Meet Your Instructors
Ashley Church has always had a passion for forensic science and chased her dream job as a crime scene investigator throughout high school and college, where she studied forensic science and entomology. Upon completing her education, Ashley began her career in 2013 as a Crime Scene Investigator for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida. In addition to her duties as a Crime Scene Investigator, she was a field training officer responsible for training new crime scene investigators.
In 2017, she became a Forensic Technician for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in Kissimmee, Florida. In 2018, she was promoted to Forensic Supervisor and was responsible for supervising members of the Forensic Unit and Pre-Screening DNA Laboratory as well as training staff in these forensic disciplines to full competency. Ashley is currently a proud work-from-home mama and a big fan of the small town in South Carolina that the Church family calls home.
Erin West began her career in Forensics in 2006 as a Crime Scene Investigator for the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. In 2010, she became a Battlefield Forensics Instructor for the United States Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, where she was responsible for training military personnel how to use a variety of forensic disciplines to investigate crimes overseas.
In 2012, she became a Supervisor, then a Deputy Program Manager for a Department of Justice Forensic Laboratory housed at American Systems, where she was responsible for training and supervising staff working in different forensic disciplines and at different levels of management.
After leaving American Systems, she spent several years with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office in Florida working as a full time Latent Print Examiner. She was later promoted to Latent Print Supervisor as well as Forensic Supervisor, and is currently the Crime Scene Manager overseeing the Forensic Unit, Latent Print Unit and Evidence Unit.
In 2010, he became an instructor for Six3 Systems, teaching Battlefield Forensics to U.S. Army soldiers that were preparing for deployment overseas. In 2013, he transitioned to a Supervisory position on a DOJ Contract with American Systems, overseeing Forensic professionals that were processing items of evidence coming back from overseas in a laboratory setting. Shortly after beginning at American Systems, Bryan was promoted into one of the Deputy Program Manager positions over the laboratory. In this position, he was responsible for managing and overseeing the functioning of the Forensic laboratory and supervising in excess of 100 personnel at any given time.
Bryan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Management and Ethics from John Wesley College and has attended/instructed over 3,700 hours of Crime Scene/Forensics, Law Enforcement and Management Related Training throughout the course of his career.
Ken Pomeranz has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement serving the San Diego Police Dept., the Las Vegas Police Dept., Adams County Sheriff’s Office (Colorado), Lakewood Police Dept. (Colorado) and currently the Phoenix Police Dept. He is a highly decorated officer (retired) who was shot in the line of duty.
Ken earned his Master's Degree in forensic science and is certified both as a Senior Crime Scene Analyst and as a Forensic Photographer through the IAI. He is a past president of the Rocky Mountain Division of the IAI (RMDIAI) and is currently a vice-president for the Arizona Identification Council. He has conducted trainings and presentations at both the international and regional levels. He is a court qualified expert in bloodstain pattern analysis, wound pattern analysis, footwear impression evidence, and crime scene analysis. He's taught forensics and criminal justice courses to police departments and universities throughout the states of Colorado, Nevada, California and Arizona.
Ken has been involved in field training programs as both a Field Training Officer and as an FTO Coordinator since the mid 90’s. He is an active member of the National Association of Field Training Officers and International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association. Ken is currently a Crime Scene Response Supervisor with the Phoenix Police Dept. and teaches at Arizona State University, University of Maryland Global Campus and Rio Salado College.
Lindsey Olson currently works at Costa Mesa Police Department as the CSI Supervisor. She has been in the field of forensic science for ten years. She was hired by CMPD in August 2019 and oversees the crime scene and latent print disciplines. She is currently completing her Masters in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership at the University of Sand Diego and is due to graduate in 2022.
Prior to working at CMPD, she worked as a Lead Forensic Specialist at Orange County Crime Lab and was hired in 2011. She was assigned to CSI field unit where she responded to major and minor crimes. She was a CSI Explorer Advisor for the Orange County Sheriff Department CSI Division from 2013 - 2019. She was an instructor at the Orange County Sheriff's Academy, University of Long Beach CSI certificate program, and enjoys giving community presentations including National Night Out and Citizens Academy. Lindsey is a member of the International Association of Identification (IAI) and Southern California Association of Fingerprint Officers (SCAFO).
Michael Kessler is the Forensics & Public Safety Manager for the Denton Police Department where he leads the Forensics & Public Safety Division. He holds a BA in Criminal Justice with Forensics Concentration from American Public University and a Professional Science Master’s Degree in Forensic Science from Florida International University. Michael is the current Vice Chair of the NIST OSAC for Forensic Science Scene Examination Scientific Area Committee (SAC), the former Chair of the Crime Scene Investigation Subcommittee, and serves as the founding Chair of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Standards Board (ASB) Crime Scene Investigation Consensus Body (CSI CB).
He has been an IAI Certified Crime Scene Analyst since 2007. Following nine years in law enforcement and crime scene investigation, he became a biometric and forensic exploitation subject matter expert supporting the U.S. Department of Defense at home and abroad. Mr. Kessler was the project manager and co-author of the Five Eyes Forensic and Technical Exploitation Handbook published in 2019 and has co-authored book chapters and articles in peer reviewed journals.