A new way forward
Compass IGG & Advocacy deploys investigative genetic genealogy and advocacy services to resolve cases of unidentified missing persons.
Founded in 2025 by three executive leaders formerly with DNA Doe Project, Compass IGG & Advocacy expands upon the mission to identify the dead to include advocacy support for families of the long-term missing. As a start-up non-profit, Compass is beginning from square one to put experience into action in the field of investigative genetic genealogy.
Compass Leadership
Jennifer Randolph, AIGG, CA
Operations & Partnerships
Jennifer Randolph is an Accredited Investigative Genetic Genealogist (AIGG) and Associate Member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She holds a BA in Anthropology and an MSc in Epidemiology. Jennifer entered the field of Investigative Genetic Genealogy in February of 2018 when she joined the non-profit DNA Doe Project. She served as the Executive Director of Case Management and Operations for the organization from January 2024 to September 2025.
Jennifer has lectured throughout the United States on a variety of genealogy-related topics and has provided professional trainings in Investigative Genetic Genealogy. She has served as a facilitator for the Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate Program and as teaching faculty for DNA courses at the Texas Institute for Genealogical Research and the Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research in Georgia. She has presented at major forensic conferences, including the International Association for Identification, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the New England Seminar in Forensic Sciences, and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Conference. Jennifer is well known in the field of investigative genetic genealogy, and has worked closely with hundreds of law enforcement members, medical examiners, coroners, and forensic laboratories.
Rhonda Kevorkian, CA
Institutional Strategy & Culture
Rhonda Kevorkian is a highly accomplished Investigative Genetic Genealogist and seasoned Executive Leader, leveraging over a decade of research experience to solve complex identity cases. She began utilizing DNA in her research in 2012 and is a recognized subject matter expert in obtaining talented investigative genetic genealogists.
As an executive in the nonprofit sector, Rhonda guided strategic planning and execution across Human Resources and Education, expertly managing large-scale volunteer programs. She has extensive hands-on experience leading research teams through the intricate process of identifying unidentified human remains in cold cases. Her proficiency includes advanced genetic genealogy research, building complex family trees, and submitting comprehensive candidate presentations to law enforcement.
Rhonda has also provided professional genetic genealogy services, assisting adoptees with locating birth parents and interpreting complex DNA test results. She has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as President of the South Central Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists from 2022 through 2023.
Pam Lauritzen
Public Engagement & Advancement
Pam Lauritzen brings 25 years of leadership experience to her role at Compass. By starting in support roles with every organization on her resume, Pam developed expertise across all aspects of nonprofit management and is generally known to have strong opinions about absolutely everything from finance to messaging and from graphic design to governance.
A strategic thinker with the big picture always in mind, Pam is a detail-oriented, hands-on manager who knows exactly what she’s asking of her team because she’s done it herself. Pam proudly calls herself a “data whisperer,” often diving so deep into analytics and reporting that she forgets to eat. She becomes giddy at the prospect of writing procedures and designing processes.
Communications work comes naturally to Pam, who started telling stories at age 12 and never stopped. She is a published novelist and accomplished photographer. Applying her love of words and images to marketing for nonprofits has always felt like the most natural extension of those skills into Pam’s professional life. She is experienced in brand development, social media, and fundraising messaging.
With a strong focus on collaboration across organizations and bringing stakeholders together around a shared mission, Pam facilitates connections that advance the use of investigative genetic genealogy to resolve cases. Much more importantly, though, Pam knows that storytelling must deepen public understanding of the power of IGG to bring resolution to the families of unidentified missing persons.
Board of Directors
Compass IGG & Advocacy’s executive leadership team is joined by experts in nonprofits, law enforcement, finance, law, advocacy, foundations, marketing, and institutional advancement to form our governing Board of Directors. If you see yourself on this Board, we’d love to talk to you. Please reach out to us to start a conversation – board@compass-igg.org.
Nici Vance
Director
Dr. Nici Vance, Ph.D., brings over three decades of medicolegal investigation, scientific innovation, and victim-centered advocacy to the Board of Directors for Compass IGG & Advocacy. As Oregon’s State Forensic Anthropologist and Human Identification Program Coordinator from 2004 to 2025, she built a distinguished career resolving cold cases, establishing statewide protocols, and pioneering advanced forensic workflows.
Skeletal Biology & Forensic Expertise Holding a doctorate in Skeletal Anatomy, Dr. Vance is an expert in biological anthropology, human osteology, and skeletal trauma analysis. As Oregon’s primary forensic anthropology authority, she managed complex field recoveries, analyzed skeletonized and decomposed remains, and provided objective expert testimony in high-profile homicide prosecutions.
Pioneering IGG & Program Modernization Dr. Vance transformed Oregon’s Human Identification Program by integrating Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG), advanced DNA phenotyping, and national database auditing through NamUs. Her strategic implementation of genomic technology resolved backlogged cases spanning over half a century, restoring identities to long-unidentified victims, including historic resolutions in the Stevie Crawford, Sandra Young, Winston Maxey III, and Anne Marie Lehman cases.
Board Value & Strategic Vision On the Compass IGG & Advocacy board, Dr. Vance bridges the gap between scientific execution, policy development, and family advocacy. Her extensive background in inter-agency collaboration, law enforcement training, grant management, and ethical case administration strengthens the organization’s mission to harness genetic genealogy to solve cold cases and bring long-awaited closure to families.
Anne Scott
Director
Anne Scott has a varied background, including administrative, health and human services, pharmacology, and genealogy work. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master’s degree in Pharmacy (Neuropharmacology emphasis). In addition to her role on the Compass Board, Anne serves as a volunteer Investigative Genetic Genealogist, where she applies specialized DNA analysis and genealogical research techniques to resolve cases of unidentified missing persons. Her passion for IGG is backed by rigorous academic and practical training from leading institutions in the field. Anne completed coursework and professional training through the Ramapo College of New Jersey IGG Certificate Program and the University of New Haven Graduate Certificate in FIGG Program. Additionally, she completed the NOVA Victim Assistance Academy Certificate Program and is a Credentialed Advocate. This multidisciplinary background bridges genetic genealogy and traditional genealogical research infused with compassion for the people we identify and their families. Finally, Anne’s work as a member of the Compass Education Program team is providing critical training and mentorship to the next generation of IGG researchers.
As a member of the Board of Directors, Anne brings a volunteer perspective and an analytical approach to shaping the future of Compass.
Mark MacKizer
Director
Mark MacKizer is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent with nearly four decades of law enforcement and investigative experience. During his 27-year career with the FBI, he investigated violent crime and served in numerous operational and leadership roles before being assigned to the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit at the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime in Quantico. There, he provided behavioral and investigative analysis in complex crimes against children, with particular emphasis on missing and abducted child cases.
Throughout his career, Mark has developed extensive experience in missing-person, child abduction, homicide, and cold-case investigations. He served as a member and team leader of the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team and has worked with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and internationally on complex and unresolved investigations. Since retiring from the FBI, he has continued this work through consulting and by developing and providing training in missing-person investigations, cold-case homicides, behavioral analysis, and investigative interviewing.
Mark brings to the Compass Board an investigator’s perspective on the application of Investigative Genetic Genealogy. His experience evaluating complex investigations, developing investigative strategies, and working with law enforcement complements Compass’s genealogical and forensic expertise. He is particularly interested in the potential for IGG, when integrated with sound investigative practices, to help identify unknown decedents, advance unresolved cases, and provide answers to families of the missing.
Mark is also a Special Member of the Vidocq Society, where he continues to contribute to the review of unresolved homicide and suspicious death cases.
Amy Michael
Director
Amy Michael is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and the Director of the Forensic Anthropology Identification and Recovery (FAIR) Lab at the University of New Hampshire. She is interested in gender identity and diversity in forensic casework, human bone and tooth histology, search and recovery methods in northern New England, and collaborative approaches to resolving unidentified cold cases. With training in bioarchaeology, forensic anthropology and historical archaeology, Amy has worked on archaeological field projects in the United States, Belize and Albania. Amy has worked on forensic anthropology cases in Illinois, Idaho, Missouri, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. She is increasingly working with experts outside of anthropology (e.g., anatomists, psychologists, professional writers/researchers, and genealogists) to investigate challenging cases with long postmortem intervals, gender diverse decedents, and/or few remaining skeletal elements for analysis.
Carey Hendricks
Director
Earlier, at the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, she directed Kentucky’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative and led a multidisciplinary Cold Case Unit focused on the investigation and prosecution of previously untested sexual assault kits and related violent crimes. Her broader career includes nonprofit executive leadership, private civil litigation practice, family court prosecution, and legal services work representing individuals and families.
She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, a Master’s degree in Counseling, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Eastern Kentucky University.
As a member of the Compass IGG & Advocacy Board, Hendricks brings a powerful combination of federal policy insight, deep regulatory acumen, and proven executive leadership to drive the board’s strategic governance and advocacy initiatives forward.
Diana Jeffrey
Director
Deb Balliet
Director
Deb has spent her career fighting for the underdog. An accomplished executive and strategist, she partners with mission-driven organizations to help them build solid foundations, raise critical funds, and plan for a sustainable future.
Deb has worked across sectors, including health and human services, education, the environment, animal welfare, and the arts. Known for her analytical mind and collaborative spirit, she has been instrumental in helping healthy organizations grow and guiding struggling nonprofits safely through mergers or transformations into positions of strength.
Above all, Deb is motivated by a deep care for her communities. She brings this dedication and sharp business acumen to the Compass-IGG board, where she helps guide responsible financial planning and organizational leadership.
Deb recharges by spending time with friends, family, and dogs, listening to music, and finding peace in nature while hiking or kayaking.
Len Opanashuk
Director
Len is the President of Motives Unlocked LLC, a behavioral analysis consulting firm.
He is an FBI Certified Behavioral Profiler and retired from the FBI in 2023. Prior to retirement, he consulted on hundreds of cases involving serial murder, serial sexual assault, kidnapping, and single homicides involving adult victims.
Len also managed the Criminal Investigative Analysis Training Program (CIATP), the first phase of training for all new Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) profilers. The CIATP consists of approximately 600 hours of classroom training administered over five months. Additionally, Len oversaw the accreditation of the CIATP by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation Board.
Prior to the BAU, Len worked on cold case homicides and coordinated the FBI Buffalo Cold Case Homicide Working Group.
Len served 14 years on the FBI’s Evidence Response Teams and was Senior Team Leader in both Portland and Buffalo. As part of ERT, in November 2001, Len deployed to the Fresh Kills Landfill in support of the World Trade Center recovery effort. Len also served on the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team for the Northeast Region.
He is licensed to practice law in the State of New York and served as Second Assistant District Attorney for Wyoming County, New York from 1998-2001.
Greg Lennon
Director
Greg Lennon, PhD, is a genome bioscientist (aka “DNA guy”) whose career focuses on advancing human genetics and genomics through large‑scale DNA research and public‑facing interpretation tools. He earned his PhD in Genetics from the University of Pennsylvania, then joined the Human Genome Center at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, contributing to foundational efforts of the Human Genome Project and helping build the resources that accelerated gene discovery and the sequencing of the human genome.
Greg co‑founded the I.M.A.G.E. Consortium, an influential global collaboration creating expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and identifying the SNPs they harbored. In 2006, he co‑founded SNPedia, the largest and best-known public wiki of significant human genetic variants, and Promethease, its companion software that has helped people explore the medical and genealogical information carried in their DNA. Promethease was among the tools consulted during the investigative process that ultimately identified the Golden State Killer, illustrating its reach within the investigative genetics community. With over 100 publications, his scientific contributions have been cited 10,000+ times, reflecting sustained impact on personal genomics and the interpretation of human genetic variation.
He is currently focused on applying modern bioinformatics and emerging AI methods to improve genomic interpretation and strengthen investigative genetic genealogy workflows.
Greg also brings a personal commitment to IGG. Having a missing relative in his extended family, he understands the profound need for both advocacy and closure. This blend of technical expertise, collaborative leadership, and personal empathy guides his service as a member of our Board of Directors.
Professional Management
The Compass Management Team is a group of mission-driven, seasoned experts working tirelessly to ensure the success of our innovative programs for our clients, families, and supporters.
Whitney St. Andre, CA
Director of Advocacy
Whitney St. Andre is a credentialed advocate with over six years of experience in victim and family advocacy, supporting families navigating missing and unresolved cases. She specializes in ethical, trauma-informed advocacy, with a focus on empowering families through education, structured support, and meaningful engagement.
In addition to her work with Compass IGG & Advocacy, Whitney serves as Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of AdvocacyCon, a national conference dedicated to connecting families, professionals, and organizations. She is also the co-creator of The Advocacy Blueprint and co-host of the Navigating Advocacy podcast, where she promotes advocacy-based, victim-centered practices to raise awareness for families of the missing and unresolved.
Whitney is deeply committed to ensuring families feel informed, supported, and respected, and to strengthening the connection between advocacy, education, and identification efforts.
Stacy Mangum, CA
Operations and Project Manager
At Compass IGG & Advocacy, Stacy Ryan Mangum helps build the structure, systems, and support a growing organization needs to do meaningful work well.
With a professional background in marketing, project management, statistical and financial analysis, sales, and training, she brings a practical, cross-functional perspective shaped by years of experience in small businesses and nonprofits. Stacy is known for building strong foundations, improving processes, and helping organizations do big work with limited resources while ensuring the people behind the mission feel supported, too.
In addition to her role at Compass, Stacy volunteers as an Investigative Genetic Genealogist and serves as a genealogist with the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is passionate about genealogy, service, and the thoughtful use of AI to expand capacity and improve efficiency.
She is especially inspired by Compass’s commitment to combining identification, advocacy, education, and compassionate support for families navigating missing and unresolved cases.
Marselles Jefferson
IT & Security Manager
Marselles Jefferson is an Information Security and IT Operations professional specializing in vulnerability management, access control governance, and security policy development. With experience across federal, defense, and international environments, he focuses on turning complex security frameworks into structured, operational systems that reduce risk and improve accountability .
At Compass IGG & Advocacy, Marselles is building the organization’s IT and security foundation from the ground up—designing secure cloud infrastructure, implementing identity and access management, and developing policies to safeguard sensitive genetic and personal data. His approach prioritizes control, auditability, and long-term resilience, ensuring security is embedded into operations rather than treated as an afterthought.
Rebecca Solomon
Finance Administrator
Rebecca Solomon studied sociology out of a desire to spend her career as a “helper”. Life had other plans and for years she had to exchange her desire to make a difference with her need for financial stability. After many years of hospitality and administrative management, she stumbled into a role at a small non profit where her love for mission-driven work was re-ignited and she was able to build her financial skills under an experienced mentor. It was there that she discovered both a passion and an aptitude for finance and the ability to make a difference by managing the details behind the scenes.
Now, with over a decade of nonprofit finance experience behind her — including building the financial systems and infrastructure for the NYS Police Investigators Foundation entirely from scratch and supporting over a million dollars in fundraising — Rebecca has found exactly the intersection she was working toward. The ability to be a force for good without having to be the one on the front lines. All those years in support roles, learning organizations from the inside out, combined with genuine financial expertise, led her to this opportunity to help shape the foundation on which Compass will grow and thrive.
She is genuinely inspired by Compass’s commitment to bringing together identification, advocacy, and compassionate support for families who have been waiting far too long for answers.
Matt Hoggatt, Ph.D.
Director of Education
Dr. Matt Hoggatt, Ph.D. is a retired law enforcement officer and professor of criminal justice and criminology from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Dr. Hoggatt began his law enforcement career in 1999 as a patrol officer before eventually rising to the rank of felony investigator where he served for the majority of his career.
In 2020, Dr. Hoggatt began to focus on cold case investigations involving unidentified human remains and missing persons cases, augmented by the use of Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG). His work contributed to the resolution of numerous cases within the state of Mississippi, including the identification of Clara Birdlong, a probable victim of serial killer Samuel Little. Dr. Hoggatt has served as a consultant for a variety of organizations including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the DNA Doe Project and Moxxy Forensics.
In 2025, Dr. Hoggatt’s Ph.D. dissertation entitled: “Exploring How People Become Investigative Genetic Genealogists Who Assist With Law Enforcement Investigations: A Multiple Case Study”, was published in effort to help illuminate the various pathways people take to become IGG practitioners. Dr. Hoggatt is committed to the mission of advocacy within the field of criminal justice, and improving the bridge of communication between law enforcement and victims.
April Hugie
Lab Process Manager
April Hugie has spent her career at the intersection of science and justice. With a background spanning forensic serology, DNA analysis, crime scene investigation, and medicolegal death work, she brings both technical depth and real-world investigative experience to every case.
She has examined evidence, interpreted complex DNA profiles, testified in court, and stood in the rooms where families receive the worst news of their lives. Today she channels that experience into forensic genetic genealogy — one of the most powerful tools in modern investigative science — driven by a deep passion for solving missing persons cases and giving names back to unidentified human remains.
She holds an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a concentration in Forensic DNA and Serology and a B.S. in Biology, and is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
Misty Gillis
Case Support Manager
Misty Gillis is a well known, remarkably skilled Investigative Genetic Genealogist who has been practicing professionally in the field for over seven years. She brings with her decades of traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy experience as well as a wealth of knowledge to support agencies in their IGG investigations.
Misty has generated positive leads in over 50 IGG cases nationwide, educated agencies through meticulous report writing and debriefings, and in her spare time, she assists adoptees with identifying their biological parents using autosomal DNA results.
During her time in the IGG field, she’s become proficient with Case Management, working alongside agencies to find the best fit solution for their individual case needs, as well as creating invaluable relationships with agencies nationwide.
Misty looks most forward to supporting our agencies, volunteers, and developing crucial relationships that help bridge the gap from unknown, to known.
Abigail Bemer
Director of Institutional Advancement
Abigail Bemer serves as the Director of Institutional Advancement at Compass IGG & Advocacy, where she leads efforts to grow and strengthen the organization’s fundraising through major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships, and donor engagement.
She brings several years of nonprofit development experience, having previously worked with Blood Cancer United and Open Minds. Throughout her career, Abigail has built lasting relationships with donors, secured funding through grants and sponsorships, managed fundraising campaigns, and helped organizations strengthen their development operations and outreach. She is passionate about connecting people with causes they care about and believes that meaningful relationships are at the heart of successful fundraising.
Abigail is excited to be part of Compass and is inspired by the organization’s commitment to bringing hope, advocacy, and answers to families of the long-term missing. She is proud to help advance a mission that makes a lasting difference in the lives of others.