Advisory Board Members

Photo of Jan Burke

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan Burke, Author, Crime Lab Project

While doing research for her novels, Jan Burke became aware of a gap between public perceptions and the realities facing crime labs. With the support of forensic scientists, fellow writers, and members of the public she founded the Crime Lab Project in 2003, a nonprofit which advocates the improvement of forensic science and increased funding for forensic science labs, education, and research. She is also the cohost, with Dr. Doug Lyle, of Crime and Science Radio. 

Photo of Elizabeth Devine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Devine, Writer Producer, CBS

Elizabeth graduated from UCLA in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.  She received a Master of Science Degree in Criminalistics from California State University, Los Angeles in 1985. She was promoted to Supervising Criminalist, ultimately heading up the Crime Scene Unit and co-supervising the DNA lab.  She trained investigators in homicide investigation, sexual assault investigation and crime scene reconstruction.  After 15 years with the LA Sheriff, in 2000, Devine retired as their most experienced crime scene reconstruction expert to join the production staff on a brand new television drama entitled CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as a technical consultant.  Devine currently works as a Co-Executive Producer for CSI: Crime Scene investigation which will end it's fifteenth season in January.

Photo of H. Evans

 

HIRAM K. EVANS
FORENSIC SCIENCE CONSULTANT

Mr. Evans has spent his entire working life in forensic science as a criminalist, consultant and forensic science educator.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry degree from Central College,  Pella, Iowa, an Associate in Science in Criminology/Law Enforcement from Southwestern College; Chula Vista, California, and the Master of Science in Criminalistics from California State University – Los Angeles with a thesis on chemical microscopy for the identification of phencyclidine related drugs.

Mr. Evans served as a criminalist with the Ventura and San Diego County (CA) Sheriff’s Departments before serving as a deputy sheriff/ supervising criminalist with the San Bernardino County (CA) Sheriff’s Department. He earned a license from the California Department of Health Services as a Forensic Alcohol Analyst Trainee, Analyst and Supervisor, and Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and supervisory Certificates from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. He is among the first Certified Criminalists, initially recognized by the California Association of Criminalists and later as a Fellow of the American Board of Criminalistics in both General Criminalistics and Drug Identification.  He has served as an Inspector and Assessor for the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) Laboratory Accreditation Board (LAB) and the Forensic Education Program Accreditation Commission (FEPAC). Further, he is qualified as an expert witness in the courts of Ventura, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino Counties (CA), US District Court for the Central District of CA, and US Naval and Marine Corps Courts Martial.

Mr. Evans is active in professional organizations as Past President and Life Member of the California Association of Criminalists, a Retired Member of the ASCLD, and member of the CA Association of Crime Laboratory Directors, a Fellow and Past Chairman of the Criminalistics Section of the America Academy of Forensic Sciences.  He currently serves on ASTM Committee E-30 on Forensic Sciences, and has presented and published on drug and explosive identification, clandestine drug laboratories, and forensic science history. In addition, Mr. Evans has had the privilege of teaching at the University of California-Riverside and Cal State LA. 

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Dean M. Gialamas, Assistant Division Director, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Technical Services Division  

Dean Gialamas is the Assistant Division Director for the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Technical Services Division.  In his role, he assists in leading and managing the Department's technology services, which includes communications, fleet, information technology, records, biometric identification, forensic sciences and crime analysis/intelligence. With over 1,100 sworn and technical personnel and a budget over $216 million, the Division supports the entire Department in the application of technology services to public safety.  As a former crime lab director, he is an active member of several professional organizations, including a past President of ASCLD, and has been appointed to several state and federal task forces and workgroups regarding forensic science issues, including the National Commission on Forensic Science. 

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Doreen Hudson

Retired Police Administrator Doreen Hudson, former Commanding Officer of the Forensic Science Division (FSD) served as the Director of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Criminalistics Laboratory.  FSD is comprised of forensic scientists who respond to crime scenes, analyze evidence related to crimes and provide expert witness testimony in the disciplines of DNA, Firearms, Toxicology, Narcotics, Questioned Documents and Trace Evidence. The laboratory is fully accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Director’s Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB - ANAB) ISO 17025 as a Forensic Testing and Breath Alcohol calibration Laboratory. 

Ms. Hudson is a veteran forensic scientist and crime scene investigator with more than 40 years of service.  Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from California State University Fullerton, and she is a continuing student and instructor in organizational leadership and crime scene management.  She is also an instructor emeritus for the Institute for Criminal Investigation and taught in the LAPD and Los Angeles Fire Department Leadership Programs.

Ms. Hudson is a member of the American Society of Crime Lab Directors, the California Association of Crime Lab Directors and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, where she has served on their Firearms Committee from 2003 until her retirement in 2017.  She was an ASCLD/LAB Legacy Inspector and ASCLD/LAB ISO 17025 International Program Assessor.

Director Hudson has performed scientific research and authored technical publications on firearm evidence, less-lethal weapon systems, case management, latent fingerprint development, footwear identification and crime scene management.  In 2000, she researched, tested and helped redesign a safer beanbag impact munitions platform, which remains in service today.  In 2003 she developed and implemented the LAPD Walk-in Wednesday program to enhance the effectiveness of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) in Los Angeles.  The program was very successful, highly awarded and brought international attention to the LAPD’s innovative approaches to fighting violent crime.  In her retirement, she rescues homeless pets and volunteers for the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society and enjoys her family, friends and four-legged companions.

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Melanie Pullen

Melanie Pullen’s artwork has been shown in major museums and galleries internationally: it is permanently in the holdings of many of the most prominent public and private collections around the world. Pullen’s work is included in The Getty Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography. Her artwork is heavily influenced by early forensic photography, war journalism, cinema and fashion. To create her acclaimed body of work, High Fashion Crime Scenes, she received extensive help from the Los Angeles County Coroner and was given liberal access to the LAPD’s early crime files.

She has been featured in hundreds of publications including: The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Esquire Magazine, ELLE Magazine, London’s Sunday Independent, Spin Magazine, W Magazine, Flaunt Magazine, 1814 Magazine, and Vanity Fair. Additionally, she has published two photography books, which received critical acclaim.

Pullen’s work is scheduled to be exhibited through 2020, in The Getty Museum, the MOAH Museum, the Leica Museum and Mexico’s MUSA Museum of Contemporary Art. 

Melanie was awarded the D&AD Yellow Pencil Award, which is internationally regarded as the most prestigious award in art and design.

 

 

Photo of B. Yorker

 

Beatrice Yorker, JD, RN, MS, FAAN is a Professor of Nursing, and Criminal Justice and Criminalistics at California State University, Los Angeles. She is a child psychiatric nurse and an attorney who has published on Munchausen by Proxy child abuse and serial murder by healthcare providers. She held faculty positions at Emory University, Georgia State University and Morehouse School of Medicine and was the Director of the School of Nursing at San Francisco State University before becoming the Dean of Health and Human Services at CalState LA.