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 Forensics Programs to combat violent crime, resolve cases, lower recidivism, increase public safety, and enhance justice:
- DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program (competitive and formula)
- Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program (competitive)
- National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) (competitive)
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program (competitive and formula)
- Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program (competitive)
- Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program (competitive)
- Strengthening the Medical Examiner–Coroner (ME/C) System Program (competitive)
To learn more about these Forensics 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 Forensics Programs. Geared toward addressing systemic and emerging criminal justice challenges, these Forensics 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 Forensics Programs strive to facilitate enhanced community safety and achieve widespread criminal justice reform.
MEET THE BJA TEAM
Andrea Borchardt
Forensics Unit Supervisor
Andrea Borchardt
Senior Policy Advisor – Forensics
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program
- Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program
Alan C. Spanbauer
Senior Policy Advisor – Forensics
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program
- Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) Program
- Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program
Hope Zagaria
Policy Advisor – Forensics
Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program
Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
SUPPORT STAFF
Hannah Barcus
Associate (Contractor)
Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program
- National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
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 (Forensics TTA) Program
Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program
DIVISION 9
Tammy Lovill
Supervisory Grants Management Specialist
Caroline Shriver
Grants Management Specialist
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (Forensics TTA) Program
Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program
Kathryn Manning
Grants Management Specialist
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program
BRANDON MITCHELL
Grants Management Specialist
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
Hannah Aanenson
Grants Management Specialist
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
IVELISSE HODGE
Grants Management Specialist
DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program
- National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)
DIVISION 11
ESMERALDA WOCHE
Supervisory Grants Management Specialist
Monte E. Evans II
Grants Management Specialist
- Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program
Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program
Rena Memmedli
Grants Management Specialist
- Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program
Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program
Evangelica “Eva” Juarez
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
Armonee Avent
Research Assistant (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 partnership with subject matter experts, practitioners, and researchers offers expertise and assistance to grantees of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Forensics 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 Forensics Program grantees through innovative solutions that embody development, technology, information sharing, training, and best practices resource development. Through enhancing the services provided by BJA Forensics 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
Dr. Patricia Melton
Project Director
Ashley Rodriguez
Project Co-Director
Dr. Patricia Melton
TTA Coach
- Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants (Coverdell) Program
- Postconviction Testing of DNA Evidence (Postconviction) Program
Misty Marra
TTA Coach
- DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program
Dustin Driscoll
TTA Coach
- Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program
Allison O’Neal
TTA Coach
- Missing and Unidentified Human Remains (MUHR) Program
Robert Dean
TTA Coach
- Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program
Kelly Keyes
TTA Coach
- Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner (ME/C) System Program