Professional Experience
Robson Forensic, Inc.
Associate
2022 to Present
Provide technical investigations, analysis, reports, and testimony toward the resolution of litigation related to a wide range of forensic document examinations including signatures and other handwritings, indented, altered, erased, or obliterated information, typewriting, inked impressions, embossed impressions, stitching and bindings, and printing processes. Additional analysis includes assessing security features found in many types of documents such as passports, visas, visa cards, driver licenses, birth-, death-, and marriage certificates.
U.S. Secret Service Forensic Services Division, Washington, DC
Lead/Supervisory Document Analyst
2009 to 2022
- Performed laboratory examinations in the Questioned Document Branch of the U.S. Secret Service that included forensic handwriting comparisons related to protective intelligence, financial frauds, and violent crimes, document authentication, detection of altered information, instrumental restoration of latent information, thermal printer ribbon imaging, and reconstruction of shredded/torn paper.
- Assigned and monitored work, assisted in training new examiners, and reviewed casework of forensic document examiners for compliance with technical and administrative standards.
- Provided technical subject matter expert guidance for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) management regarding the DHS Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card redesign.
- Rochester Institute of Technology instructor for the “Printing Process Identification for Forensic Document Examiners” course, 2015
U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement Forensic Document Laboratory, McLean, VA
Senior Document Analyst
2006 to 2009
- Performed casework related to foreign and domestic identity documents such as passports, visas, identification cards, driver licenses, and birth-, death-, marriage certificates, U.S. social security cards, U.S. resident alien cards, and other documents.
- Performed technical and administrative reviews of casework in accordance with accreditation requirements and the laboratory quality assurance program.
- As a counterfeit deterrence specialist, advised U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Integrated Document Production Branch regarding Permanent Resident Card redesign.
- Laboratory representative for Scientific Working Group for Forensic Document Examination (SWGDOC) regarding forensic document authentication guidelines.
U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Forensic Science Laboratory, Silver Spring, MD
Lead Document Analyst/Acting Director
2005 to 2006
- Performed laboratory examinations involving questioned documents and oversaw all questioned documents casework for compliance with quality standards.
- As Acting Director, served as approving official for payroll, leave, travel and purchases.
- Drafted policies regarding all laboratory examinations performed regarding questioned documents.
U.S. Secret Service Forensic Services Division, Washington, DC
Document Analyst
2001 to 2005
- Performed laboratory examinations of threat letters to the U.S. President and others under Secret Service protection.
- Performed technical and administrative reviews of casework in accordance with accreditation requirements and the laboratory quality assurance program.
- Examined driver licenses, birth certificates, identification cards, passports and other documents for authenticity or alteration.
- Provided advice to Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation agency heads regarding driver license and birth certificate security features in connection with the Intelligence Reform and Anti-Terrorism Protection Act of 2004 and the Real ID Act of 2005.
- Taught U.S. Secret Service Questioned Documents Course Handwriting Examination Module at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
Department of Justice
Forensic Document Examiner in the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service Forensic Document Laboratory, McLean, VA
1995 to 2001
- Completed thirty-month training program in the field of forensic document examination.
- Performed laboratory document authentication and alteration examinations of regarding passports and birth certificates from foreign countries and the United States of America.
- Performed forensic handwriting comparisons involving travel and benefits frauds and other matters.
- Provided fraudulent travel documents training at Police Academy in a foreign country.
- Presented to the Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Questioned Document Section.
Paralegal Specialist, Violent Crime Section in the U.S. Attorney’s Office
- Assisted prosecutors with case development and court preparations and performed case intake from law enforcement in the DC Superior Court building
Contractor, Jordan and Keys Law Firm, Washington, DC
File Clerk
1994 to 1995
Created and maintained electronic database of investigative documents
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC
Paralegal, Legal Division
1988 to 1994
- Processed Freedom of Information Act requests—located and redacted documents, wrote response letters
- Published documents in the Federal Register—edited final rules, proposed rules, notices of proposed rulemaking and notices pursuant to the requirements of the Office of the Federal Register Document Drafting Handbook
- Provided support for the Bank of Credit and Commerce International investigation
Professional Credentials
- Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, 2003-Present
- Certified, U.S. Secret Service Examiner of Questioned Documents, 2002
- Certified, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service Questioned Documents Examiner, 1998
Education
Master of Arts, Criminal Justice, The George Washington University Department of Forensic Sciences, Washington, DC (1992)
Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, Legal Studies, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (1988)
Associate in Science, Business Administration, Pennsylvania State University, McKeesport, PA (1985)
Continuing Education
- 75th Annual American Academy of Forensic Sciences Scientific Conference, 2023
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting/Forensic Examination of Handwritten Electronic Signatures Workshop, 2022
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Scientific Meeting/Technology and Design of Security Documents for Counterfeiting and Alteration Resistance Workshop, 2021
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting/Questioned Documents Section Chair, 2021
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting, 2019
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Meeting/Charred and Water-soaked Documents Workshop/Handwriting Examination of Signatures Workshop/VSC & ESDA Technology: Explaining to the Layperson Workshop, 2018
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) course, 2017
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Scientific Meeting/Scientific Neutrality in Expert Witness Testimony Workshop, 2015
- International Association for Property and Evidence, Inc., Property and Evidence Management in Law Enforcement Course, 2014
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Meeting, 2014
- American Society for Crime Lab Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board Internal Auditor Training Course, ISO 17025, 2013
- West Virginia University Transitioning to Leadership Course, 2012
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Scientific Meeting/Co-chair for Security Documents Before and After the Crime: REAL ID, Physical and Electronic Security Features, Developments in Commercial Printing Technology, and an Introduction to Counterfeit Link Analysis Workshop, 2009
- Laboratory Management Awareness Seminar ISO/IEC 17025, Quenpro Inc., 2005
- Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists Annual Meeting/The Forensic Examination of Documents Produced by Office Machine Systems Utilizing Ink Jet Technology Workshop, 2004
- MeadWestvaco Paper Knowledge® Field Seminar, 2003
- Federal Bureau of Investigation/FBI Academy Fundamentals of Handwriting Examinations Course, 2001
- U.S. Secret Service Forensic Services Division Forensic Document Symposium, 2000
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Meeting—Questioned Documents Section Program of Technical Papers and Workshops, 1998
- Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists, History of Handwriting and Handwriting Instruction, 1998
- Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists Basic Photocopier Workshop for Document Examiners, 1996
Professional Affiliations
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences Questioned Documents Section, 1998-Present, Co-chair for 2009 Annual Meeting
- Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists Questioned Documents Section, 2015-Present, Section Chair for 2022 annual meeting
- Document Security Alliance 2001-2005, 2009-Present
Speaker
- Loyola University, Maryland guest speaker for graduate school pattern evidence program, 2021
- George Washington University guest speaker for graduate and undergraduate programs, 2015
- George Mason University guest speaker for forensic sciences upper-level Bio-Chem undergraduate class, 2012
Publications
Berthold NM, Dalzell GR (1999). Forensic Examination of Constructed Documents: Characteristics of Counterfeit Travel Documents. Int J Forensic Doc Exam. 5: 386-391.
v. 03/17/23