CFSO Board of Directors Biographies
Matthew J. Gamette M.S., C.P.M (Chair)
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors
Mr. Gamette is the Laboratory System Director for the three labs of the Idaho State Police Forensic Services. Mr. Gamette did undergraduate work in Zoology and graduate work in Microbiology at Brigham Young University Mr. Gamette holds laboratory leadership and management certificates through West Virginia University Forensic Management Academy and the University of California at Davis, and graduated as a Certified Public Manager in the Idaho program. Mr. Gamette interned with the Utah State Crime Lab in Salt Lake City, Utah. He worked in the Spokane Laboratory of the Washington State Patrol from 2002 to 2008 as a biologist/DNA scientist and crime scene responder. He was promoted to Forensic Scientist 4 (Spokane DNA Technical Lead) in 2008. He has trained hundreds of detectives, crime scene responders, forensic nurses, and first responders in the collection of biological evidence. Mr. Gamette started his career with the Idaho State Police (ISP) in late 2008 as the Laboratory Improvement Manager/Quality Manager for the laboratory system. He was promoted to ISP Laboratory System Director in July 2014. Mr. Gamette served as an elected board member of the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) for over seven years and served as President from 2018-2019. He Chaired or Co-chaired several ASCLD committees including Finance, Symposium Planning, Advocacy, the Sexual Assault Kit Task Force, and the ASCLD Accreditation Initiative. He currently serves as the Co-chair of the ASCLD Advocacy Committee and leads the ASCLD Accreditation Initiative. He was a certified assessor with the American Society of Crime Lab Directors-Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB), and has performed DNA laboratory assessments all over the United States as a certified FBI DNA assessor. He is also an audit panel reviewer for the FBI's National DNA Index System (NDIS). He was selected and served a five year term on the NIST Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) Quality Infrastructure Committee (QIC). He currently serves as an affiliate OSAC member on the FSSB Terminology Task Group. He was selected by the US Department of Justice to participate as a member on the Forensic Laboratory Needs-Technology Working Group (FLN-TWG) where he currently serves. He is a member of the editorial board for the prestigious journal Forensic Science International-Synergy. He is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), Northwest Association of Forensic Scientists (NWAFS), American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD), and Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM).
Kenneth F. Martin, M.S., CLPE (Vice-Chair, Treasurer)
International Association for Identification
Kenneth Martin retired as a Detective Lieutenant and Commanding Officer of the Crime Scene Services Section (CSSS) of the Massachusetts State Police after serving with the department for almost 33 years. Mr. Martin then became the Quality Assurance Manager for the New York City Police Department Latent Fingerprint Section for two years. Mr. Martin is a past president of the International Association for Identification (IAI) and is presently the IAI's representative to the Consortium of Forensic Sciences (CFSO). In addition to lecturing to various audiences and having been published in the Journal of Forensic Identification, he is certified by the International Association for Identification as a Footwear Examiner, Bloodstain Pattern Analyst, Senior Crime Scene Analyst and Crime Scene Reconstructionist. He has served as a member of various working groups including the Scientific Working Group on Friction Ridge Analysis, Study and Technology (SWGFAST). Mr. Martin has also served as a member of the Scientific Working Group on Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (SWGSTAIN), the NIJ/NIST Expert Working Group on Human Factors in Latent Print Analysis. He currently serves on the Bloodstain Pattern Analysis and Crime Scene Investigation working groups of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences' Academy Standards Board. Mr. Martin has a B.A. in Biology; a B.S. in Criminal Justice; a M.S. in Criminal Justice and is a graduate of the FBI's National Academy 192nd session. Currently, he works as a private examiner with Bevel, Gardner and Associates. He has taught Bloodstain Pattern Analysis for the Biomedical Forensic Sciences Program since 2007.
Timothy P. Rohrig, Ph.D., F-ABFT
Society of Forenic Toxicologists/American Board of Forensic Toxicology
Dr. Rohrig is currently the Director of the Sedgwick County [Kansas] Regional Forensic Science Center. He also holds the positions of Director, Forensic Science Laboratories and Chief Toxicologist at the Center. Prior to joining the Center he was Director of Laboratories at the Center for Forensic Sciences, Onondaga County, NY. Dr. Rohrig was previously, Vice President - Director of Toxicology of Osborn Laboratories, and Chief Toxicologist - Laboratory Director for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of Oklahoma. During his tenure in Oklahoma, he was a consultant to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Crime Laboratory. Other previous positions include Toxicologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of West Virginia and Chief Toxicologist for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation's Forensic Science Laboratory. Dr. Rohrig holds the academic position of Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice and Forensic Science at Wichita State University and is a visiting professor in the Erasmus Mundus Master's program at the University of Lincoln [United Kingdom]. He has previously held the academic positions of Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology at SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse, NY and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Oklahoma, Health Sciences Center-College of Pharmacy. Dr. Rohrig holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, a Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences, with an emphasis in the areas of Pharmacology/Toxicology, and is board certified by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology. Dr. Rohrig also holds a current New York State Laboratory Director License [Certificate of Qualification] for Clinical and Forensic Toxicology. He had served [1990 – 2011] as a Laboratory Inspector and Team Leader for the U.S. Government's National Laboratory Certification Program. He also was previously an inspector for the College of American Pathologists Forensic Urine Drug Testing program. Dr. Rohrig has authored over twenty peer-reviewed articles and given numerous scientific oral presentations in the field of toxicology. Dr. Rohrig is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the past Chairman and Secretary of the Toxicology Section. In 2009, Dr. Rohrig was honored to receive the Rolla N. Harger Award for outstanding contributions to the field of Forensic Toxicology. He was the past President [1992/93] of the Southwestern Association of Toxicologists and held other leadership positions in the organization. Dr. Rohrig was the President (2006) and past Vice President and past Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for the Society of Forensic Toxicologists [SOFT]. He is also a member of several other professional organizations; including the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. Dr. Rohrig sits on SOFT's Drug Facilitated Crime [previously Sexual Assault] Committee, chairing the Technical Guidance sub-committee. He currently serves on the Sedgwick County Methamphetamine Lab Kids Initiative Task Force. Dr. Rohrig was previously a member and Vice Chair of the New York Crime Laboratory Advisory Committee and Wichita Area SANE/SART Advisory Committee. He served two three year terms on the Board of Directors for the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center. Dr. Rohrig's current research interests include postmortem distribution of drugs, interpretive postmortem toxicology, effects of embalming and decomposition on postmortem toxicological results, oral fluid drug analyses and the effects of drugs on human performance.
Kenneth E. Melson
American Academy of Forensic Sciences
Kenneth E. Melson currently works for the Inspector General's Office of the U.S. Postal Service advising the Office of Investigation on legal matters relating to its administrative and criminal cases. Prior to retiring from the U.S. Department of Justice in 2012, he was the Senior Advisor on Forensic Science in the Office of Legal Policy. He also served as a co-chair of the Subcommittee on Forensic Science, Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council within the Executive Office of the President. In April of 2009, he was named as Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) by President Obama, where he served until August of 2011. Prior to his service at ATF, Mr. Melson was appointed by the Attorney General as the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) in 2007, where he was responsible for administrative oversight of the 94 U.S. Attorneys Offices and for liaison between the U.S. Attorneys and other Federal agencies and Department of Justice (DOJ) components. Prior to being Director of EOUSA, Mr. Melson worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia beginning in 1983. He became the First Assistant United States Attorney in 1986, a post he held until his departure in 2007. Several times during his career, including on September 11, 2001, he served as the United States Attorney. He was also a state prosecutor for ten years. Mr. Melson is a Past President of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and a past chair of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents. He was the Chair of the AAFS Ethics Committee and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Forensic Sciences. He is currently serving on the NIST Expert Human Factors Working Group on Handwriting Examination. Mr. Melson represented the Department of Justice as a board member of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) for over a decade. He has been an adjunct professor at The George Washington University for over 35 years, teaching law and forensic science courses at both the law school and the Department of Forensic Sciences, and has published in scientific texts and legal journals.
Yale H. Caplan, Ph.D., D-ABFT
American Board of Forensic Toxicology
Dr. Yale H. Caplan received his Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy (1963) and Ph.D. degree in Medicinal Chemistry (1968) from the University of Maryland at Baltimore (School of Pharmacy). Following appointment as Research Associate and Supervisor in experimental toxicology at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Dr. Caplan came to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (State of Maryland) as an Assistant Toxicologist in 1969 and served as Chief Toxicologist and Scientific Director of the State of Maryland's Alcohol Testing Program (1974-1991). He was Director of Toxicology and Forensic Toxicology for Quest Diagnostics, Incorporated (formerly Maryland Medical Laboratory) in Baltimore (1977-1999). He was Laboratory Director for the State of Maryland, Division of Parole and Probation (1999-2012). Dr. Caplan is currently a consulting forensic toxicologist and CLIA Director at Smithers Avanza Pharmaceutical Services. He is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and a consultant for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (SAMHSA) Division of Workplace Programs and Aegis Sciences Corporation. He is a member of the Forensic Laboratory Accreditation Committee for the State of Maryland. Dr. Caplan's professional activities and awards include: President of the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board (2008-2012); President of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (1988-2008) and recipient of the Board's Distinguished Service Award; President of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (1987-1988), previously holding other offices including Chairman of the Toxicology Section, and recipient of the Academy's Rolla N. Harger Award (1989) for outstanding contributions to forensic toxicology and the Distinguished Fellow Award (1996) for a lifetime of service to the forensic sciences profession; President of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (1981); Chairman (1991-1993) of the National Safety Council's Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs (now Alcohol and Drug Impairment Division) and the recipient of the Council's Robert F. Borkenstein Award (2000); Chairman of the Maryland Section of the American Chemical Society (1973) and recipient of the 1994 Maryland Chemist Award. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Analytical Toxicology. He serves as an advisor to attorneys and companies regarding alcohol and drug testing issues.
Christopher R. Thompson, M.D.
American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
Dr. Thompson has been the Medical Director for the Juvenile Justice Mental Health Program and Director of Juvenile Court Mental Health Services of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health for the past seven years. For the five years prior to this, he treated youth in Los Angeles County's juvenile halls and camps. He is Board Certified in General Psychiatry, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. He is also a Certified Correctional Health Professional of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).
Dr. Thompson completed his General and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residencies at UCLA and his Forensic Psychiatry Residency at UC Davis. He is actively involved in organized psychiatry and is the President of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) and a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS). In the past, he served as Co-Chair of the California Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry's (Cal-ACAP's) Government Affairs and Advocacy Committee and is the President-Elect of Cal-ACAP.
Additionally, Dr. Thompson is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He teaches both the forensic and child & adolescent psychiatry fellows. He also gives lectures on child forensic psychiatric topics to second-year child & adolescent psychiatry fellows and forensic psychiatry fellows at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Jonathan L. Arden, MD (Secretary)
National Association of Medical Examiners
Dr. Jonathan L. Arden is President of Arden Forensics, PC, which provides consultation and expert witness services in forensic pathology and medicine. He is also a part-time forensic pathologist with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of West Virginia.
Dr. Arden has practiced forensic pathology for over 35 years. He received his MD degree from the University of Michigan. He completed training in anatomic pathology at the New York University Medical Center, and in forensic pathology at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland. He was certified in both anatomic and forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology. He has served as a medical examiner in Suffolk County, NY, the State of Delaware, and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner for New York City where he finished his tenure as the First Deputy Chief Medical Examiner. He also served as the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia.
Dr. Arden is an active member of the National Association of Medical Examiners. He currently serves as its Chairman of the Board of Directors and is a member of its Executive Committee. He also chairs the NAME By-Laws committee.