Advisory Board

Nancy Toffolo received her B.S. in Animal Sciences from the University of Florida in 1996. After working in research for a Life-Sciences mission for NASA, as well as for a private genomics company, she moved to the University of Florida Racing Laboratory where she worked as a Senior Chemist and Scientific Research Manager. During this time, she started her M.S. in Forensic Toxicology, which she completed in 2005. Nancy worked as a teaching assistant for the Forensic Science Program before moving into a Lecturer position in 2009 and in 2016 she was promoted to Senior Lecturer. Nancy is currently the Director of the Forensic Science Online Graduate program and is an Instructional Associate Professor.

Cortney MacDonald earned her B.S. in Biology from the Pennsylvania State University in 1998 and her M.S. in Forensic DNA and Serology from the University of Florida in 2005.  After working briefly for a private Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, she was hired by the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in 2001.  Cortney was assigned to the Forensic Serology unit until 2017.  During her tenure there, she processed physical evidence, testified over 65 times as an expert witness, and assisted in processing crime scenes.  In 2017, Cortney was promoted to Supervisor of the Drug Chemistry Unit.  In addition to her work as a Forensic Scientist, Cortney worked as a teaching assistant for the University of Florida Online Graduate Program from 2005 to 2022, at which time she was promoted to Instructional Assistant Professor within the department of Medicinal Chemistry in the UF College of Pharmacy.   

Joe Pasternak received his B.S. in Biology from the Arizona State University in 2000. Joe got his start as a forensic serologist at the Phoenix Police Department Crime Laboratory where he worked for 3 ½ years.  At the Montana Forensic Science Division, he has performed forensic DNA Analysis for the past 16 years. In 2007 he started his M.S. in Forensic Science, which he completed in 2009. In 2013, he advanced to the position of DNA Supervisor / DNA Technical Leader and continues in this role. He has served as a Lead and Technical DNA Laboratory Assessor for the National Science Technology Center (NFSTC), participated in analysis of mitochondrial DNA for the identification of victims of the World Trade Center disaster, and presented to the scientific community on matters of current trends in forensic DNA analysis. Joe worked as a teaching assistant for the Forensic Science Program for 7 years before moving into an Instructional Assistant Professor position for the Distance Education Programs in Forensic Science in 2022. 

Christine Schlenker earned a B.S. in Forensic Science, a B.S. in Biology, and a Minor in Chemistry from the University of New Haven in 2000. Upon graduation, she worked at The Bode Technology Group in Virginia. There she analyzed various types of DNA samples, as well as processing samples to identify victims of the World Trade Center disaster. She left Bode to start with the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in the DNA Laboratory in 2002. As a DNA and Serology analyst, she has testified over 50 times in the state of New Jersey.  In 2005 she started her M.S. in Forensic DNA and Serology at the University of Florida which she completed in 2006. She currently participates in validation projects and analyzes and tech reviews current NJSP cases. She is actively involved in with Cold Case Units and performs case management, sample selection, and subsequent sample processing. Christine worked as a Teaching Assistant for the Spring 2022 semester before being promoted to an Instructional Assistant Professor beginning with the Summer 2022 semester.

Tate Yeatman earned a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Central Florida in 1994 and a M.S. in Veterinary Medical Sciences with a concentration in Forensic Toxicology from the University of Florida in 2003.  He is a Fellow of the American Board of Forensic Toxicologists and a Diplomate of the American Board of Criminalistics in the discipline of drug chemistry. He is also a certified Technical Assessor and Team Lead for the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) in the disciplines of toxicology and controlled substances. He has over 28 years of experience in forensic toxicology and 16 years of experience in Forensic Drug Chemistry and has testified as an expert in Forensic Toxicology and Forensic Drug Chemistry in over 200 DUI trials throughout Florida. He has worked as a teaching assistant and instructor for the Distance Education Programs since 2003.