Teresa Devitt-Lynch

Teresa Devitt-Lynch is the founder and CEO of INTREPID Forensic Healthcare Consulting, a dynamic consulting firm dedicated to forensic analysis of criminal cases involving abuse, assault, death, and other medical issues, providing expert testimony and educational offerings, located in Fargo, North Dakota. Teresa graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia in 1998 and a Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin in 2011. With more than 25 years of nursing experience, she is board certified in Advanced Forensic Nursing and Adult/Adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examinations through the IAFN and Advanced Forensic Nursing though the FNBC. She is also a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps where she served in multiple duty stations both within the U.S. and abroad. While on active duty, Teresa provided care in various areas, to include medical-surgical units, couplet-care, ambulatory care, and education and training. It is while on active duty that Teresa began forensic nursing, serving as a lead trainer at a large military treatment facility and a forensic nursing program director at an overseas military treatment facility. She was a Tri-Service Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner Trainer, subject matter expert, and expert forensic nursing consultant for military court martial proceedings for all military branches.  She also volunteered on organization committees, taskforces, and groups while on active duty, such as the IAFN Strangulation Taskforce, the IAFN Commission on Forensic Nursing Certification (vice-chair and member), an ANCC Accreditation Appraiser, and a member of the Organization of Scientific Area’s Crime Scene Investigation Subcommittee. She has continued consulting and educating since her retirement from the U.S. Navy, and is steadily engaged in multiple national and community-based initiations aimed at fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and improving forensic healthcare in response to violent trauma. She is currently a member of the Training Institute on Strangulation’s Medical Advisory Board, the Chair of the AFN Rural Special Interest Group, and a member of the AFN Board of Directors.

During my 25 plus years of nursing, I have always given more of myself, whether as a committee member or developing and delivering curriculum – anything to further the profession.  My passion has always been to pay it forward and give back.  I pay forward what the dedicated nurses I have encountered have given me and I give back what I have learned to the current and next generations so they can expand the care of forensic patients.  I believe that, if elected Secretary to the AFN Board of Directors, I will capitalize on this opportunity to continue to pay it forward and give back.  I will play an important role in building bonds among the Board of Directors and the AFN membership; and gladly contribute my time and efforts to move the dial forward on high standards the Board of Directors has set for the organization and forensic nursing.  It would be an honor to serve as Secretary of the AFN Board of Directors to make a difference.