Event

Natasha Alexenko

Natasha Alexenko is a victim and survivor of sexual assault. In 1993, she was a 20-year-old college student living in New York City when she was violently raped at gunpoint. She reported the rape to police and had a kit collected. After nearly a decade, Alexenko's untested rape kit was finally processed, and her rapist, who roamed free for nearly 15 years, was brought to justice. In 2011, she founded Natasha's Justice Project to help end the national rape kit backlogged and empower and assist survivors of sexual assault. She is the author of the book A survivor's journey from victim to advocate, where she shares the arduous healing journey from victim to a national advocate for survivors. Natasha presently lives in New York with her husband Scott, mother Nevart, and their dogs Piper and Toby.

Nikia Johnson

Nikia C. Johnson is a Forensic DNA Subject Matter Expert in the Center for Forensic Science Advancement and Application at RTI International. Prior to joining RTI, Ms. Johnson spent 19 years as a qualified analyst in forensic serology examinations and forensic DNA analysis at the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences and Tetracore, Inc. Ms. Johnson's experience also includes serving as training coordinator and training manager overseeing training and development within a forensic biology unit and within a multidisciplinary local government agency specializing in crime scene investigations, forensic science laboratory work, and public health laboratory work. Ms. Johnson obtained a BS in Biology from the Univ. of Maryland-Eastern Shore and received a MS in Forensic Molecular Biology from the State University of New York-Albany.

Jordan Satinsky

Captain Jordan Satinsky started in law enforcement in 1999. Presently, Captain Satinsky is the Director of the Montgomery County Police Department's Community Engagement Division (CED). Over the course of his career, Captain Satinsky has worked as a homicide investigator, adult sex crimes investigator, child sexual/physical abuse investigator, a district investigator, and was a member of a federal task force. Captain Satinsky has served as the creator and supervisor of the Sexual Assault Unit. He also was responsible for re-developing the Domestic Violence Unit and the Elder/Vulnerable Adult Unit of the Montgomery County Police Department. Captain Satinsky further led the transition of several units of the police department to the Family Justice Center.

Captain Satinsky holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland at College Park in Criminology and Criminal Justice. He also holds a master's degree from in Criminal Justice from Boston University.

Marya Simmons

Marya L. Simmons is the Founder and CEO of Shift in Notion Consulting, LLC, where she provides technical assistance and training to diverse audiences and communities on sexual assault, trauma-informed and victim-centered best-practice approaches, domestic violence, victim advocacy, human trafficking, strengthening multi-disciplinary teams and leadership techniques, life-skills and self-sufficiency, and supporting families of homicide victims.

Ms. Simmons has presented on a national and international level, she is a Subject Matter Expert in victim advocacy with RTI International, and she obtained a Master's degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Tiffin University with honors. In her current role as the Director of Services at the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center, she oversees the daily operations of the battered women's shelter and provides leadership and management to all programs and services provided by the agency.

Previously, Ms. Simmons was the Operations Manager at Canopy Child Advocacy Center and the Victim-Witness Unit Supervisor at the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, where she supported victims and witnesses throughout the judicial system process. Prior to joining the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, she was a Justice System Advocate for victims of sexual assault at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center where she supported survivors of sexual assault in that role. Marya is adept to working with diverse populations, providing crisis intervention, and supporting individuals who are diagnosed with chemical/alcohol dependency and mental health illnesses.

Ms. Simmons is a Registered Advocate with Senior Standing with the State of Ohio, was an active member the Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Response Team from 2011 to 2021, actively supported victims associated with Cuyahoga County's CODIS Task Force (Untested Rape Kit Initiative) from 2013 through 2018, and she received the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office's Award for Distinguished Contributions to Victim Advocacy.

Kelly Taylor

Ms. Kelly Taylor is a registered nurse, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and Forensic Healthcare Examiner. She currently serves as the Forensic Healthcare Program Manager at a medical center in North Carolina. She began her career in emergency and trauma medicine in 2002, and her experience with both assault and non-assault related patients has built her expertise in forensic healthcare. Ms. Taylor serves as an expert witness and consultant for both the prosecution and defense in sexual assault, physical assault, domestic violence, and strangulation cases. In addition to clinical practice and program management, she instructs law enforcement, advocacy, medical and legal professionals as part of a multidisciplinary approach to assault and abuse cases. Ms. Taylor's areas of expertise include medical and forensic healthcare, evidence collection, forensic healthcare testimony, drug facilitated sexual assault, intimate partner violence, strangulation, and the neurobiology of trauma/trauma-informed interviewing. Ms. Taylor attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and studied a pre-nursing curriculum and graduated from Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in Charlotte, NC in December 2001. She is certified as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner through the International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Lindsey Wade

Lindsey Wade joined RTI International as a law enforcement specialist assigned to SAKI TTA and Forensics TTA in 2023. Prior to this, she served as a Tacoma. Washington Police Officer for twenty-one years. During her career, she investigated sexual assaults, child abuse, missing persons, and homicides. In 2010, Lindsey first became aware of the issue known today as Lawfully Owed DNA when she discovered that serial killer Ted Bundy was not in CODIS. She worked with authorities in Florida to track down a sample of Bundy's DNA and it was finally entered into the national DNA database in 2011. In 2018, Lindsey, along with other Tacoma Police Detectives and the FBI, solved two 32-year-old cold case child homicides thanks to advances in DNA technology, Forensic Genetic Genealogy, and good old fashioned police work. After retiring in 2018 as the Tacoma Police Department's cold case detective, Lindsey joined the Washington State Attorney General's Office as a Senior Investigator assigned to the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. She is a former member of the FBI ViCAP National Advisory Board and teaches child abduction response and cold case investigations for the National Criminal Justice Training Center at Fox Valley Technical College.

John Wilkinson

As an Attorney Advisor with AEquitas, John presents on trial strategy, legal analysis and policy, and ethical issues related to violence against women at the local, state, national and international level. He conducts research; develops training materials, resources, and publications; and provides case consultation and technical assistance for prosecutors and allied professionals. John has presented extensively on the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking both in the United States and abroad. John's international work includes developing and implementing trainings for police, prosecutors, judges and allied professionals in national and international conferences in Cameroon, South Africa, Fiji, France, Brazil, and Egypt. Prior to working with AEquitas, John was the Program Manager for the Gun Violence Prosecution Program, Homeland Security Program and Southwest Border Crime Program of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), where he traveled extensively throughout the United States presenting on gun and gang violence and homeland security issues. He also regularly collaborated with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to bring data-driven best practices to criminal justice professionals. Under his direction, the Homeland Security Program created a unique counter-terrorism training program for prosecutors and probation/parole officers. Additionally, his Southwest Border Crime Program created a curriculum for prosecutors and allied professionals covering all aspects of the Drug Cartel Business Model and focusing on human trafficking, human smuggling, drug and gun trafficking, home invasions and kidnappings and undocumented immigrant victim/witness issues. From 1998 through 2005, John served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Fredericksburg, VA prosecuting cases involving intimate partner violence and sexual assault, including cases of campus sexual assaults and domestic violence homicide. He also served on the Fredericksburg Area Sexual Assault Response Team and prosecuted child sexual and physical abuse and neglect cases and infant homicides. He assisted in the development of the Mary Washington Hospital Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program. Additionally, John competed Virginia's Top Gun Investigation and Prosecution of Drug Cases course and prosecuted numerous drug- and firearm-related offenses. He was a regular lecturer at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy and spoke at the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys. From 1994 to 1998, John served as an Assistant Public Defender in Fredericksburg, VA, representing indigent clients in matters ranging from first-degree murder to summary offenses. In 1997 he was presented the Phillip M. Sadler Award for excellence in public defense. From 1991 to 1994, John worked at the Offices of William E. Gardner in Fairfax, VA, primarily engaged in criminal defense and civil litigation. John received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech and his law degree from the College of William and Mary Law School. He is an active member of the Virginia Bar.