About Me

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.