"Kabrena Rodda is the group leader of Analytical Chemistry and Instrument Analysis which supports the Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Technologies division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). As a forensic toxicologist, Rodda leads PNNL’s capability strategy to combat emerging chemical threats. She holds a Ph.D. (Medicine) in forensic toxicology.

Rodda served in the United States Air Force for 22 years prior to coming to the Laboratory. During that time, she managed a $30M nonproliferation program, advised on chemical issues at the National Counterproliferation Center, and commanded at the Detachment, Squadron, and Group levels before retiring as a colonel. She was a United Nations Special Commission inspector and laboratory chief in Iraq in 1995 and 1998 and advised Australian officials on consequence management in preparation for the Sydney Olympics.

In 2012, she published a book-length policy paper against synthetic drugs titled, Legal Highs: US Policy for the New Pandemic. In 2017 and 2018, she led chemical threat response workshops at the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and headed the writing team for the American Chemical Society (ACS) policy statement, “Preventing the Reemergence of Chemical Weapons."

Rodda is a recipient of the OPCW Director General’s Medal, the Secretary of Energy Appreciation Award, and the Secretary of the United States Air Force R&D Award. She is a member of ACS International Activities Committee, the American Academy of Forensic Science, and the International Society for the Study of Emerging Drugs."

Disciplines and Skills

• Chemistry
• Multi-drug interactions
• Pharmacodynamics
• Forensic and analytical toxicology

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy, Medicine, Monash University
• Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National Defense University
• Master of Science, Chemistry, University of Washington
• Master of Science, Project & Systems Management, Golden Gate University–San Francisco
• Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, United States Air Force Academy