 About the Regional toxicology liaisons Program
In September 2021, SOFT was awarded the Regional Toxicology Liaison (RTL) Demonstration Project grant by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This cooperative agreement aims to benefit state toxicology programs through increased support, communications, resources, criminal justice system coordination, decreased processing time of toxicology samples, and better data reporting. During the first three years, the project entailed the establishment of Toxicology Liaisons that support states in NHTSA regions 5, 7, and 9 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/about-nhtsa ), to assist with training, collaboration, and the standardization of testing across state labs and the reporting of data to better understand the scope of the drug-impaired driving problem. The RTL Program is overseen by Project Manager, Amy Miles and currently has three Liaisons; Sabra Jones, Chris Heartsill, and Kristen Burke.
Since 2021, the RTLs have established key partnerships with the forensic toxicology laboratories in the regions, working to create alignment in testing, funding, and training. In addition to their work with the laboratories, the RTLs have developed and strengthened partnerships with law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, SHSOs, and public health.
Due to the program's success, NHTSA has extended the cooperative agreement with SOFT for another two years. During the next two years, the RTL program will expand to cover more areas of the country. Sabra will be the RTL for the Northeastern portion of the country, which includes NHTSA regions 1, 2, and 3. Chris will remain in NHTSA Region 7 but will add Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado to create the “Mid-South” region. Kristen will continue to be the RTL for NHTSA Region 9 and add New Mexico to the “West” region. Finally, Amy will become the RTL for NHTSA Region 5, including North Dakota and South Dakota, creating the “Midwest” region. Amy will continue to manage the program. meet the Regional toxicology liaisons Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
Regional Toxicology Project Manager & Liaison
NHTSA Midwest Region 5
Amy Miles is a Program Project Manager at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) and serves as a Regional Toxicology Liaison for the Midwest, supporting MI, OH, IN, IL, WI, MN, SD, ND. Amy has over 25 years of experience in forensic toxicology. In addition to her work with the RTL program, Amy is involved in public health as it relates to forensic toxicology. She is the co-chair of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Overdose Biosurveillance Task Force. Offering resources to public health laboratories performing non-fatal overdose surveillance testing. Amy partners with the University of Wisconsin on research projects focusing on impaired driving and drugs and human performance. Amy has given hundreds of presentations on the topic of drugs, alcohol and human performance, and public health at state and national conferences and in-service trainings and has contributed several articles to national publications. She is a member of several professional organizations and committees that pertain to alcohol, drugs and human performance and public health. Amy is the Past President of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists and is a National Judicial College faculty member. In 2020, Amy received the IACP DRE Ambassador Award, and in 2023 the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ Gold Standard Award, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association’s Kathryn JR Swanson Public Service Award and the SOFT Teaching and Mentoring Award. In 2025, Amy received the Robert F. Borkenstein Award.  Regional Toxicology Liaison
NHTSA Northeast Region 1, 2, and 3
Sabra Jones, PhD is a board-certified Forensic Toxicologist focusing on transportation safety. Sabra is the Regional Toxicology Liaison supporting toxicologists and traffic safety partners in the Northeast Regions 1, 2, and 3. Sabra has worked in transportation safety at the US Federal Aviation Administration, driving impairment, in addition to other areas of forensic toxicology at the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. Before becoming one of the first US RTLs, she served as an Assistant Professor and graduate student mentor at Boston University School of Medicine’s Biomedical Forensic Sciences program. She conducts research in the areas of forensic toxicology, drug testing, and impairment. Sabra earned her Master of Science degrees in Drug Chemistry and Forensic Toxicology from the University of Florida, undergraduate and graduate degrees in Criminal Justice and Criminal Justice Management and Administration with a focus on Substance Abuse Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma, and received her PhD from Oklahoma State University, Center for Health Sciences in Forensic Science. She is a past chair of the National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs, and Impairment Division and past Vice-Chair of the Academy Standards Board’s Toxicology Consensus Body.
 Regional Toxicology Liaison
NHTSA Mid-South Region 7
Chris Heartsill is currently certified by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology as a Diplomate - Forensic Toxicology and received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from East Central University in 1991. Chris has been working in analytical chemistry for over 34 years with more than 30 years of forensic toxicology experience including the areas of human performance forensic toxicology, postmortem forensic toxicology, and forensic laboratory quality management. Chris is currently working as the Regional Toxicology Liaison in the Mid-South Region of the United States. He was previously the Quality Manager for the Dallas Police Department Crime Scene Response Section. Prior to coming to the Dallas Police Department, he served as the Quality Manager for the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office in Fort Worth, Texas and the Toxicology Supervisor, Toxicologist, Quality Manager, and Breath Testing Technical Supervisor at the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office in Dallas, Texas. Chris is an active member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, currently serving as the President, member of the Finance Committee, Toxicology Resource Committee and co-Editor of ToxTalk. Other professional organizations include the Southwestern Association of Toxicologists, serving two individual terms as President, Grant Committee Chair, and Historian, The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists, and the National Safety Council Alcohol, Drugs & Impairment Division, serving on the Executive Board and performing duties as Vice Chair. Chris participates in the creation of standards, guidelines, and best practices by serving on the OSAC Toxicology Subcommittee.
 Regional Toxicology Liaison
NHTSA Western Region 9
Kristen is a toxicology expert with 27+ years of experience across forensic, clinical, and workplace drug testing. As the NHTSA Western Region Toxicology Liaison, she supports laboratories across five states and Pacific Territories. Her career includes past experience with directing the CA Department of Justice Toxicology Laboratory, supervising at Sacramento County Crime Lab, and working in private sector toxicology. She has served on multiple advisory boards including the Federal Drug Testing Advisory Board for SAMHSA and as Chair of California's Impaired Driving Task Force subcommittee. Kristen is an experienced instructor/consultant on testimony training, drug effects, and forensic toxicology applications. She holds a B.S. in Biology, an MBA from USC (2021), and is pursuing an M.S. in AyurVeda Integrative Medicine (expected 2025).
region map
View the the map and learn more HERE Regional Toxicology Liaisons Activity Reports
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