Heather McKiernan, Ph.D.

Dr. Heather McKiernan is the Senior Manager of Forensics at RTI International and serves as the Forensic Services Program Manager for NamUs. She is an accomplished professional with experience spanning academia, research, casework, and executive leadership as a Laboratory Director overseeing operations. Throughout her career, she has worked to develop best practices for forensic evidence collection, testing, interpretation, and presentation in court. Dr. McKiernan is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG), and a member of the Vidocq cold case investigation unit. She has served as a guest editor for the journal Forensic Science International: Genetics, co-chair of the 2022 ISFG Congress, as a member of the OSAC Biological Data and Reporting Subcommittee, and past president of the Council of Forensic Science Educators (COFSE). She has authored peer-reviewed publications and served as an invited speaker at both national and international scientific conferences.