19th Annual Forensic DNA Conference – Bode 2020November 3-6, 2020

Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, Tampa, FLTENTATIVE PROGRAM

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Workshops

Registration for Workshop Attendees Begins at 7:00am

Crime Lab Track Investigations Track

8:00am – 10:00am Forensic Genealogy Workshop: Speakers will discuss how forensic genealogy works in practice and some of the challenges that genealogists, investigators and prosecutors face. Teresa Vreeland, Forensic Genealogy Case Manager, Bode Technology

10:00am – 10:15am Networking and Refreshment Break During Session

10:15am – 12:15pm Thermo Fisher Scientific Workshop Working Smarter, Not Harder Join us as we explore ways to maximize resources and save time. Gain insights on best practices from forensic DNA practitioners who are leveraging innovative workflow solutions to enhance laboratory effectiveness and solve crime more efficiently.

10:15am – 12:15pm Sexual Assault Kit Backlogs for Law Enforcement: Strategies, Challenges, and Benefits to Tackling the Project Leigh Clark, Crime Lab Analyst Supervisor, DNA Technical Leader, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Mark Lessard, Cold Case Special Assault Detective, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office

Lunch 12:15pm – 1:00pm (for am or pm workshop attendees) Sponsored by NicheVision Forensics

1:00pm – 5:00pm Promega Workshop Please join us for an afternoon of presentations and discussions by leaders in the forensics community on the latest advancements in STR analysis and the forensics workflow. Information and tips on maximizing success with challenging samples and improving laboratory efficiencies through workflow enhancements will be provided.

1:00pm – 3:00pm Implementation of Rapid DNA in Law Enforcement

Fred Harran, Director of Public Safety, Bensalem Township Police Department Panelists: Benjamin Swanholm, Assistant Crime Laboratory Administrator, Phoenix Police Department Tommy Orzechowski, Sgt., New Castle County Police Department Jennifer Schorn, Chief of Trials, Bucks County District Attorney

3:15pm – 5:15pm BodeHITS Users Meeting Closed meeting for BodeHITS clients.

3:00pm – 3:15pm Networking and Refreshment Break During Session Sponsored by STACS DNA

Bode Welcome Pool & Beach Cocktail Reception 6:00pm – 7:30pm

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

General Session: Crime Labs, Law Enforcement, Attorneys, SANEs

Registration and Breakfast Begin at 7:15am Breakfast Sponsored by QIAGEN

8:15am – 8:30am Welcome - Opening Remarks

8:30am – 10:00am KEYNOTE SESSION:

Celebrating Milestones and Achievements in Forensics

FEATURED PRESENTER: Debbie Smith, H-E-A-R-T (Hope Exists After Rape Trauma)

Additional Presenters:

- Thomas J. Bode, Founder Bode Technology - Cecelia Crouse, Crime Laboratory Director, Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office (retired) - Mike Cariola, President and CEO, Bode Technology - Other Speakers to be named shortly

10:00am – 10:30am Networking and Refreshment Break

10:30am – 11:00am

DNA Legislative Updates

Lisa Hurst, Senior Consultant, Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell

11:00am – 11:30am

Implementation of Rapid DNA and Developing a Comprehensive Reach-back Solution Dane Plaza, Director, Federal Operations, Bode Technology

11:30am – 12:00pm

Promega Corporation: Technology Updates

Lunch 12:00pm – 1:00pm Sponsored by Promega

1:00pm – 1:30pm

Managing Untested Sexual Assault Kits: A Summary of the Sexual Assault Initiative for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Forensic Laboratory

Kim Murga, Forensic Laboratory Director, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

1:30pm – 2:00pm Ethics and the Implementation of Forensic Genealogy

Dr. Frederick Bieber, Medical Geneticist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School

2:00pm – 2:30pm

Maximizing the Impact of Databases: Solving More Cases Using Forensic Genealogy Sgt. Mike Fields, Homicide Detective, Orlando Police Department

2:30pm – 3:00pm Networking and Refreshment Break Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific

3:00pm – 3:30pm

Thermo Fisher Scientific: Technology Updates

3:30pm – 4:30pm

North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission: An Innovative Approach to Reviewing Claims of Factual Innocence

Lindsey Guice Smith, Executive Director, The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission

6:15pm – 9:45pm Group Event – StarShip Yacht Dinner Cruise of Tampa Bay

Join us for a fun night of cruising, dinner, drinks, dancing, karaoke and photo booth!

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Breakfast Begins at 7:10am Sponsored by Verogen

Joint Morning Session

8:10am – 8:15am Opening Remarks

Andrew Singer, Vice President, Global Marketing and Operations, Bode Technology

8:15am – 9:15am Forensic Genealogy Training: Best Practices and Implementation

Ann Marie Schubert, District Attorney, Sacramento District Attorney’s Office Marguerite Rizzo, Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office

9:15am – 9:45am Assessing the Implementation of Forensic Genealogy: A Scientific Examination into Testing Approaches

TBD, Bode Technology

9:45am – 10:15am Verogen: Technology Updates

10:15am – 10:45am Networking and Refreshment Break

Sponsored by Promega

10:45am – 11:45am Collecting Lawfully Owed DNA in Washington State

Katherine Hemann, Assistant Attorney General, Washington State Office of the Attorney General Lindsey Wade, Senior Investigator, Washington State Office of the Attorney General

11:45am – 12:15pm Processing Spent Shell Casings for DNA

TBD, ATF

Lunch 12:15pm – 1:15pm

Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific

Crime Lab Track Investigations Track 1:15pm – 1:30pm NIJ Updates: Updates to the Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Grant Program Chuck Heurich, Senior Physical Scientist, National Institute of Justice

1:15pm – 1:45pm Evaluating the Best Tools and Approach to Collecting Touch DNA Evidence Katerina Dimevska, Forensic Biology Expert in MOI of North Macedonia

1:30pm – 2:00pm QIAGEN: Technology Updates

2:00pm – 2:15pm Interesting and Challenging Cases TBD

1:45pm – 2:15pm New Tools to Identify Touch DNA TBD

2:15pm – 2:45pm Statewide Sexual Assault Kit Tracking: From Concept to Implementation Tim Stacy, Director of Sales, STACS DNA

2:15pm – 2:45pm Collaborative Investigations: Expanding the Databases Accessed During Genealogy Investigations LexisNexis Risk Solutions and TBD

2:45pm – 3:15pm: Networking and Refreshment Break Sponsored by STACS DNA

3:15pm – 3:45pm STRMix Admissibility Katherine Merideth, Laboratory Manager, Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division

3:15pm – 3:45pm Early Warning Intervention: Keeping Schools Safe Fred Harran, Director of Public Safety, Bensalem Township Police Department

3:45pm – 4:15 pm NicheVision Forensics: Technology Updates NicheVision Forensics: Technology Updates

3:45pm – 4:15pm Opioid Investigations TBD

4:15pm – 4:45pm TBD

4:15pm – 4:45pm TBD

Friday, November 6, 2020

Workshops

Crime Lab Track Investigations Track 8:00am – 10:00am Mixture Interpretation and Probabilistic Genotyping Workshop: Part I Dr John Buckleton, Principal Scientist, ESR Zane Kerr, Senior Scientist, ESR STRmix™ Advanced Training Workshop STRmix™ is sophisticated forensic software that may be used to assist DNA analysts with the interpretation and statistical evaluation of forensic DNA profiles. In particular, STRmix™ allows for a greater range of profiles to be examined including low template profiles affected by dropout/drop-in as well as complex DNA mixtures. STRmix™ has been demonstrated to greatly improve the sensitivity and specificity of DNA profile interpretation compared with less powerful methods such as CPI. This four hour workshop will include advanced topics not included within introductory STRmix™ training workshops. It is expected that attendees will have previously completed an introductory STRmix™ training workshop and be familiar with the use of and theory behind the STRmix™ software. STRmix™ refresher: MCMC & the biological model This talk will briefly recap the methods used by STRmix™ when interpreting forensic DNA profiles. A closer look at the MCMC process This talk will cover details of the burn-in and MCMC process for STRmix™.

Leadership Training Sessions Effective Leadership includes developing critical skills to help increase efficiency and ultimately increase productivity in forensic testing and investigations. 8:00am – 10:00am Leadership Training: Team Building One of the necessary components to a successful operation is that stakeholders work together towards a common goal, but team development is sometimes not a priority. This workshop will help individuals develop ways to increase teamwork and collaboration while managing conflict. Ben Swanholm, Assistant Laboratory Administrator, Phoenix Police Department

10:00am – 10:15am Refreshment Break

10:15pm – 12:15pm Mixture Interpretation and Probabilistic Genotyping Workshop: Part II Dr John Buckleton, Principal Scientist, ESR Zane Kerr, Senior Scientist, ESR STRmix™ extended output This talk will introduce the extended output feature of STRmix™ and demonstrate how it may be used when troubleshooting results. STRmix™ admissibility and recent court challenges This talk will cover court challenges in general outlining themes but will look at the US v Gissantaner and US v Lewis rulings in particular.

10:15pm – 12:15pm Leadership Training: Communication An effective team requires stakeholders to communicate in ways that help promote cohesion and understanding. The strength of an organization can often be evaluated by the openness with which team members address personal concerns and communicate to these colleagues. This workshop will help individuals develop ways to increase communication amongst team members to make a more positive and effective environment. Ben Swanholm, Assistant Laboratory Administrator, Phoenix Police Department

12:15pm Adjourn