Jennifer Coursey
Newnan,GA
Summary
Strong and decisive leader with excellent analytical, organizational, team building and planning skills. Maintain uncompromising focus on high quality standards.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief, DNA Branch
United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)
06.2004 - Current
- Manage operations for a division of 52 DNA team members-the largest Division at USACIL
- Manages day to day planning, management, coordination, and direction of staff of expert biologists and technicians
- Develops and implements policies and procedures to accommodate workload demands and changes in allocated personnel, equipment, supplies and techniques
- Takes action to resolve any problems identified by quality assurance mechanisms
- Coordinates work with other divisions
- Maintains and provides statistical information on productivity and backlogs
- Monitors work to ensure most efficient turnaround time
- Prepares recommendations and justifications for proposed changes and revisions to Army, CID and laboratory regulations, policies, and procedures
- As DNA subject matter expert, provide recommendations/advisement to the USACIL Director on matters concerning the discipline
- Determines requirements for acquisition of new or replacement instrumentation, equipment and supplies and provides justification for initial purchases
- Provide necessary information for vendor service maintenance agreements
- Provides budgetary information for acquisition planning and funding training
- Develops, maintains, and implements formal program of instruction and training program for all DNA personnel
- Oversee the formal training of special agents and attorneys
- Participate in research and other projects to ensure that the DNA branch maintains state of the art capabilities
- Counseled employees, resolves complaints and problems, referring more serious issues to USACIL Director with recommended action
- Supports EEO program when administering discipline, encouragement, and recognition of employees
- Initiates personnel actions for training, promotion, reassignment, and discipline
- Conducts administrative quality review of DNA casework
- Support quality system and accreditation through SOP updates, proficiency testing, audits and adhering to professional standards applicable to DNA casework and laboratory operations (QAS, SWGDAM, OSAC)
- Appointed and served as Investigating Officer for 15-6 Investigation regarding Forensic Exploitation Division employee
- Network with other Federal laboratories to build partnerships for furthering the science and help support the readiness of our military through timely, quality forensic analysis (USSS, FBI, AFDIL, NIST)
- Serve as Coach or mentor to newer Supervisors/Branch Chiefs
- Maintain Top Secret Clearance.
Supervisory Biologist
United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)
03.2010 - 04.2014
- Manage a team of 10-12 DNA Examiners
- Manage cases for team and DNA Branch
- Updated Branch Chief of matters as applicable
- Perform Forensic DNA Examiner duties
- Provides technical oversight of forensic biologists
- Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates; sets and adjust priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work in accordance with USACIL strategic plans, missions, visions, and values
- Report to the Branch Chief on team and individual work accomplishments, problems, process in mastering tasks and work processes, and individual and team training needs
- Reports on performance management issues/problems and to recommend/request related actions
- Finds and initiates ways to improve production or increase the quality of work produced
- Enforce compliance with laboratory policies, procedures, guidelines, and established safety and security protocols
- Served as primary trainer for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Program
- Assisted in the design of DOD Sexual Assault Kit and instructions
- Oversee the Special Agent Laboratory Training course for the DNA Branch and served as instructor
- Support quality system and accreditation through SOP updates, proficiency testing and audits
- Maintain Secret Clearance.
Forensic DNA Examiner
United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)
06.2004 - 03.2010
- Receive evidence items from Department of Defense agencies worldwide
- Analyze evidence for the presence of bodily fluids such as blood, semen and saliva
- Perform DNA analysis on items as necessary
- Prepare official reports of my results
- Provide courtroom testimony of my results as needed
- Served as a co-sign analyst for DNA trainees
- Educate agents and/or trial counsel on DNA methods and utilization
- Served as the primary DNA training instructor for the Naval Criminal Investigation Service
- Served as primary trainer for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Program
- Presenter at the Sexual Assault Medical Management Conference and International Association of Forensic Nurses.
Convicted Offender Scientist
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
02.2002 - 05.2004
- Perform DNA analysis on extracts of buccal swabs
- Clean and maintain genetic analyzer
- Preparation of reagents for genetic analyzer
- Set up samples for the genetic analyzer
- Genotype and electronically review electropherograms
- Peer review electropherograms
- Create data table and transfer to CODIS
- Rerun CODIS hit confirmations.
Forensic Biologist
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
08.1997 - 02.2002
- Receive evidence items from state agencies across the state of Georgia
- Analyze evidence for the presence of bodily fluids such as blood, semen and saliva
- Perform DNA analysis on positive stains as necessary
- Prepare official reports of my results
- Provide courtroom testimony of my results as needed.
Education
B.A. - Biology
LaGrange College
LaGrange, GA01.1996
High School Diploma -
Creekside High School
Fairburn, GA01.1992
Skills
- Interpersonal Communication
- Multitasking Abilities
- Problem-Solving
- Team building
Affiliations
- Member of The Southern Association of Forensic Scientists
- Member of The American Society of Crime Lab Directors
- Invited Guest-Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods
Expert Testimony
Provided expert testimony in the fields of DNA Analysis, Forensic Serology, and Forensic Biology in excess of 95 times in the state court system of Georgia and military courts worldwide.
Awards
- Recipient of the Superior Civilian Service Award (2010)
- Certificate of Achievement-Civilian of the Year nominee- USACIL DNA Branch (2020)
Publications
U.S. Department of Justice (2017) “Processing of Sexual Assault Kits in the Laboratory” in National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A multidisciplinary Approach. 53-66
Timeline
Supervisory Biologist
United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)
03.2010 - 04.2014
Chief, DNA Branch
United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)
06.2004 - Current
Forensic DNA Examiner
United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL)
06.2004 - 03.2010
Convicted Offender Scientist
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
02.2002 - 05.2004
Forensic Biologist
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
08.1997 - 02.2002
B.A. - Biology
LaGrange College
High School Diploma -
Creekside High School
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