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:

 

 

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

Chris Williams

TTA Operations
Director

Mikalaa Martin

TTA Operations
Co-Director

Emily Strelka

TTA Resource Coordinator

Kelsey Massutti

TTA Resource Coordinator

Kathryn Greenwell

TTA Resource Coordinator

Madison Boden

Performance Metrics Manager

COMBINING EXPERTISE FOR EFFECTIVE JUSTICE