ABOUT US

BJA Forensics Portfolio

Established in 1984, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) seeks to strengthen communities by supporting jurisdictions across the United States to overcome challenges faced by the criminal justice system. BJA’s overarching mission is to enhance community safety through providing resources and developing policies to support state, local, and tribal jurisdictions. To accomplish this mission, BJA collaborates with communities, governments, and nonprofit organizations to address violent crime, recidivism, and unnecessary confinement.

 

In alignment with their mission, BJA’s Forensics Unit provides federal funding through the following forensic science programs to combat violent crime, resolve cases, lower recidivism, increase public safety, and enhance justice:

 

 

To learn more about these programs view the BJA Forensics Unit Programs Fact Sheet. 

 

BJA offers states, units of local government, and other forensic science service providers a wide range of resources through these forensic science programs. Geared toward addressing systemic and emerging criminal justice challenges, these programs work to increase capacity and efficiency, improve services, meet workload demands, and advance the reliability and consistency of forensic science services. Through bridging resource gaps within the field, BJA’s forensic science programs strive to facilitate enhanced community safety and achieve widespread criminal justice reform.

MEET THE BJA TEAM

Angela Williamson

Forensics Unit Supervisor

Andrea Borchardt

Senior Policy Advisor – Forensics

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

  • Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

Thurston
Bryant

Senior Policy Advisor

  • Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program

  • Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program

  • Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program

Carey A. Hendricks

Policy Advisor – Forensics
  • Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

SUPPORT STAFF

Hannah
Barcus

Associate (Contractor)

  • Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program

  • Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

Vanessa Castellanos

Associate (Contractor)

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

  • Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

Lindsay
DePalma

Associate (Contractor)

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program

  • Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program

Alan C. Spanbauer

Division Director

Tahitia Barringer

State Policy Advisor

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

Monte E. Evans II

State Policy Advisor

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

  • Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

  • Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program

Ebony Mack

State Policy Advisor

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

Kathryn Manning

State Policy Advisor

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

  • Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

Caroline Shriver

State Policy Advisor

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program

  • Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

Christine Torres

State Policy Advisor

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

Jimmy Steyee

Program Specialist (Performance Management)

Michael Adams

Senior Research Associate (Contractor)

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

  • Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

  • Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

  • Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program

Nichole Norvesh 

Research Associate (Contractor)

  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

  • Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program

  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

  • Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

  • Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

  • Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program

FORENSICS TTA PROGRAM

The Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) program, led by RTI International in collaboration with a team of subject matter experts, offers expertise and assistance to grantees of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) forensic science programs.

 

The Forensics TTA program provides TTA supporting BJA forensics programs grantees to meet strategic goals and objectives, implement national recommendations into policy, enhance capacity and outcomes, and foster sustainability through the implementation of new technologies to enhance existing policies and practices. This assistance is accomplished by offering a variety of services, including the following:

 

      • Proactive engagement with grantees to develop materials based upon agency needs
      • Training and educational sessions (e.g., webinars, working groups) developed by subject matter experts 
      • Remote guidance on forensic-related issues
      • Assistance in increasing site capacity 
      • Efforts to translate lessons to the field 

 

The Forensics TTA program aims to improve the quality of forensic science services performed by BJA forensic program grantees through innovative solutions that embody development, technology, information sharing, training, and best practices resource development. Through enhancing the services provided by BJA forensic program grantees, the Forensics TTA program seeks to empower grantees to meet current challenges in forensic science and increase public safety across the nation. 

 

If you have questions for the Forensics TTA team, please reach out to ForensicsTTA@rti.org.  

MEET THE FORENSICS TTA TEAM

Patricia Melton

Project Director

Ashley Rodriguez

Project Co-Director

Jason Chute

Lead Coach
  • DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
  • Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program

Dustin Driscoll

Lead Coach
  • Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program

Erica Christensen

Lead Coach
  • Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program
  • Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program

Lindsey Wade

Lead Coach
  • Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program

Erin Forry

TTA Strategist

Chris Williams

Operations
Director

Mikalaa Martin

TTA Resource
Manager

Emily Strelka

TTA Resource Coordinator

Kelsey Massutti

TTA Resource Coordinator

Amanda Young

Senior
Technical Advisor

Lisa Malette

Project
Manager

COMBINING EXPERTISE FOR EFFECTIVE JUSTICE

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