Forensic Testing Services

OUR STAFF

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CHRISTOPHER BOMMARITO, M.S.
Christopher Bommarito is the technical leader and forensic scientist for Forensic Science Consultants. He retired from his role as a forensic scientist in trace evidence with the Michigan State Police in 2011 after a 20 year career and an additional two and a half years as a forensic chemist with the Drug Enforcement Administration. His areas of expertise include the analysis of paint, glass, filaments, explosives, drugs, impression evidence, crime scene reconstruction and bloodstain pattern analysis. In addition to his work with FSC, DEA and the Michigan State Police, Mr. Bommarito has taught graduate courses in forensic science as an adjunct professor at Michigan State University and the Michigan State University College of Law. Mr. Bommarito has testified as an expert over 250 times in eight different states and Canada. He was named “outstanding scientist” at the 2003 meeting of the Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (MAFS), an organization of over 1000 forensic scientists from 35 states. In 2007-08, Mr. Bommarito served as president of MAFS. In 2007, he was selected to the Scientific Working Group for Materials Analysis (SWGMAT), a U.S. Department of Justice sponsored international group of trace examiners that sets international standards for trace evidence analysis. In 2016, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) presented Mr. Bommarito with the Paul L. Kirk Award. This award is the highest honor given by the Criminalistics Section of the Academy. Mr. Bommarito also was a founding member and past-president of the American Society of Trace Evidence Examiners (ASTEE). In 2014, Mr. Bommarito was appointed by the federal government as one of 15 members of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) Chemistry and Instrumental Analysis Committee, the NIST-administered body that seeks to strengthen forensic science through the identification and development of consistant standards and guidelines. This committee is charged with oversight of subcommittees in Trace Evidence, Drug Analysis, Gunshot Residue Analysis, Fire Debris Analysis, Explosives Analysis, Toxicology, and Geological Materials Analysis. In 2021, Mr. Bommarito was appointed my Gov. Grethchen Whitmer to the State of Michigan Forensic Science Task Force. In 2022, he was appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to the State of Virginia Forensic Science Scientific Area Committee.
KRISTY SEKEDAT, M.S.
Kristy Sekedat received her B.S. in Chemistry from Michigan State University in 2001 and her M.S. in Forensic Science from John Jay College in 2010. During graduate school, she conducted research at the FBI Counter Terrorism Forensic Science Research Unit, where she received an ORISE grant to analyze U.S. currency for trace amounts of cocaine using LC-MS. Kristy is an 8-year veteran of the New York City Police Department Crime Laboratory. As a Criminalist in the Hair and Fiber Unit, she worked on hundreds of cases ranging from high-profile homicides and rapes, to pattern robberies and burglaries. She has been deemed an expert for the City of New York in hair evidence and trace evidence collection. During her time at the NYPD Lab, Kristy was involved with several research projects such as the Biotracks Project, which was a grant-funded study investigating recidivism patterns by analyzing DNA evidence from robberies and burglaries. Kristy Sekedat was also an instructor for the NYPD Homicide Investigations Course, and at the Police Academy where she taught the Criminalistics course for detectives of the NYPD Detective Bureaus. Currently, Kristy is a Forensic Supervisor of the trace evidence unit of the Northviille Laboratory of the Michigan State Police. She has also worked for several years in the controlled substance unit of the MSP. Due to her dual employment with the Michigan State Police, Kristy cannot perform casework in criminal matters within the State of Michigan
 

KARL SUNI, B.S.
Karl Suni received a B.S. in Biochemistry from Michigan State University in 1984. Prior to his work with FSC, he was employed as a Forensic Scientist for over 33 years in the Forensic Science Division of the Michigan State Police in both the Controlled Substances and Trace Evidence units. His areas of expertise include drug analysis, chemical unknowns and adulterants, paint, explosives, filaments and impression evidence. He has extensive experience in crime scene processing and evidence collection. During his time with MSP he was qualified as an expert in the above disciplines and testified over three-hundred times in state and federal courts.

 
 

REBECCA SMITH, B.S.
Rebecca Smith received her B.S. in Biology from Central Michigan University in 2007 and her M.S. in Forensic Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2011. During graduate school, Rebecca worked full time at Weill Cornell Medical College as a certified Electron Microscopist (CEMT) and Research Specialist in the Microscopy Core Facility. She has been affiliated with NEAFS (Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists), MAFS (Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists), AFQAM (Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers), NYMS (New York Microscopical Society), and M&M (Microscopy and Microanalysis Society). Since 2015, Rebecca has been employed with Forensic Testing Services/Forensic Science Consultants and currently acts as the Forensic Science Proficiency Test Program Manager, among other roles.

 
 

GABBY ROBBINS, B.S.


Gabby Robbins received her Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from Michigan State University in 2021. She has been employed as the Laboratory Technician for FTS/FSC since 2021 and has since become affiliated with organizations such as the Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists (MAFS) and the Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM).

 
 

DAVID STEPHENS, M.S.

David Stephens is an Executive in Residence at Michigan State University. He is retired from the Michigan State Police after a long career as a Laboratory Director and Trace Evidence Analyst. His areas of expertise include the analysis of hair, fibers, impression and biological evidence. In addition to his work with our company, Michigan State University and the Michigan State Police, David has served as a privately contracted forensic instructor for the U.S. Department of State in Uganda, Kosovo, Bosnia, Lebanon and Haiti. David has testified as an expert over 100 times in various disciplines.

 
 

DAVE SZYMANSKI, PH.D.

David Szymanski is a professor at Bentley University, a geologist and forensic scientist. As a practicing forensic scientist, David specializes in trace evidence examination and consults in both criminal and civil investigations. In geology, his research interests focus on the chemical changes that occur in magmas and rocks at the Earth’s surface. His research and teaching interests in both disciplines focus on how matter moves and changes with time and how understanding complex systems can help non-scientists solve real-world problems. David has academic research experience in college teaching and learning, attempting to understand how non-scientists learn complex systems in geology and biology. He is also interested in communicating science for policy development on issues of energy, natural resources, and climate change, most recently serving a Congressional Fellow and science policy advisor to U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) in Washington, D.C. David was formerly the director of the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Facility at Michigan State University. David was awarded the MAFS New Scientist Award for his outstanding contribution to the forensic sciences. His forensic research has been presented at meetings of the MAFS and AAFS.