association officers and appointed positions

FDIAI

association officers and appointed positions

biographieS

2011

CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD

erica lawton-mcwhite

Erica Lawton-McWhite is currently employed by the Broward Sheriff's Office in their Crime Laboratory as a Firearm and Tool Mark Examiner. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with an emphasis in Criminalistics from Metropolitan State College of Denver in 2002 and is currently enrolled in Oklahoma State University’s Masters of Forensic Science Program. She is certified in Firearm Evidence Examination and Identification by the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE). Erica has taught at the FDIAI, the IAI, and the AFTE conferences and participates in training at the Metropolitan Police Institute. Erica also participates in teaching and designing an impression evidence class at Nova Southeastern University. She serves on the Shoe Print and Tire Track Evidence committee and the Firearm and Tool Mark Committee. Erica has also received the FDIAI Good of the Association Award in 2006

PRESIDENT

king brown

King is the Crime Scene Supervisor for the West Palm Beach Police Department and has been in the field of Forensic Science for 25 years.

King attended Florida International University, Miami, Florida. He holds a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice and a Graduate Teaching Certificate.

King has been an Instructor at the IAI Educational Conferences, FDIAI Educational Conferences, IPTM, The Taylor Group, Benchmark Professional Seminars, North Alabama Law Enforcement Training Center, Evidence Photographer International Council and Gold Coast Forensic Association. Mr. Brown is also an Adjunct Professor at Brevard Community College, Crime Scene Technology Associates Degree Program, Palm Beach State College, Law Enforcement Program and in the process of developing the Latent program for Oklahoma State University.

King has been a member of FDIAI since 1997 and IAI since 1990. King holds the following certifications CFPH, CLPE, CSCSA, EPIC and Florida State Certified Instructor. King is Chairman of the Forensic Photography Certification Board for the Florida Division of the IAI. He is a Distinguished Member of the Florida Division and received the President’s Award in 2006. He is the Chairman of the Crime Scene Sub-committee for the IAI. In 2009 he received the Good of the Association Award from the IAI

1^st Vice President

HARIA HAUGHT, CLPE

Haria Haught is currently employed by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office as the Manager of their Biometric Identification Unit. She has a Bachelor in Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Forensics from Saint Leo University in Florida. She also holds a Crime Scene degree from Saint Petersburg College in Florida. Haria is an Adjunct Instructor with Saint Petersburg College instructing Fingerprint Classification. Prior to her position at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, she was employed with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office as a Fingerprint Technician. Haria has taught the Science and History of fingerprints at Saint Leo University as well as the National Forensic Science Technology Center (NFSTC). Haria is an IAI Certified Latent Print Examiner.

2^nd Vice President

JOEL SMITH

Joel H. Smith, has served in law enforcement as a civilian investigator for approximately eight years with a previous background in agricultural science and religion. He is married with two daughters and currently supervises the Crime Scene Investigation & Identification Section of the Port St. Lucie Police Department.

3^rd Vice President

Igor pacheco

Igor received his bachelors of science degree in Biology in 1998 from Texas Tech University. He moved to Miami Florida in 2001 to attend Florida International University's Forensic Science Certificate Program. While attending FIU, Igor was hired in 2002 at the Miami-Dade Police Department Crime Scene Investigations Bureau Fingerprint Identification Section as a Fingerprint Analyst I in their MasterFile Unit. He finished his certificate program in Forensic Science at FIU in 2003 having taken post graduate classes in analytical chemistry, molecular biology, forensic chemistry, and forensic biology. He is now been employed as a fingerprint analyst for two years (at the end of 2004). Recently, he has been transferred laterally to the AFIS unit within the CSI Bureau's Fingerprint ID Section as a Fingerprint Analyst I AFIS administrator. In addition, he also has one year experience as editor of the South Florida Forensic Association newsletter

REGION I Director

JAN JOHNSON

Jan Johnson is retired from the State of Florida with over forty years experience in law enforcement. After ten years with the F.B.I., Jan made the transition to crime scene analysis. She is recognized by the IAI as a Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst and worked for the FDLE in Pensacola for over twenty-two years. As a laboratory analyst and crime scene examiner, her field of experience includes detection, collection, and preservation of physical evidence, bloodstain pattern interpretation, trajectory analysis, buried body and skeletal remains recovery, clandestine laboratories, and numerous other procedures involving crime scene investigation. Due to her expertise in bloodstain pattern interpretation and crime scene reconstruction and analysis, Jan has testified in over one hundred criminal cases as an expert witness. Before retiring in 2004, Jan spent three years with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office where she was supervisor of the Crime Scene and Latent Print units, as well as overseer of ECSO’s new crime lab, which she designed. Jan served in the highly distinguished role of President of the IAI in 2004, and Chairman of the Board in 2005, and considers herself as having the privilege of being on the IAI’s original Crime Scene Certification Board. Jan also served as President for the Florida Division of the IAI as well as Chairman for the Board of Directors in 2008. She continues to serve on numerous committees with both the IAI and FDIAI. Jan has taught numerous courses in the areas of both Crime Scene and Blood Stain Pattern Interpretation in the United States and abroad, including South Africa, Brazil, and Bermuda.

region 2 Director

MORGAN HAYS

Morgan is a Crime Laboratory Analyst Supervisor of the AFIS, Latent Print and Impression Evidence section at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Jacksonville Regional Operations Center. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology from Florida State University in 2001 and his Master of Science degree in Anthropology from Florida State University in 2008. He is a Certified Latent Print Examiner by the International Association for Identification, Certified Laboratory Assessor by the American Society of Crime Lab Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board, and has been recognized by Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the Florida Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearing House Advisory Board for his work to help missing or endangered children. Prior to becoming supervisor in August of 2009, Morgan spent five years as a Crime Laboratory Analyst in the Latent Print section at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Orlando Regional Operations Center. He has previously taught at Keiser University in Orlando and he has been a frequent lecturer on latent prints, surface skeletons and buried bodies for the Florida Division of the I.A.I. Morgan is an active member of the I.A.I. and the Florida Division of the I.A.I.

region 3 Director

JOHN REES

John Rees joined the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office in July 2007 as a Latent Print Examiner (part time) following his retirement from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in New York State with 27 years of service. He began his career in law enforcement following four years in the United States Coast Guard. In June 1980 he started as a Deputy Sheriff assigned to the road patrol division, followed by four years as a juvenile officer. He then transferred to the Identification Bureau where he started training as an Identification Officer in Fingerprint Comparison, Crime Scene Photography, Evidence Collection, Accident Reconstruction, and Composite Drawing. John received extensive training in Fingerprints, and attended the FBI Administrative Advanced Latent Fingerprint Course in 1989. He was promoted to Criminal Investigator in 1991 and in 1995 he completed his Associate of Science degree and a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree at Empire State College in Hartsdale, New York. In 1998 John was certified by the IAI as a CLPE. He attended the 207^th session of the FBI National Academy in September 2001. John was then promoted to Sergeant and became the supervisor of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer program for the next three years. He was then promoted to Senior Criminal Investigator and supervised the Crime Scene Unit, Central Records, and Pistol Permit Bureau until his retirement in July 2007. John is a member of the International Association for Identification, The New York State division of the IAI, and the Florida division of the IAI.

region 4 Director

LISA FALK

Lisa Falk has been in law enforcement since 1981 starting my career at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Her husband, Tim and here live in Stuart, FL and have been married for over twenty-five years. They have two children, Justin and Daniel both of whom plan on going into the Navy. Lisa moved on to the Stuart Police Department where she was involved in getting her department accredited. She succeeded and received their certification which was a proud moment her our department. Lisa began working in crime scene with Stuart, attending classes and responding to callouts. Lisa took a week off from work using her own time to attend an FDIAI conference. Lisa never realized you could learn so much in just one week. A few months after returning to Stuart she applied for a full time Crime Scene Investigator position with the city of Port St. Lucie. Lisa has been with the department since February of 2007 and is very excited to be involved with the FDIAI as a representative.

region 5 Director

briaN cerchiai

Brian Cerchiai is currently employed by the Miami-Dade Police Department as a Latent Print Examiner. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology with an Undergraduate Certificate in Demographics from Florida State University in 1997. He is a Certified General Instructor through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and has instructed Basic Fingerprint Classification & Comparison and Advanced Fingerprint Science Workshop for Tenprint Examiners at the Metropolitan Police Institute. Brian is also an Adjunct Professor for the Criminal Investigations Program at Everest Institute

region 6 Director

LARRY STRINGHAM

Lawrence (Larry) Stringham has been connected with law enforcement since 1985 where he joined the US Air Force and a Security Policeman. Working there and with the National Guard for 8 years he became a certified Police Officer in Little Rock Arkansas. Retuning back to Hernando County, where he was raised, he became a 911 dispatcher and then was hired as a crime scene technician in 1991. Working there for 6 years he was sent to basic and advance courses in crime scene, arson investigation and fingerprinting.

Larry in 1997 applied and was offered the job of Forensic Technician for the Cape Coral Police Department. At that time a one man position, he worked hard at growing the department and forensic section. Making supervisor of the Forensic Section in 2005, Larry now supervises 9 employees and has increased its department’s viability by creating a latent, computer, video and lab units within the forensic section.

Being a member of the FDIAI and the IAI since 1991, Larry feels it’s time to give back to the organization which he has attended so many conferences and IAI conferences through the country. Larry is very excited about the opportunity and privilege which has been entrusted to him and hopes to give back as much as he has learned.

Secretary / Treasurer

M. FRANK SHONBERGER

Frank was employed with the City of Miami from 1967 to 1999. During his employment with the City of Miami Police Department he had progressed through the Identification Technician job family. Beginning as an Identification Technician I, then being promoted to Shift Supervisor, He was promoted in 1984 to Criminal Identification Unit Supervisor. He managed the operation of the functions of this Unit: Prisoner Processing, Photographic Laboratory, Video Studio, Latent Print, Automated Fingerprint Identification System and Crime Scene Investigation In January 1999, Frank retired to undertake the challenge of establishing a New Crime Scene Investigation Unit for the City of Coral Gables Police Department and currently works for that agency.

Editor

Igor pacheco

Historian

paula bolivar

Paula graduated from the University of Virginia in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Latin-American Studies. Thereafter, she taught high school biology at American Senior High School in Hialeah, Florida and was later employed by the Miami-Dade Police Department as a Fingerprint Analyst I in June 2006. Paula has provided presentations on the History of Fingerprints at the FDIAI Educational Conference, Advanced Ten-Print Class in 2006 and 2007. She has also presented at the Metropolitan Police Institute in Doral, Florida and the National School of Technology in Kendall, Florida. She devised and authored the MDPD Fingerprint Analyst I Training Program and is currently working on her Master of Science in Forensic Science from Florida International University with emphasis on Biology and Chemistry

Sgt. At Arms

DANNY FORMOSA

In 1979 after receiving an Associates of Art degree from Miami Dade Community College, he started his career with the Homestead Police Department. In 1980 he was assigned to the Identification Unit. It was then that he started his training in the Crime Scene and Fingerprint Identification. In 1983, he became a member of the FDIAI and after years of intense training and attending several FBI courses, he testified as an expert in the Latent field. In 1987 he received his Bachelors of Science degree from Barry University. In 1993 he was promoted to Sergeant where he supervised the Identification Section. In 2003, he retired from the Homestead Police Department and is currently working as a Crime Scene Investigator with the Coral Gables Police Department.