Abstract

Amanda Cooper spent six years as a Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer in the NHS; she worked in the Haematology and Blood Transfusion department in two hospitals in Oxfordshire and gained professional qualifications relating to this work. She then moved to a commercial DNA-testing laboratory based at Abingdon and was engaged in testing for paternity, immigration and forensic cases and genetic diagnostics, progressing through the organisation to become Operations Manager. In 2002 Amanda joined Thames Valley Police as the Scientific Support Manager. This role enabled her to gain significant involvement in the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Forensic Portfolio and she undertook a number of pieces of work within national programmes. Amanda is currently the Director of Information and Strategy and is a Member of the Institute of Directors.