Instructor: Heidi Nichols, CFPH

Ms. Heidi Nichols earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) in Biomedical and Forensic Photography with minors in Biology and Diving Education from Barry University in Miami, Florida in 1999. Heidi has since been employed with the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department as a Forensic Photographer, where she has gained extensive experience in autopsy and gross specimen photography, crime scene photography and taking photographs of evidence.

During her time at the Miami-Dade ME’s office Ms. Nichols has become an expert in the use of Alternate Light Source Photography and uses her knowledge to help other agencies to better understand and perform these techniques. In addition, Heidi provides lectures on Forensic Photography and provides training not only within the Medical Examiner Department but also with countless other outside agencies, including the Cayman Island Police Department, the Coronial Services of New Zealand, the Miami-Dade Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection.
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Ms. Nichols received her Master of Arts (MA) in Crisis, Emergency and Disaster Management from Florida International University in Miami, Florida in 2018.  She is a member of Florida Emergency Mortuary Response System (FEMORS), a group of professionals trained in mass fatality response.  Deployments have included Hurricanes Irma and Michael and the Pulse Nightclub shooting.
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Ms. Nichols is also certified as a Forensic Photographer through the International Association for Identification (IAI), the world’s oldest and largest forensic science/identification association, a certification she has held since 2006. Ms. Nichols’ photographs can be seen in numerous textbooks, and she also co-authored an article in 2010 entitled “Reflected Ultraviolet Digital Photography: The Part Someone Forgot to Mention” on the uses of Reflective Ultraviolet Photography in the Journal of Forensic Identification.
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