert, and Arthur hearings.
Rachel Oefelein
Sevasti Papakanakis
Assistant Director of Forensic Biology and DNA, Connecticut Division of Scientific Services
Sevasti is currently the Assistant Director of Forensic Biology & DNA at the Connecticut Division of Scientific Services (DSS), where she has worked since 2014. With over 10 years of serological and DNA casework experience, Sevasti oversees the Unit’s day-to-day casework operations.
Sevasti Papakanakis
Margaret Press
Co-founder, DNA Doe Project
Margaret Press, PhD is the co-founder of the DNA Doe Project, a non-profit corporation dedicated to identifying John and Jane Does through genetic genealogy.
Margaret Press
Adele Quigley-McBride
Research Fellow, Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law
Adele’s current work focusses on judgment and decision-making processes in legal contexts including examining prosecutorial discretion, eyewitness memory and identification procedures, juror decision-making, and forensic testing procedures. She also serves as the Vice Chair of the Human Factors Task Group for OSAC and is a member of the Testimony and Reporting subgroup for the Expert Working Group on Human Factors in Forensic DNA Interpretation with NIST and RTI International.
Adele Quigley-McBride
Nicole Richetelli
Forensic Analyst and Researcher, Noblis
Dr. Nicole Richetelli is a Forensic Analyst and Researcher at Noblis, a non-profit research company. As an early career professional, she has extensive experience in the design, execution, and dissemination of forensic science research, including substantial contributions to studies of forensic examiners in five disciplines.
Nicole Richetelli
Tiffany Roy
Consultant, ForensicAid, LLC
Tiffany Roy MSFS, JD is a Forensic DNA expert with over thirteen years of forensic biology experience in both public and private laboratories in the United States. She has processed thousands of DNA samples and thousands of cases over the course of her career. She has provided expert witness testimony in more than one hundred cases in state, federal and international courts. She instructs undergraduates at Palm Beach Atlantic University; University of Maryland Global Campus; and Southern New Hampshire University. She currently acts as a consultant for attorneys and the media in the area of forensic biology through her firm, ForensicAid, LLC.
Tiffany Roy
George Schiro
Laboratory Director, Scales Biological Laboratory, Inc.
George has over 35 years of crime scene investigation and forensic science experience. He is certified by the American Board of Criminalistics as a criminalist with the specialty area of molecular biology. George is currently employed as Laboratory Director by the ANSI-NAB accredited (Refer to certificate and scope of accreditation FT-0290 at anab.ansi.org) Scales Biological Laboratory, Inc."
George Schiro
Nathan Scudder
Coordinator of Research and Innovation, Australian Federal Police
Dr Nathan Scudder is the Coordinator of Research and Innovation at the Australian Federal Police’s Policing Development and Innovation area. Nathan commenced with the Australian Federal Police in 1999, working in Forensics from 2002 to 2014, where he contributed to operations including the AFP response’s to the Bali Bombings in 2002 and Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. Dr Scudder is a member of the Australian Forensic Genetic Genealogy Collaboration, working to assess the feasibility of advanced DNA capabilities to solve crimes in Australia.
Nathan Scudder
Julie Conover Sikorsky
Forensic Scientist Supervisor, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office
Julie Conover Sikorsky is a Forensic Scientist Supervisor, a.k.a. Forensic Biology Unit Manager, at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in West Palm Beach, Florida. She has been employed by the PBSO for over twenty years, first as a Senior Forensic Scientist, then as the manager of the FBU. Julie is also a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and ABC certified in molecular biology.
Julie Conover Sikorsky
Stephen Smith
A/Detective Sergeant, Toronto Police Service, Homicide Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit
Steve Smith is a 25 year veteran of the Toronto Police Service. He currently manages the Homicide Cold Case Unit with the largest number of cases in Canada. He also oversees the Major Case Management Unit, the Forensic Video Unit and the newly formed Missing Persons Unit where he was instrumental in guiding its development. Throughout his career he has worked in several specialized squads such as the Drug Squad, Major Crime Unit, Major Projects, ROPE Squad and Hold Up Squad. While at the Hold Up Squad he solved a multi-national bank robbery spree known as the Vaulter Bandit and was awarded the Canadian Bankers Award in 2017 and 2018.
Stephen Smith
Amy Smith
Serology and DNA Casework Technical Leader, Kentucky State Police
Amy has 14 years of Forensic DNA experience including time as a DNA casework analyst at both the Kentucky State Police Forensic Labs and the Washington State Patrol Seattle Crime Lab. She is currently the Serology and DNA Casework Technical Leader for the Kentucky State Police Forensic Labs.
Amy Smith
Ashley Spence
Founder, DNA Justice Project
Ashley Spence is an inspirational speaker, victim advocate and founder of the DNA Justice Project. At 19 years old, she was the victim of a brutal home invasion rape that nearly took her life. It was through DNA that her perpetrator was caught and is now serving nearly 138 years in prison.
She focuses her efforts on educating others on the power of DNA to create policy change that can provide justice, prevent crimes and exonerate the innocent. Ashley has worked globally to spark conversations on how to come together to put an end to sexual violence and tackle the worldwide sexual assault kit backlog crisis. She believes that every survivor has an important story to be told and a courageous voice to be heard.
Ashley Spence
Ray Wickenheiser
Director for the New York State Police Crime Lab System
Dr. Ray Wickenheiser is currently the Director for the New York State Police Crime Lab System, headquartered in Albany, New York. He is also a Past President of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) and the 2022 Briggs J. White Ward recipient . Ray has over 38 years of forensic science experience, with 21 of those as a Crime Lab Director in local and State Crime Laboratories. His areas of expertise include crime lab administration, quality management, forensic DNA, serology, hair and fiber trace evidence, physical matching and comparison, glass fracture analysis, forensic grain comparison and genetic genealogy. Ray is currently the Chair of the Forensic Science Standards Board (FSSB) for the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science.
Ray Wickenheiser
Alison Wilde
Director of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy, Cold Case Coalition
Alison took her first genealogy class in 1988 and has been a genealogy lecturer and mentor for the last ten years. She transitioned to full time, professional genetic genealogy work in 2016 and is the owner of Tri DNA Genealogy, LLC. Alison has been with the Cold Case Coalition since January of 2020. Previously Alison was a project and department manager for a large financial services company.
Alison Wilde
Charlotte Word
Consultant
Charlotte Word is currently a consultant in Human DNA Identification testing. She has performed technical reviews on many 1000’s of cases from several public and private DNA testing laboratories and has participated in the validation of various DNA test systems. Charlotte has testified as an expert witness in over 300 trials and admissibility hearings around the country since 1990.
Charlotte Word
Juan Yunis
Director Científico, Servicios Médicos Yunis Turbay y Cia SAS, Bogotá, Colombia
Juan J. Yunis is the Director Científico at the Servicios Médicos Yunis Turbay y Cia SAS, Bogotá, Colombia. He is also Profesor Titular in the Departamento de Patología at the Facultad de Medicina e Instituto de Genética at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He has 28 years of experience In Forensic Genetics, and is one of the pioneers of DNA testing in Colombia. He is the director of the largest forensic genetics private laboratory in Colombia, and won the Colombian National Academy of Medicine Award in 2002 and 2004.
Juan Yunis