Ed Barbieri, PhD

Guest lectures in Forensic Toxicology

Pharmacology

Dr. Barbieri is currently a Forensic Toxicologist, Toxicology Technical Leader, and Assistant Laboratory Director with NMS Labs. Before joining NMS Labs in 1998, Dr. Barbieri was a tenured, Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Hahnemann University, School of Medicine and Graduate School. In addition, he was a member of the Division of Toxicology in the Department of Pharmacology and was the Operations Director of the Stat Toxicology Laboratory both at Hahnemann University and at NMS. In addition, he worked for several years as a staff pharmacist and has maintained his license as a Registered Pharmacist in Pennsylvania. Dr. Barbieri obtained a B.S. in Pharmacy, an M.S. in Pharmacology, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. He is a member of a number of professional societies including the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the American Academy of Forensic Science, the Society of Forensic Toxicology, and the Americam Chemical Society.  It the past he has been a reviewer and a member of the Editorial Boardand is a reviewer for the prestigious Journal of Analytical Toxicology. He has published extensively and has participated in 53 presentations at national and/or international scientific meetings.

Christine J. Campbell, RN, BSN, MS, SANE-A, CEN

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training, SANE-A and SANE-P

Christine obtained her Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training (SANE) in September 2002. In January 2003 she became the Coordinator of the Clinical Forensic Examiner Program at Abington Memorial Hospital and remained in that position until 2011. Currently Christine is the Trauma Program manager at the St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, the SANE Coordinator for Keystone Health System as well as the SANE nurse for the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center. Christine provides lectures and on-going training to various medical providers in the areas of adult and child sexual assault. Christine hold a Bachelors degree in nursing, a masters degree in Forensic Medicine, as well as certifications in as SANE-A and SANE-P. She has trained nurses throughout the Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Philadelphia and Berks County as well as participating in the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Advisory Committee, Montgomery County Sexual Task Force and the Montgomery County Human Trafficking Task Force.

Raymond J. Davis

Courtroom Testimony Skills

Raymond Davis is a forensic scientist with 38 years experience in general criminalistics. He has a BA degree in Chemistry from California State University at Sacramento and began his career as a forensic toxicologist with the California State Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services. Raymond has trained in every forensic discipline except for DNA, although he completed his career at the Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory in Richmond, CA. He was a professional development trainer there assisting the technical staff in criminalistics, courtroom testimony, and interviewing. In 1991, Raymond created the “Courtroom Presentation of Evidence” course and has presented it to over four thousand technical experts across the United States. Raymond is the former president of the California Association of Criminalists as well as former editor of the CACNEWS. Raymond and his wife live in Idaho.

Fran Diamond

Instrumental Analysis

Francis Diamond is Technical Leader in the Criminalistics division of NMS labs. He is a graduate of Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales (now De Sales University) with a B.S in Chemistry. He has worked at NMS labs for 33 years. His areas of expertise are in the techniques of separation and detection. He has performed R&D in both gas chromatography and liquid chromatography. He has developed analytical methods for measurements of various drugs such as amphetamines, opiates, benzodiazepines, and general unknown screening. He has developed and integrated analytical techniques including derivatization, solid-phase extraction and deconvolution of mass spectral data. He has authored and co-authored numerous papers in the field of analytical toxicology. He has also participated in collaborative studies with instrument manufacturers and government agencies.

Rod Gullberg, MS, PStat

Measurement Uncertainty

Rod G. Gullberg has been a key contributor to the forensic science literature on breath alcohol testing, quality control and measurement variability and uncertainty for over thirty years. He has taught at the internationally renowned at Indiana University since 1989. His lectures on elementary statistics contribute significantly to the course as he seeks to make the material practical and relevant. Rod is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American Statistical Association, and has testified and presented throughout the United States on issues related to forensic measurement and metrology. His open, enthusiastic, and approachable style have made him a much sought after resource by scientists and attorneys over the years.

Heather Harris, MFS, JD, D-ABC

Forensic Chemistry
Forensic Trace Analysis

Heather L. Harris, MFS, JD, D-ABC is an independent forensic science consultant and expert witness and a PA licensed attorney working in the areas of criminal and regulatory drug law. Ms. Harris holds a Master of Forensic Science degree from The George Washington University where she concentrated in the areas of forensic chemistry and toxicology. While at GWU, she taught laboratory and recitation courses in the Department of Chemistry and she performed research assistance for the forensic toxicologist in the Department of Forensic Science. She began her career as a forensic scientist at the Bexar County Criminal Investigation Laboratory in San Antonio TX where she worked primarily in drug analysis and clandestine lab analysis. Upon relocation to Philadelphia, Ms. Harris worked at NMS Labs as a forensic chemist and attended Temple University’s Beasley School of Law in the part-time evening program.

Michael F. Rieders, PhD

Dr. Rieders is a laboratory director and forensic toxicologist at NMS Labs in Willow Grove, PA. He served on Pennsylvania’s Advisory Committee on Wrongful Convictions and has qualified as an Expert in Forensic Toxicology and testified in numerous criminal, civil and arbitration proceedings. Dr. Rieders is a member of several academic boards and societies, including The American Academy of Forensic Sciences. He is also a Trustee at Arcadia University where he is a faculty member and instructor in their nationally accredited Masters of Forensic Science Program. He serves on the Advisory Board for The Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law at Duquesne University School of Law; he is a Board Member at The Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science at New Haven University in West Haven, Connecticut, and Chief Scientific Officer for The Forensics Mentors Institute in Willow Grove, PA. He is a member of the Vidocq Society. Dr. Rieders was an editor of the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences publication Science Technology and National Security, wrote a chapter in Forensic Aspects of Chemical and Biological Terrorism by Lawyers and Judges Publishing Company and has presented numerous seminars. Dr. Rieders earned a doctoral degree in Pharmacology/Toxicology from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and an undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Beaver College (now Arcadia University).

Karen Scott, PhD

Program Director of the Forensic Science Program – Arcadia University

The Robert F. Borkenstein Drug Course

Pharmacology

Guest Lectures in Forensic Toxicology

Toxicology Internal Internship

Research Methods
Prior to taking on the role as Director of Forensic Science at Arcadia University, Dr. Karen Scott held the position of senior lecturer and consultant forensic toxicologist at Forensic Medicine and Science, University of Glasgow. She has over 18 years experience in the field of forensic and clinical toxicology. She is published in the areas of post-mortem toxicology and hair and alternative matrix testing and is a reviewer for three of the main Forensic Toxicology journals. Dr. Scott has a Bachelor of Science (honours) degree in Forensic & Analytical Chemistry from the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, UK, 1994) and a PhD in Forensic Toxicology from the University of Glasgow (UK, 1998)). On completion of her degrees she carried out postdoctoral research in Tokyo, Japan investigating incorporation rates of drugs into hair. She is a Chartered Scientist, a Chartered Chemist and an Authorised Analyst for the purposes of Section 16 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act (UK).

Jeff Teitelbaum, MLIS

Forensic Science Information: Searches and Resources

Jeff Teitelbaum runs the forensic library and research services for the state of Washington’s Forensic Laboratory Services Bureau. He supports the information needs of nearly 200 scientists in all disciplines associated with the modern crime laboratory. He is a faculty member of the Borkenstein Drug Course at Indiana University’s Center for Studies of Law in Action. He has presented workshops for various organizations, including the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the Society of Forensic Toxicologists. He is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Analytical Toxicology and the Forensic Science Review. He is an executive board member of the National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs & Impairment Division. He is also the principal research associate for Dr. Randall Baselt’s Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man. Mr. Teitelbaum holds a Master’s degree in Library & Information Sciences from the University of Washington.

Christian Westring, PhD

Forensic Genetics

Christian G. Westring is a Forensic Biologist at NMS Labs Forensic Biology Unit and is a Professor in Forensic Genetics at Arcadia University. He received research training in molecular biology at Penn State University’s Department of Natural Sciences, the University of Denver department of Biological Sciences, and the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Forensic Medicine, Section of Forensic Genetics. He currently oversees the Forensic Biology Unit at NMS Labs, has a research and development program, and is an active member and contributor to several professional organizations in forensic science. Dr. Westring’s primary research interests in the field of forensic genetics revolve around optimization and streamlining of laboratory systems and processes in serological and DNA based testing, and the development of new and improved methods for the collection and of touch-DNA based evidence. Together with the University of Copenhagen and the Danish National Police, he has also developed several successful training programs on the identification, collection, and preservation of biological evidence. His work has been funded National Institute of Health, National Institute of Justice, and the Danish Research Council – leading to several peer reviewed publications in forensic genetics and molecular neuroendocrinology.

Jill Yeakel, MSFS

Certificate Program in Forensic Toxicology

Jill Yeakel achieved her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Lock Haven University. She then attended Arcadia University where she earned a Master of Science in Forensic Science and was awarded the Fredric Rieders Family Renaissance Foundation Award for academic excellence. While attending Arcadia University she also was a mentor for the Forensics Mentors Institute where she guided two high school students through a project studying the Stability of Salvinorin-A, a Hallucinogenic Herb, in Various Biological Matrices. This program spawned her interest in the combination of research and education. She was given the opportunity to remain at the Fredric Rieders Family Renaissance Foundation post-graduation to continue researching Salvinorin-A along with teaching. Through her research at the Foundation, Jill won the Society of Forensic Toxicologist’s Educational Research Award in 2009. Jill is currently the Laboratory Manager at Lehigh Valley Toxicology. She has also previously worked at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s Office where she was a part of the certification of the Special Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory. She is currently a research scientist on a National Institute of Justice Grant entitled “Identification and Prevalence Determination of Novel Recreational Drugs and Discovery of Their Metabolites in Blood, Urine and Oral Fluid.” Jill has also recently been awarded the Irving Sunshine Award from the American Academy of Forensic Sciences for her outstanding research in forensic toxicology.