Education, Progress, and Change
Each year, the Association hosts an Annual Meeting. It’s a good opportunity to network, and discuss challenges and solutions; but primarily it’s a venue for an annual educational conference and the Association’s business meetings.
Adams County Coroner Pat Felix and Chief Deputy Francis Dutrow were this year’s hosts in Gettysburg. Pat planned a great series of classes, including Explosives 101: Physics and Physical Properties of Explosive Materials; Improvised (Homemade Explosive Formulations) Awareness, Medicolegal Death Investigation of Transportation Accidents, Forensic Pathology Examination in Transportation Mishaps, Disaster Victim Identification and Forensic Anthropology Services (of the FBI Laboratory) classes presented by the FBI; and courses in Forensic Fractography of Bone, Postmortem Radiology in Death Investigation, Eliminating Preventable Deaths, plus interesting case reviews.
With training like this every year, there’s no doubt Pennsylvania’s medicolegal death investigators are well-rounded.
Warren County Coroner Melissa Zydonik receives instruction in creating a homemade explosive under the watchful eye of staff certified, expert instructors.
Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson and Assistant Chief Deputy Al Lonzo look on from a safe distance.
Business Meeting and Leadership
Committees met to discuss their respective tasks and challenges; regional vice presidents voiced the concerns of coroners in their region who couldn’t attend, and challenges and roadmaps were discussed.
Following a vote by the membership, the Installation of Officers ceremony took place.
Congratulations to:
- Scott Lynn, President
- Jeremy Reese, Vice-President
- Charley Hall, Secretary-Treasurer
- Paul Sharum, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
- Christina Rugh, Region 1 Vice President
- Scott Sayers, Region 2 Vice President
- Wendy Hastings, Region 3 Vice President
- Christopher Brighton, Region 4 Vice President
- Tim Warco, Region 5 Vice President
- Jeffrey Lees, Region 6 Vice President
- Pat Felix, Region 7 Vice President
- Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, Region 8 Vice President
- Board Members at Large:
- Daniel Lynch
- Zachary Lysek
- Norm Wimer
First Row, L-R: Tim Warco, Paul Sharum, Jeremy Reese, Scott Lynn, Charley Hall. Second Row: Christopher Brighton, Jeffrey Lees, Wendy Hastings, Christina Rugh, Pat Felix. Third Road: Scott Sayers, Dr. Stephen Diamantoni, Judge –, Zach Lysek, Daniel Lynch, Norm Wimer.