Online Investigation Basics Instructor Bios

Vere Software Online Investigation Basics webinar instructors are established experts in their fields. Practitioners with years of experience investigating all kinds of high-tech crimes, they have widely diverse backgrounds: academia, private and corporate investigation, and law enforcement.

Cynthia Navarro has worked in investigations for over 28 years. Currently the principal of Finnegan’s Way, an investigative consultation firm located in California, she manages both civil and criminal investigations. She consults worldwide, specializing in anti-piracy, business and intelligence backgrounds.

Prior to Finnegan’s Way, Ms. Navarro worked for several Silicon Valley firms, including Adobe, Inc. She was responsible for intelligence gathering management, intellectual property theft investigations, copyright and trademark investigations, pharmaceutical investigations, interviews, cargo thefts and background investigations.

Ms. Navarro is an Advisory Board Member for Western Career College (Criminal Justice program) and sat on the High Technology Crime Investigators Association's International Executive Committee as both International President and Vice President between 2003-2004.

Gary C. Kessler is an Associate Professor and program director of the M.S. in Digital Investigation Management program at Champlain College (Burlington, Vermont), where he also started the Computer & Digital Forensics undergraduate program. He is also an adjunct associate professor at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, and a member of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

Dr. Kessler's primary areas of professional interest include computer and network forensics, mobile device forensics, computer and network security, TCP/IP and the Internet, and communications protocols and standards. He has presented at conferences including HTCIA, Mobile Forensics World, and TechnoSecurity, and is the author/co-author of over 70 papers and articles. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Digital Forensics Practice and the associate editor-in-chief of the Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law. He is also a CISSP, CCE, and DFCP.

Frank Zellers is a Corona (California) Police Department Senior Detective with over 15 years of experience. An EnCase Certified Examiner and AccessData Certified Examiner in computer forensics, he currently investigates high technology crimes. He is also the owner of Inland Direct, a professional training and consulting company. He is an expert witness in the area of computer forensics and high technology crimes.

Det. Zellers has instructed on identity theft for the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) via the Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) at San Jose State University. He has additionally developed and currently instructs the MySpace Specialized Tools for Investigators Class.

Kipp Loving, a detective with the Tracy (California) Police Department, has over 26 years in law enforcement. Having previously worked for the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, Turlock Police Department, and Merced County Sheriff's Department, he has been assigned for the last 9 years to the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force. There, he has specialized in computer forensics, satellite signal theft, cellular phone forensics, and identity theft. He has worked and assisted in a number of high-profile cases involving technology.

Det. Loving authored an ID theft booklet, which is in its fourth printing with over 45,000 copies to date. The booklet is currently being used by a number of California law enforcement agencies and financial institutions, and is endorsed by California Senator Dave Cogdill and Assemblyman Berryhill.

Det. Loving has also taught numerous classes on ID theft and related subjects as a POST instructor with the Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) at San Jose State University.

Richard R. Whidden, Jr. is Executive Director and Senior Counsel for the National Law Center for Children and Families. He has addressed local, state, national and international audiences concerning child exploitation crimes and sex offender management and is a frequent source for media interviews. He also has successfully created and produced a high-quality training program that has trained more than 1,000 law enforcement professionals across the nation on these issues.

Whidden is a former Interim County Attorney for Flagler County, Florida. He also served as Assistant Attorney General of Florida and Assistant General Counsel to the Florida Department of State. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama School of Law and his bachelor's degree from Florida State University. He is a member of the District of Columbia and Florida Bars.