Stakeholder Outreach Meeting: 

Forensic Science Professional Organizations

January 20, 2022
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Introductions

As the spokesperson for your organization, please tell us:

• Your name

• The name of the professional organization you’re 

representing 

• The approximate size of your organization’s 

membership 

• Your role there

• The name(s) of other attendees from your organization

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Forensic Science Professional Organizations

Academy of Forensic Nursing

• Jennifer Johnson 

• Catherine Rossi

American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)

• Donna Grogan

American Bar Association (ABA)

• Matthew Redle

American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA)

• Donna Boyd

American Board of Forensic Odontology (ABFO)

• Richard Fixott

American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT)

• Bruce Goldberger

American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI)

• Brian Ehret

• Bethany Fax

American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD)

• Laura Sudkamp

American Society of Forensic Odontology (ASFO)

• Phyllis Ho

• Joe Adserias-Garriga

American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE)

• Samiah Ibrahim

American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners (ASTEE)

• Daniel Mabel
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Forensic Science Professional Organizations

Association of Forensic DNA Analysts and 

Administrators (AFDAA)

• Amanda Balasko

• Lloyd Halsell III

Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners 

(AFTE)

• Wendy Gibson

Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers 

(AFQAM)

• Sara Bitner

Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies 

(ASCIA)

• Catherine Knutson

Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations (CFSO)

• Matthew Gamette

International Association for Identification (IAI)

• Stephen Greene

International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)

• Scott Stephens

International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts 

(IABPA)

• Celestina Rossi

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)

• John Grassel

International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners 

(IACME)

• Kelly Keyes

• John Fudenberg

• Bobbi Jo O’Neil
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Forensic Science Professional Organizations

International Association for Forensic Nursing (IAFN)

• Jennifer Pierce Weeks

International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT)

• Marc LeBeau

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACLD)

• Vanessa Antoun

• Kyle O’Dowd

• Lisa Wayne

National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)

• Kathy Pinneri

• James Gill

• Joyce deJong

• Scott Denton

National District Attorneys Association (NDAA)

• Ray Valerio

• Nelson Bunn

• Marguerite Rizzo

• Frank Russo

Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE)

• Doug Fisher

Society of Forensic Anthropologists (SOFA)

• Chelsey Juarez

Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT)

• Robert Sears

• Beth Olsen
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OSAC Forensic Science Standards Board and 

Outreach & Communications Task Group Members*

• Hal Arkes, FSSB liaison to OSAC’s Human Factors Task 

Group

• Craig Beyler, FSSB member

• Frederick Bieber, FSSB member

• David Fowler, FSSB member (NAME representative)

• Allison Getz, OSAC Program Office*

• Melissa Gische, FSSB member

• Stephen Greene, FSSB member (IAI representative)

• Will Guthrie, FSSB liaison to OSAC’s Statistics Task Group

• JP Jones, OSAC Program Manager*

• David H. Kaye, FSSB Vice Chair, FSSB liaison to OSAC’s 

Legal Task Group

• Sarah Kerrigan, FSSB member (SOFT) representative*

• Chris Krug, FSSB Executive Secretary and liaison to OSAC’s 

Quality Task Group (AFQAM representative)

• Marc LeBeau, FSSB member

• Eric Pokorak*

• Karen Reczek, FSSB NIST Ex-Officio member*

• Jeri Ropero-Miller, FSSB member (AAFS representative) 

and *Chair

• Jeff Salyards, FSSB member

• Lora Sims, FSSB member*

• Donna Sirk, OSAC Program Office*

• Andy Smith, FSSB member (AFTE representative)

• Carl Sobieralski, FSSB member

• Mark Stolorow, OSAC Program Office*

• Chris Taylor, FSSB member*

• Richard Vorder Bruegge*

• Ray Wickenheiser, FSSB Chair (ASCLD) representative*

• Jason Wiersema, FSSB member 
Updates

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What is OSAC?

OSAC works to strengthen the nation’s use of forensic science by 

facilitating the development and implementation 

of technically sound standards.

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What OSAC...

DOES DOESN’T

Publish standards

Have the authority to 

enforce standards 

Facilitates the development of 

science-based standards through 

the formal SDO processes 

Evaluates OSAC proposed and 

SDO published standards for 

placement on the OSAC Registry

Endorses OSAC proposed and 

SDO published standards on 

the Registry & promotes their 

implementation 

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OSAC Membership Snapshot

475 members

356 active affiliates

1,130+ applications received

• Federal: 19%

• State: 22%

• Local: 21%

• Practitioner: 50%

• Researcher: 15%

• Educator: 11%

• Lab Mgr/Director: 9%

• Other: 5%

• Academic: 21%

• Private: 17%

• FFRDC: 1%

Employer Classification Job Classification

• Quality: 4%

• Lawyer: 3%

• Judge: 1%

• R&D Tech: 1%

Expertise in:

• 22 specific forensic 

science disciplines

• Scientific research, 

measurement 

science, statistics, 

law, and policy
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Standards Activities

Tier

1

Tier

2

Tier

3

Tier

4

• Standards on the OSAC 

Registry

• Approved by OSAC –

highest level of vetting

• OSAC supported 

standards published by 

an SDO and eligible for 

the Registry

• Completed SDO 

consensus process

• OSAC drafted standards 

sent to an SDO

• Drafted with input from 

RC and approved by SAC

• Under development

• Working draft document 

inside OSAC 

development process 

and not yet publicly 

available

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standards

80 

standards

129 

standards

161

standards 
OSAC Registry Approval Process for Proposed Standards
OSAC Registry

• Repository of high-quality, technically sound published and 

proposed standards for forensic science.

• All standards on the OSAC Registry have passed a rigorous 

technical and quality review by OSAC members, including 

forensic science practitioners, research scientists, 

statisticians and legal experts.

• OSAC encourages the forensic science community to 

implement these published and proposed standards.

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• 1 Anthropology

• 10 Biology/DNA (8 published & 2 OSAC Proposed)

• 1 Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

• 2 Crime Scene Investigation & Reconstruction (2 OSAC Proposed)

• 3 Digital Evidence*

• 1 Dogs & Sensors

• 4 Facial Identification (3 published & 1 OSAC Proposed)*

• 2 Fire & Explosion Investigation

• 6 Fire Debris

• 2 Firearms & Toolmarks

• 2 Footwear & Tire

• 2 Gunshot Residue Analysis (1 published & 1 OSAC Proposed)

• 5 Medicolegal Death Investigation (3 published & 2 OSAC Proposed)

• 3 Odontology

• 7 Seized Drugs

• 4 Toxicology

• 11 Trace Materials 

• 1 Video/Imaging Technology & Analysis*

• 6 Wildlife Forensics (4 published & 2 OSAC Proposed)

• 5 Interdisciplinary

67 published

10 OSAC Proposed

https://www.nist.gov/osac/osac-registry

OSAC Registry: Current Snapshot

*ASTM E2916-19e1 

drafted in collaboration 

with OSAC’s Digital 

Evidence, Facial ID, and 

VITAL Subcommittees

OSAC Registry: Current Snapshot
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0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY2019 FY 2020 FY 2021

3 8

12

19

37

72

OSAC Registry Growth

2 disciplines 3 disciplines

3 disciplines

7 disciplines

12 disciplines

18 disciplines
OSAC Registry Implementation Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions – 16 FAQs help to address some 

common implementation questions

• Detailed “How To” Guidelines with step-by-step instructions 

for labs on how they can begin implementing the Registry 

standards.

• OSAC Registry Implementation Declaration Form – provides a 

way to let us know if your lab is using Registry standards

• Standards Activities Tracker – see the OSAC Work Products 

webpage for a list of standards on and being considered for the 

Registry, being drafted at OSAC, and under development at 

SDOs

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https://www.nist.gov/

osac/osac-registryimplementation
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Impact: Professional Organizations

OSAC Spring Newsletter Text: Seven 

professional forensic science organizations, 

all represented on OSAC’s FSSB, have 

formally declared their support of OSAC and 

the development and implementation of 

forensic science standards. Read the policy 

and positions statements from the American 

Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), 

Association of Firearm and Tool Mark 

Examiners (AFTE), Association of Forensic 

Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM), 

American Society of Crime Laboratory 

Directors (ASCLD), International Association 

for Identification (IAI), National Association 

of Medical Examiners (NAME), and Society of 

Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) on 

OSAC’s Registry Implementation webpage.

Professional Organization Support
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OSAC Registry Implementation Survey

• Annual survey to assess the state of OSAC 

Registry implementation.

• First survey: June 10 – August 31, 2021.

• Targeted forensic service providers from across 

the country – requested one response per 

organization.

• 155 responses received.

• General findings available in OSAC’s 2021 Fall 

Newsletter/Annual Report.

• Detailed report coming February 2022.

https://www.nist.gov/osac/osac-registry-implementation-survey
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Organizations Participating in Full & Partial Standards 

Implementation
What Else is OSAC Doing to Support You?

• Bibliographies

• Interlaboratory comparisons

• OSAC Lexicon

• Process maps

• R&D needs

• Reference documents

• Standards development maps

• Technical guidance documents

• Webinars/presentations

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https://www.nist.gov/osac/osac-work-products
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Stay Informed!

• Monthly update on forensic 

science standards moving through 

development process at SDOs and 

those moving through OSAC 

Registry process.

• Available on OSAC’s website: 

https://www.nist.gov/osac/osacstandards-bulletin

• Quarterly communication that 

provides updates on OSAC’s program 

status, activities, accomplishments, 

and opportunities for public input 

with internal and external audiences.

• Available on OSAC’s website: 

https://www.nist.gov/osac/osacnewsletter

Follow us! 

https://www.linkedin.com

/showcase/organizationof-scientific-areacommittees-osac-forforensic-science/
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How Can You Get Involved?

Sign up for OSAC 

communications

Become an OSAC member Review and comment 

on standards

Stay informed

https://www.nist.gov/osac/apply-joinosac

https://www.nist.gov/osac https://service.govdelivery.com/

accounts/USNIST/subscriber/new

https://www.nist.gov/osac/

standards-open-comment
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Standards Overview and Processes

1) What kind of standards would help your organization in its role as a forensic science 

professional organization?

2) Is OSAC focusing on and drafting the standards to meet your needs and the needs of 

your membership?

3) Are forensic science standards a topic included in your scientific program or any 

dedicated organization efforts/interests?

4) Do you have groups within your organization that are developing standards?

5) How can OSAC help your organization’s members participate in the standards 

development process (e.g., providing input/expertise during public comment 

periods)?

6) Are your members being asked in court about OSAC or standards listed on the 

Registry?
OSAC Registry Implementation Support

1) Is your membership aware of the OSAC Registry, implementation efforts and 

resources?

2) What challenges and concerns do you have related to implementing standards on 

the OSAC Registry?

3) Is your organization using any tools or resources to help with implementation of 

forensic science standards (e.g., gap analysis checklists)?

4) Is your organization aware that they can submit a letter of support/position 

statement to OSAC stating that the organization supports the development and 

implementation of forensic science standards and providing any specific positions 

the organization has concerning forensic science standards?

5) Has your organization submitted a letter of support/position statement, or have any 

immediate plans to let OSAC know about their implementation efforts?

6) How can OSAC better communicate effective implementation strategies?
Training & Education

1) What kind of tools/resources/training might help your members better understand 

and participate in standards development and implementation?

2) Would your organization like OSAC members to conduct workshops at your meetings 

on standards, implementation tools and processes (e.g., gap analysis, strategies for 

lab personnel buy-in and participation)?

3) Would your organization or members be interested in assisting in the training of 

standards and their use to the forensic science community?
Collaboration Opportunities

1) How can OSAC help support your organization’s standard development activities?

2) Would your organization be willing to help to spread the word about OSAC (i.e., 

share OSAC communications)? If so, who can we contact?

3) Would your organization be willing to encourage your members to share their 

implementation experiences (e.g., at workshops or by writing news stories and press 

releases)?

4) What else can OSAC do to support your organization?

5) What else can your organization do to support OSAC?

6) What is the best mechanism to keep communication lines open for your organization 

and OSAC going forward?
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What Other Questions Should We Be Asking?

1) ?

2) ?
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Next Steps

• Follow us on LinkedIn and sign-up for OSAC communications to stay 

informed about the latest forensic science standards information:

https://service.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNIST/subscriber/new

• OSAC will develop and share a report summarizing the key takeaways 

and action items from this meeting. We will also send participants a 

copy of these slides and make them available on our website: 

https://www.nist.gov/osac
Thank you!