Jenifer Smith

Dr. Smith retired from the FBI in January 2009. Previously, she held the position of Section Chief of the Intelligence and Analysis Section in the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate of the FBI. In that position, she managed various units of intelligence analysts who were responsible for gathering current relevant intelligence and information in order to: support on-going investigations, provide strategic WMD threat assessments that shape and influence countermeasure initiatives for the purpose of prevention of a WMD event, and produce intelligence products for distribution to the relevant community. Previously, Dr. Smith spent 4 years on a joint duty assignment to the CIA where she was the Chief of the Biological Technology Center. As Chief, she was responsible for the management of the Center’s personnel and research projects. Prior to this assignment, Dr. Smith was a forensic DNA examiner in the FBI Laboratory. As such, she worked hundreds of DNA cases to include numerous serial rape and murder investigations, the Unabomber investigation, and the Oklahoma City bombing. She has given testimony in approximately 100 trials and admissibility hearings throughout the United States. She was later promoted to DNA Unit Chief and gained responsibility for management of the serology and nuclear DNA analyses programs. She led the DNA unit through the first successful ASCLD accreditation and oversaw the collection and analysis of President Clinton’s DNA in the Monica Lewinski investigation. She also was involved in the establishment of the National DNA Database and helped establish quality assurance and quality control standards for the forensic community. She was actively involved in the developmental research efforts that yielded the forensic DNA analytical technologies currently used in every forensic DNA laboratory in the county. 

Before joining the FBI, Dr. Smith held a post doctoral fellowship at the Harvard School of Medicine’s Department of Immunology and Transplantation in Boston, MA. She previously headed the Biological Sub Group of the U.S. government’s WMD Attribution Policy Working Group that developed guidance for the WMD Attribution Implementation Plan. She is currently a member of the Office of the President’s National Science and Technology Council’s Microbial Forensic Task Force. This group is responsible for the creation of the U.S. National Research and Development Strategy for Microbial Forensics and the subsequent U.S. National Microbial Forensic Implementation Plan. Dr. Smith serves as a consultant to various intelligence community agencies.

Dr. Smith received her BS in Biochemistry from the Pennsylvania University in 1981. She received her PhD in Physiological Chemistry from the Ohio State University in 1985.

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