Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners
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Since 1994

Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners

Our History

IACME was founded in 1994 under the leadership and direction of Dr. Dale Andres and the Iowa Medical Society’s Committee on Forensic Medicine. This committee was chaired by Dr. Peter Stephens and included Drs. Dennis Mallory, Art McMahon, David Gauger, Brad Randall, Francis Garrity and Tom Bennett. Today, IACME is a vital, active organization with a bright future.

IACME is affiliated with NAME, the National Association of Medical Examiners.

Our Mission

To promote the highest professional standards for county medical examiners and death investigators in the state of Iowa.

Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners
What is iacme

The Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners is the state professional organization for county medical examiners, medical examiner investigators and others involved in death investigations in Iowa.

IACME is affiliated with NAME, the National Association of Medical Examiners.

Who is eligible for IACME membership?

Any physician who serves as a state, county or deputy county medical examiner in Iowa is eligible for Full Membership in the Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners.

Any county medical examiner investigator serving as defined by Iowa Administrative Code is eligible for Investigator Membership.

Physicians, law enforcement officers, public officials and employees, attorneys, funeral directors and other allied health professionals with an interest in the work of the IACME are eligible for Associate Membership.

What are the benefits of membership?

The Iowa Association of County Medical Examiners is the primary source of information and education for anyone involved in death investigation in Iowa. As an IACME member, you will pay a reduced rate to attend the IACME Fall Meeting and Education Expo. Held every November in Des Moines, this extremely successful event brings together county medical examiners, law enforcement, funeral directors, attorneys and other health professionals from across Iowa. In post-meeting surveys, attendees consistently praise this conference as a source of valuable networking and practical information on death investigation.

IACME members also receive IACME News, a quarterly newsletter containing current news and information for county MEs and investigators. IACME members have access to iacountyme.org, the IACME web site.

How is IACME governed?

IACME is governed by a board consisting of a president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, past president, five physician members and five ex-officio members from the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner (IOSME). In November of 2009, the IACME Board and membership approved a plan to establish an investigator board position; in 2014, a second investigator board position was added. The IACME Board of Directors tracks legislation and regulations  and maintains relationships with outside organizations affecting the work of Iowa’s medical examiners and medical examiner investigators.

Who Serves IACME

PRESIDENT
Anthony J. Leo, MD
116 8th Ave. NE
Oelwein, IA 50662
319.240.1714
Fayette County Medical Examiner
Term ends December 31, 2025

PAST PRESIDENT
Daniel Cole, MD
Trinity Regional Medical Center
802 Kenyon Rd.
Fort Dodge, IA  50501
515.574.6452
Term ends December 31, 2025

VICE PRESIDENT
Lee Fagre, MD
217 20th St. NW
Waverly, IA. 50677
319.415.3264
Term ends December 31, 2025

SECRETARY-TREASURER
Dennis Firchau, MD
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
200 Hawkins Dr., 612 GH
319.356.0885
Iowa City, IA. 52242
Term ends December 31, 2025

Chris Sutton
PO Box 274
Boone, IA 50036

[email protected]
515.212.9685

Amy Badberg, MD
Sanford Sheldon
800 Oak St.
Sheldon, IA  52101
712348.5560
Term ends December 31, 2025

Barbara Harre, MD
Child Protective Response Center
1230 E. Rusholme St., Bldg. 2 LL01
Davenport, IA  52803
563.200.1102
Term ends December 31, 2023

Paul Jensen, PharmD, MD
Regional Health Services of Howard County
235 8th Ave. W
Cresco, IA 52136
563.547.2022
Term ends December 31, 2023

Joseph Kimball, DO
Madison County Hospital
300 Hutchings
Winterset, IA. 50273
515.467.2950
Term ends December 31, 2025

Anna Mark, MD
1109 Linden St.
Decorah, IA 52101
563.379.5226
Winneshiek County Deputy Medical Examiner
Term ends December 31, 2025

Staci Olson, RN, MEI
Webster County Medical Examiner
802 Kenyon Road
Fort Dodge, IA  50501
[email protected]
Term ends December 31, 2024

Thomas Summitt, MEI, D-ABMDI
Muscatine County ME Office
401 East 3rd St.
Muscatine, IA  52761
[email protected]
Term ends December 31, 2024

Dennis Klein, MD
Iowa Chief State Medical Examiner
2250 S. Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny, IA 50023
[email protected]

Kelly Kruse, MD, MPH
Iowa Office of State Medical Examiner
2250 S. Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny, IA 50023
[email protected]

Jacob Smith, MD
Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner
2250 S. Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny, IA. 50023
[email protected]

Jonathan Thompson, MD
Iowa Office of State Medical Examiner
2250 S. Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny, IA 50023 [email protected]

Notice: Due to security and legal considerations, not all IACME Fall Meeting speakers are able to provide their full power point presentations for posting on our web site.

 

2023 IACME Fall Meeting materials

Conference Schedule

Speaker Biographies

Friday, Nov. 3

Illegal Drugs Seized in Iowa — A Primer

Introduction to Firearm Ballistics

Responding to a Mass Casualty Event (banquet presentation)

Saturday, Nov. 4

Critical Incident Stress Management for Death Investigators

Iowa Violent Death Reporting System — Medical Examiner Data

Iowa's State Medical Examiner System: Annual Update and Future Outlook

Archives

2022 IACME Fall Meeting materials

Fall Meeting attendees (in-person + virtual)

Speaker Biographies

Conference Schedule

Sponsor/Exhibitors Contact Information

Attendee Survey (required for awarding of CME hours)

Iowa Suicide 2020: IAVDRS report

Friday, November 4

ME-101
       Iowa Donor Network presentation

Search and Recovery of Skeletal Remains from Outdoor Settings

Warming Up Cold Cases: Introduction to Investigative Genetic Genealogy

Death in Custody Reporting Act

Searching for Family Members           Printable Genealogy Resource List

Mass Fatalities Planning

Saturday, November 5

Investigation of Death and Possible Abuse of the Elderly

Drugs of Abuse and Out of Scope Findings

Motor Vehicle Collisions Breaking Down the Elements

Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner — Update

2021 IACME Fall Meeting Materials

Speaker Biographies

Conference schedule

Attendee Survey 

Friday, November 5

ME-101: Death Investigation BasicsKelly Kruse, MD; Mark Bethel, F-ABMDI; Jessica Jessen, F-ABMDI

ME-101: Organ Donation—Natalie Oakes, Iowa Donor Network

Current Drug Threats and Overdose Response StrategiesKevin Winker

Suicides: Theory, Practice and InvestigationStephen Holmes, PhD

Sleep-related Deaths in Infants - Abby Collier, MS

State Epidemiology: Lessons Learned and Future Applications - Caitlin Pedati, MD

Iowa Violent Death Reporting SystemWendy Ringgenberg PhD, MPH; Jonathan Davis, PhD

23 & MEs: How an Iowa Family's DNA Solved a Colorado Murder (banquet presentation)—Joan Hanlon

Saturday, November 6

Introduction to Investigating Environmental-related DeathsJonathan Thompson, MD

Suicide and Homicide Scene Investigations Alisha Weber, CCP, ME-I

Things aren't Always as they Appear: How a Suicide becomes a Homicide—Jacob Smith, MD

IOSME Update: Annual Update and Future OutlookDennis Klein, MD

None of our 2021 IACME Fall Meeting speakers has ties with any commercial entity.

 

2020 IACME Webinar Materials

IACME Death Investigators Webinar Brochure

Attendee Survey

Speaker Bios

Webinar Schedule November 6-7, 2020

Webinar Attendee list

Friday, November 6 presentations

Radiation Safety for Medical Examiners  Angela Leek, CHP

Investigating Fatal Explosions  John Kraemer, MHS, BS, CPM

Investigating Fatal Explosions (text only handout version)

Toxicology Trends/Best Practices in Forensic Toxicology  Sherri Kacinko, PhD

Iowa Violent Death Reporting System  Lisa Roth

Pediatric Abuse  Joshua Akers, MD

Pedestrian and Motor Vehicle Fatalities    Kelly Kruse, MD, MPH

COVID-19 Death Certification  Robert Anderson, PhD; Marcus Nashelsky, MD

Update from the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner  (Dennis Klein, MD)

 

Saturday, November 7

ME-101: Death Investigation Basics Kelly Kruse, MD, MPH; Mark Bethel, F-ABMDI; Natalie Oakes, Iowa Donor Network

ME-101 (Slide version)

ME-101 (Text only handout version)

Donation 101: It Starts with You  Natalie Oakes

 

 

2019 IACME Fall Meeting Materials

2019 Fall Meeting attendees

2019 Fall Meeting schedule

Speaker Biographies

Speaker Objectives/Attendee Survey

CME Reporting Form (medical examiners)

Certificate of Attendance (medical examiner investigators)

Sponsor/Exhibitors contact information

11.1.19 Member Meeting Agenda

Election ballot (approved by the IACME Board 10.10.19)

 

Friday speakers

ME-101 (Death Investigation Basics)   Kelly Kruse, MD, MPH and Jessica Jessen, F-ABMDI

Iowa Donor Network     Natalie Oakes

Protecting Human Remains in Iowa: Purposes, Laws and Processes     Lara Noldner, PhD

Investigating Fatal Fires     John Kraemer, MHS, BS, CPM

Importance of Autopsy Data to Trauma Programs   Gregory Schmunk, MD

The Pathology of Mass Disasters: 9/11 Pentagon Attack and the I-35 Bridge Collapse     Andrew Baker, MD

Crime Scene Processing and the DCI Crime Labs (Two handouts)     Gary Licht, DCI Criminalist Supervisor

DCI Crime Lab Update

Major Case Fingerprint Template

 

Saturday speakers

Pediatric Asphyxial Deaths     Andrew Baker, MD

Death Scene Photography: Practices, Procedures and Pointers    Kelly Kruse, MD, MPH and Kip Ladage, MEI

Iowa's State Medical Examiner System: Annual Update and Future Outlook    Dennis Klein, MD

Iowa Case Studies      Dennis Klein, MD

Identifying a Gastrointestinal Bleed at the Scene     Submitted by Heather Sanderson, RN, D-ABMDI

Infant Case Study    Submitted by Mike Thomason, MEI

Black Hawk County MEI and Waterloo PD    Submitted by Tara Duncan, MEI

 

2018 IACME Fall Meeting Materials

2018 Fall Meeting Attendees

IACME Fall Meeting photos

2018 Fall Meeting schedule

2018 Speaker Biographies

2018 Speaker Objectives and Attendee Survey

2018 Election Ballot

 

Friday speakers

Chemical Suicides   Captain Bob Suarez

Navigating Iowa's Enhanced Prescription Monitoring Program  Jennifer Tiffany, RPh

Forensic Anthropology: Who, What, Where, When and Why   Heather Garvin, PhD, D-ABFA

Incident Command System: What is it?   John Kraemer, PA

Cause and Manner of Death (For Medical Examiners)  Dennis Klein, MD

 

Saturday speakers

Toxicology: An Update on OTC and Illicit Drugs    Geoffrey Wall, PharmD

Sharp Force Injuries  Stephanie Stauffer, MD

NamUs: Resources for Missing and Unidentified Person Cases   Melissa Gregory (Paper handouts will be available at the meeting)

Iowa's State Medical Examiner System: Annual Update and Future Outlook   Dennis Klein, MD

 

CHRIS SUTTON | IACME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PO Box 274
Boone, IA 50036
[email protected]
515.212.9685