Speaker
Industry Professional
Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner
Hermosa Beach, California, United States
Law & Criminal Justice, Forensic Toxicology, Laboratory Director, Executive Manager
15+ Years of Experience
Doctoral or professional degreeUniversity of Virginia (undergraduate) and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (graduate)
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL EXAMINER-CORONER, Los Angeles, CA Chief, Forensic Sciences Laboratories Division 2017-Present • Management of 7 different laboratories including: Toxicology, DNA, Histology, Gun Shot Residue Analysis, Toolmark Analysis, Evidence Storage, Field Criminalistics Program • Serve as an integral part of the Department executive management team in making lucrative laboratory decisions from staffing to equipment/instrumentation, annual budget and grant proposals/implementation. • Represent the Department and County of LA as a Bureau Chief. • Update and refine current laboratory methods and procedures to streamline productivity and quality of work within laboratories. • Provide expert opinion and testimony for forensic postmortem cases including hospital-related deaths and toxicology review. • Assist with method development and validation to improve laboratory testing procedures and productivity. • Plan weekly, monthly and annual goals that will increase the efficiency of laboratory analysis and results. SELF-EMPLOYED EXPERT FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY CONSULTANT, Manhattan Beach, CA 2007-2017 Consulting Toxicologist, Product Safety & Case Review • Provide expert toxicological evaluation and reporting services to legal firms and government agencies supported by research, testing and extensive knowledge in biology, chemistry and forensics combined with the application of disciplines to a broad range of circumstances. • Write detailed reports and assessment on potential or alleged toxic exposures and chemical causation issues. Provide conclusion and expert opinion from impartial research, testing and forensic analysis following Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) quality assurance standards and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) science and research guidelines. PSYCHEMEDICS CORPORATION, Culver City, CA 2010-2013 Senior Scientist • Provide leadership in helping implement new techniques and methods within the initial screening and confirmation departments to increase production, efficiency and decrease costs for maintaining high quality laboratory testing. • Perform research and development in the immunochemical and drug extraction areas. • Oversee and help implement field and clinical research studies involving drug testing matrices. • Administer and interpret drug hair test results for preparation of company litigation including all expert witness testimony situations. • Interact effectively with science- and information technology- personnel to implement procedures and equipment in a forensically acceptable, user-friendly and network-connected fashion to achieve maximal efficiency and output within all aspects of laboratory production. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER, Wilmington, DE 2005–2007 Chief Forensic Toxicologist / Lab Manager II, Forensic Sciences Laboratory • Managed planning, implementation, and evaluation of work conducted by Toxicology, Arson, and Controlled Substance laboratory units; ensured compliance with applicable state and federal laws. • Interpreted test results from qualitative and quantitative analysis of biological and non-biological specimens and prepared reports. • Informed MEs on progress of analytical tests. • Developed long- and short-term lab objectives and policies; modified methods, techniques, and procedures. • Planned and directed programs to improve laboratory services, protocols, methods, and procedures and to accommodate changing regulations. • Interacted with laboratory users and various state and federal agencies to review laboratory capacities, on-going projects, and completed work. NATIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES, Willow Grove, PA 2004–2005 GC Screening and GC/MS Analyst II • Reviewed expert service cases and wrote brief summary for laboratory director. • Developed analytical methods for drugs and potentially toxic compounds in specimens. • Independently reviewed, released, and interpreted results. • Assisted Toxicologists and client support services with questions regarding case reviews and samples prior to finalizing reports for clients. • Wrote and reviewed analytical SOP’s, documented and reviewed QC data, and assisted in employee training. • Validated reagents, controls, and calibrators. • Entered results in LIMS and generated reports for review. • Participated in monthly Toxicology and Forensic Science roundtable discussions. GLAXOSMITHKLINE PHARMACEUTICALS, Collegeville, PA 2001 Senior Co-op Intern, Microbial, Musculoskeletal, and Proliferative Diseases • Constructed signature lacZ reporters for antibiotic mode of action studies in Staphylococcus aureus. • Utilized molecular techniques and assays using bacterial cells including Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae. • Participated in several research projects to support reports for FDA. • Presented research findings to senior management.
Practitioner Consultant Member for the California Forensic Science Institute at Cal State LA | Certified Terrorism Liaison Officer (TLO) | Eagle Leadership Development Program Certification | Certified Laboratory Director, New York State Health Department of Clinical Toxicology & Forensic Toxicology | Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT), Member | Certified Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Documents (PDF)
University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy
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