President (2025-2027)
Pamela Marshall, Ph.D.
Director and Associate Teaching Professor
Forensic Science and Law Master’s Program
Director, Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law
Bayer School of Natural and Environmental Science
Duquesne University
Dr. Pamela Marshall has been involved in the field of forensic analysis since 2002. Upon the completion of her MS in Forensic Genetics in 2002, she worked as a Forensic Scientist III at the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division. While in Maryland, Pam became an expert on sexual assault kit examination and collection practices. She was the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) Coordinator for the state, helped to promote 120-hour SAFE collection legislation, and assisted in the training of over 200 SAFE nurses. Pam has also travelled abroad to Luanda, Angola, Africa in order to train analysts in forensic DNA analysis. She has been qualified as an expert witness in the field of serology in Maryland and Texas. Her dissertation was titled “Improved Tools for the Robust Analysis of Low Copy Number and Challenged DNA Samples”, leading to her graduation with her doctorate in 2014 under the guidance of Drs. Bruce Budowle, Art Eisenberg, Ranajit Chakraborty, and Angela van Daal.
From 2014-2018, Pam served as the Director of the Forensic Science Program at the Southern University at New Orleans, a public, historically black college and university (HBCU). While at SUNO, Pam created a state of the art forensic laboratory for hands-on research and experimentation. She has received numerous grants as well as partnered on research projects with other faculty and students. She is an advocate for increasing the number of African American and underrepresented minority professionals in the field of forensic science. In July 2018, Pam became the Director of the Forensic Science and Law Program at Duquesne University, the nation’s only entry level Master’s degree program in forensic science. She also serves as an Associate Professor and holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Pam has extensive graduate and undergraduate teaching experience in the forensic disciplines of serology, DNA, and microscopy. Her research interests include low copy number DNA, human and wildlife DNA identification challenges, nanoparticle technology, pressure cycling technology, and PCR enhancement. She is a member or is active in the Alpha Chi Sigma Professional Chemistry Fraternity, American Society of Cold Case Investigators, Delta Delta Epsilon Forensic Honor Society, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society.
Contact Information
340 Fisher Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
412-396-1703
marshallp@duq.edu
President-Elect (2025-2027)
Lyndsie Ferrara, Ph.D.
Teaching Assistant Professor, Forensic Science and Law
Duquesne University
Dr. Lyndsie Ferrara is an assistant professor in the Forensic Science and Law Program at Duquesne University. She previously worked as a forensic biologist at the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory, a forensics specialist/contractor for the Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program, and a project coordinator for a DNA mixture interpretation software company. Lyndsie’s research interests include bias in forensic science DNA mixture interpretation, ethics education for forensic scientists, and various issues surrounding sexual assault investigation.
Contact Information
339D Fisher Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
schantzl@duq.edu
Secretary (2025-2027)
Assistant Professor, Forensic Science Program
Dr. Andra Lewis has professional experience in the areas of crime scene investigation, trace evidence analysis and teaching within the forensic science discipline, both as a lecturer and as a doctoral teaching fellow. Andra previously worked as a crime scene investigator and supervisor at the Dallas Police Department, helping the crime scene section receive their first ASCLD/LAB accreditation. After many years as a practitioner, Andra enrolled in a doctoral program at Sam Houston State University, earning a Ph.D. in Forensic Science in 2023. Her dissertation was in the area of trace evidence and was on the evaluation of the combined use of UV-Vis microspectrophotometry and plane-polarized microscopy for the forensic examination and discrimination of textile fibers. She is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the Association for Trace Evidence Examiners, and the International Association for Identification, as well as an affiliate of OSAC on the Trace Materials committee, hair and fibers subcommittee.
Contact Information
100 College Drive
Allentown, PA 18104
610-606-4666, ext. 3495
Treasurer
Cait Porterfield, M.S.
Instructor, Forensic Science Institute
University of Oklahoma
Cait Porterfield received a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors in Biochemistry from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Science degree in Forensic Science with an emphasis in forensic molecular biology from the University of Central Oklahoma. Her thesis research focused on the genetic, microscopic, and chemical evaluation of processed human hair extensions for their probative value in forensic casework. Cait is currently a doctoral candidate in the Educational Psychology department at the University of Oklahoma with research focused on issues confronting women in STEM. Cait Porterfield is also a faculty member at the Forensic Science Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma. Her courses focus on the forensic analysis of fingerprints and the identification of biological samples through serological techniques. Cait also teaches an Innocence Project Course in conjunction with the OCU School of Law where she works with forensic science graduate students and law students on cases of wrongful conviction. Cait’s current research interests include biometric measures in forensic science, conceptual change in science, and the woman-scientist identity interference. She serves as the Student Academy of Forensic Sciences Faculty Advisor, the Forensic Science Living-Learning Community coordinator, and serves on the forensic science curriculum council and planning and evaluation committee.
Contact Information
100 N. University Drive
Edmond, OK 73034
405-974-6922
cporterfield@uco.edu
Immediate Past President (2023-2025; 2025-2027)
Gina Londino-Smolar, Ed.D.
Teaching Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Director, Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program
Indiana University
Dr. Gina Londino-Smolar is currently a teaching professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Director of the Forensic and nvestigative Sciences program. She has taught multiple courses in forensic science and chemistry, including instrumentation, analysis chemistry, forensic chemistry, and forensic microscopy for both undergraduate and graduate students. Currently, Gina teaches the introductory courses in forensic science both face-to-face and online, and works with online teaching faculty through IU in creation of online material. Since 2006, Gina has been a part of the forensic science program and had direct experience with the FEPAC accreditation process of the forensic and investigative sciences program. Throughout her time at IU, she has developed multiple courses in forensic science, along with participating in the development of courses taught online to reach out to other student populations. She has published a laboratory manual, The Basics of Investigating Forensic Science: A Laboratory Manual, for undergraduate forensic science laboratory courses for non-science majors. Gina has also developed an online forensic science laboratory course for non-science majors to fulfill laboratory credit that many programs outside of science require. Gina is heavy involved in distance education at IU and with academic integrity initiatives. She is currently a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and the Chair of the Disciplines committee for the General Section, a charter member of the American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners, and a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Contact Information
402 N. Blackford, LD222
Indianapolis IN 46202
317-274-6820
glondino@iupui.edu