MEET OUR WEBINAR PANEL

LTC REBECCA A. BLOOD, PHD

INSTALLATION DIRECTOR OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES AT FORT MEADE

Dr. Blood is currently the Installation Director of Psychological Services at Fort Meade in Maryland and the Regional Forensic Consultant to the Office of The Surgeon General for the eastern part of the United States. Dr. Blood received a Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York at Buffalo before completing a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Towson University. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Georgia State University and completed her clinical internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. She has earned numerous awards and honors; authored several articles in military medical, legal, and psychology journals; and has been an invited lecturer at dozens of educational seminars.

Specializing in aeromedical psychology and forensic assessment, Dr. Blood has completed tours to England, Guam, Afghanistan, Germany, and Kosovo. She has served in a number of different roles in FORSCOM, TRADOC, and MEDCOM. In 2020, she completed the prestigious Forensic Psychology Fellowship Program at the Center for Forensic Behavioral Sciences in Bethesda, MD at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the only such program accredited by the American Psychological Association.

MICHAEL PRIESTER, PHD

CHIEF BEHAVIORAL SCIENTIST, AVS

Dr. Priester serves as the Chief Behavioral Scientist for Adjudicative and Vetting Services (AVS) under Personnel Security (PS) within Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).  In this role Dr. Priester directs a specialty adjudication branch of adjudicators and psychologists who handle psychological or substance abuse issues that may affect personnel security.  Additionally, he works collaboratively with background investigators and threat assessment professionals to ensure that behavioral health issues are developed and reported appropriately for adjudicative consideration and threat mitigation.

Priester received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, completing his clinical residency at Chestnut Lodge Hospital in Rockville, MD.  Prior to his government service, he had a 20 year history of assessing and treating individuals in intensive psychiatric settings.

PHILLIP ATKINSON, PHD

OPERATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST, DITMAC

Dr. Phillip Atkinson is an Operational Psychologist currently serving as a Senior Behavioral Science Advisor at the DOD Insider Threat Management and Analysis Center (DITMAC). In this role, Dr. Atkinson provides subject matter expertise on initiatives related to the psychological aspects of insider threats and consults on the management of active insider threat cases.

Prior to joining the DITMAC in 2021, Dr. Atkinson has over 15 years of experience supporting various special operations and intelligence community organizations by conducting risk assessments, consulting on human intelligence and counterintelligence missions, and providing leadership consultation for initiatives related to behavioral sciences. Dr. Atkinson previously served on Active Duty in the US Army, and he continues to serve in the US Army Reserves.

ELISABETH JEAN-JACQUES, PHD

SENIOR STAFF PSYCHOLOGIST, AVS

Dr. Elisabeth Jean-Jacques is a senior staff psychologist at DCSA Adjudication and Vetting Services (AVS) who consults to the adjudicative teams to assist them in better understanding psychological and substance abuse issues which could impact personnel security. Dr. Jean-Jacques completed graduate training, a clinical internship, and a post-doctoral residency in forensic psychology with a primary focus on criminal and civil litigation matters requiring psychological assessment (e.g., competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility/diminished capacity, fitness to parent, sexual offender risk assessment, violence risk assessment, psychological damages, testamentary capacity).

Dr. Jean-Jacques then worked in the private sector for two years as a public safety psychologist providing fitness for duty and risk-management psychological screening services for police officers, other public safety personnel, and reality television candidates before coming to the DOD in 2015.

JESSICA BELSCHNER

BRANCH TECHNICAL LEAD, AVS

Mrs. Jessica Belschner is a Branch Technical Lead in the Behavioral Science Branch at Adjudicative and Vetting Services (AVS). She was hired in 2014 as an adjudicator after working four years as a contract personnel security investigator. Before entering the personnel security sector, Mrs. Belschner was a teacher for five years and obtained her master's degree in educational administration. Even in her work with the school, Mrs. Belschner focused a lot on psychology becoming guidance counselor trained and being one of two crisis counselors at the school where she worked.

ANDREA CORRALES

DEPUTY CHIEF DEPARTMENT COUNSEL, DOHA

Andrea Corrales is the Deputy Chief Department Counsel with the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), where she has represented the Department of Defense (DOD) in security clearance adjudications since July 2015. Prior to joining DOHA, she worked for several Federal government agencies, including the Navy, U.S. Office of Special Counsel, and the Merit Systems Protection Board, where she gained experience in federal employment law, whistleblower protections, and federal acquisition integrity laws. In addition to her primary duties at DOHA, Andrea regularly conducts mediations for the DOD and enjoys outside pro bono opportunities representing indigent clients with their various legal issues.