Andrea Bexell, CFI Related Seminars and Products

Deputy State Fire Marshall

MN State Fire Marshal Division

Andrea Bexell has been a Deputy State Fire Marshal Investigator since 2009, and the External Training Coordinator for the MN State Fire Marshal Division since 2023. She lives in the NW corner of the state, but travels all over to instruct public safety on the science of fire investigation.

Like most of the MN State Fire Marshal Investigators, Andrea is one of less than 2000 Certified Fire Investigators through the International Association of Arson Investigators in the world. When she's not playing with fire and blowing things up, Andrea plays with horses on her 84-acre ranch.

Jessica L. Campbell, Ph.D, D-ABFA Related Seminars and Products

Forensic Anthropologist

Hennepin County Medical Examiner

Dr. Campbell is a board-certified forensic anthropologist with over 13 years of forensic casework experience currently serving at the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office. In this current role, she analyzes recent deaths, decomposed, and skeletal remains for identification, skeletal trauma, and pathological conditions, conducts scene searches and recoveries, and reassesses long-term unidentified remains for resolution. Originally from the Southern Minnesota/Wisconsin region, Dr. Campbell has previously worked to resolved unidentified persons from previous conflicts with the Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), and with Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences researching methods for scientific identification using medical imaging.

Stefan Gingerich MS Related Seminars and Products

Sr Epidemiologist

MN Department of Health

As senior epidemiologist with the Injury and Violence Prevention Section at the Minnesota Department of Health, Stefan is principal investigator on the Minnesota Violent Death Reporting System, and analyzes the epidemiology of suicide, homicide, and firearm violence. Prior to MDH, Stefan worked as a public health microbiologist at the University Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa and as senior research analyst for StayWell, studying best practices in employee health management and helping employers improve the health of their employees. Stefan studied music at the University of Evansville and earned a Master of Science in epidemiology from the University of Iowa. He enjoys travel with his wife, Stephanie, and their two children, singing with the Minnesota Chorale, playing baseball, and reading.

Aaron J. Hetrick Related Seminars and Products

Medical Examiner Technician

Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office

Aaron Hetrick has been a technician for the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office for 5 years. On a daily basis, he is responsible for the intake, processing, and release of decedents, property and evidence, assisting with autopsy examinations, and using radiology and fingerprinting techniques to obtain positive identifications on the deceased.

Kirk Hughes, RN, NREMT, CSPI Related Seminars and Products

Professional Educator/Poison Specialist

MN Regional Poison Center

Kirk Hughes is an RN working as a Certified Specialist in Poison Information and Education Director for the Minnesota Poison Control System since 2000 and has managed over 98,000 tox-related cases. He retired from the Fire Service after 27 years in July 2022. He has also worked as an Investigator for the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office and provided Expert Witness services for the Hennepin County Prosecutors office. His publications appear in the American Journal of Perinatology, Case Reports in Clinical Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Toxicology.

Owen Middleton, M.D. Related Seminars and Products

Assistant Chief Medical Examiner

Hennepin County Medical Examiner

Dr. Owen Middleton is a graduate of the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. He is board-certified in anatomic, clinical, and forensic pathology. He is a fellow of the American Society for Clinical Pathology and the College of American Pathologists. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, having previously served as the Chair of the Academy’s Pathology/Biology section. He is a fellow of the National Association of Medical Examiners, having previously served on the Board of Directors. Dr. Middleton began practicing as a full-time forensic pathologist with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2007. He was appointed to the position of Assistant Chief Medical Examiner in 2014.

Susan J. Roe, M.D. Related Seminars and Products

Clinical Professor of Pathology

University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Susan J. Roe, M.D. attended medical school in Houston, Texas. Her anatomic and clinical pathology training was at Indiana University and Hennepin County Medical Center. Her forensic pathology fellowship was at Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office and her cardiovascular fellowship was at the Jesse E. Edwards Registry of Cardiovascular Disease. She has worked at medical examiner’s offices in Minnesota and Texas, and is currently Clinical Professor of Pathology at University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Mary Ann Sens, M.D., Ph.D Related Seminars and Products

Mary Ann Sens was born in a rural community outside Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University and completed a PhD in Physical Inorganic Chemistry at the University of South Carolina. Following post-doctoral studies at USC and Harvard, Dr. Sens matriculated at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, obtaining an MD and then continuing for post-graduate training in Pathology, remaining on MUSC faculty for several years in forensic, general autopsy pathology, and renal, cardiac, and transplant surgical pathology. She came to ND in 2002 as Professor and Chair of Pathology at UND, developing a forensic and autopsy pathology service for the NW corner of MN, part of ND with additional referrals from Coroners in MN and SD.  Her interest in sudden infant deaths stems from her participation in a 12-year, international study of sudden infant death and stillbirths in 12,000 pregnancies in the Northern Plains of USA and Cape Town, South Africa. Dr. Sens is the author of a popular book in Forensic Pathology, in addition to over 150 peer-reviewed manuscripts, multiple book chapters, and on-line learning activities.

Philosophy:  Forensic pathology is the O negative of medicine, encompassing all humans – we see the worst and the best in humans. It is the most inclusive practice in all of medicine; we all die, passing through some mandated death system. However, few people, if any, "select" their home based on the quality of the death investigation. In this system, with minimal selection bias and potentially 100% inclusion, forensic pathology has unparalleled opportunities for determining outcomes and identifying inequities. Public and family health are vital practice components in forensic pathology.

Mandy Stafford, Licensed Funeral Director Related Seminars and Products

National Partnership Manager

Return Home

Mandy brings nearly 15 years of experience as a licensed funeral director in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, dedicating her career to compassionate, personalized death care. Her journey into green death care began with the development of natural burial offerings and grew into a passion for sustainable practices. This passion ultimately led her to Return Home, where she now serves as a preneed coordinator and national partnership manager, helping families plan for eco-friendly, meaningful end-of-life care and funeral homes understand how to offer terramation. 

Mandy recently returned to the family farm in southern Minnesota, where she balances rural life with her dedication to the funeral profession. She continues to contribute her expertise to advancing green death care and supporting families through their unique journeys with Return Home. When not working, Mandy enjoys spending time outdoors—fishing, hunting, camping, and traveling with her family and friends.

Selly Strauch, M.D., FCAP Related Seminars and Products

Clinical Assistant Professor

Department of Pathology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota

Dr. Selly Strauch is a forensic pathologist, Clinical Assistant Professor and Interim Chair of the Pathology Department at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dr. Stauch was born in Hammond, Indiana and spent her undergraduate education years at the University of Evansville. She attended medical school at the American University if the Caribbean, allowing her to learn various aspects of medicine. She completed an Anatomical and Clinical Pathology Residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, then completed her forensic pathology fellowship at Wake Forest University. She has served at medical examiners offices in Florida, Mississippi, and lastly at Texas where she was Chief Forensic Pathologist (of two concurrent offices) for the past five years. She serves on numerous child fatality review boards. In her free time, she participates in many dog rescues and volunteers at her daughter’s Girl Scouts.

Natalie Taylor, M.D., MS Related Seminars and Products

Deputy Medical Examiner

Dane County Medical Examiner's Office

Dr. Natalie Taylor received her Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science from Winona State University. She subsequently obtained a Master of Science degree in kinesiology with a focus in exercise physiology from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, later becoming a research fellow in the Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory studying lung physiology. She earned her medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, where she remained to complete an Anatomic/Clinical Pathology residency. She completed a Forensic Pathology fellowship at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.

Dr. Taylor is board certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic, Clinical, and Forensic Pathology. She is a member of multiple professional organizations including the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), where she serves on the ad hoc-postmortem imaging committee, and American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She is currently a Deputy Medical Examiner at the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office in McFarland, WI.

Taylor Wencel Related Seminars and Products

Intelligence Specialist

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relations Office

Taylor Wencel has spent several years working with domestic violence and sexual assault, and human trafficking victim/survivors to help individuals with case management needs and community resources. Taylor also has experience working with protocol development with law enforcement, social workers, and community providers, while hosting multi-disciplinary. She also has experience working with domestic violence offenders and providing psycho-educational classes to help prevent the spread of the epidemic of violence within communities. Holding a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice/sociology from Minnesota State University Moorhead, Taylor has collaborated with the North Dakota Human Trafficking Task Force, providing vital case management support to victims/survivors. In 2021, Taylor transitioned to Minnesota, serving the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) Victim specialist for the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force (MNHITF) with The LINK program for a year. Taylor has been the Education Coordinator for the MN BCA Predatory Crimes Section, has designed and delivered training programs and workshops for law enforcement, social workers, schools, and community members on topics related to crime prevention, victim support, human trafficking, as well as Internet Crimes Against Children and sextortion education. Taylor is now the Intelligence Specialist for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office for the state of Minnesota. She helps with technical assistance, data collection, analysis of cases, trainings, and is the subject matter expert for human trafficking for the office.