Former FBI Thanatologist Teaching at Hood

Kathleen D. Hall has utilized her M.A. in Thanatology from Hood College to assist victims of complex, high-profile crimes, disasters and tragedies across the country and to educate special agents and law enforcement about victim assistance. Now retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where she was hired as the Bureau’s first Thanatologist, she is supporting Hood College as a member of the new Thanatology Advisory Council in addition to her role as an adjunct professor in the Psychology/Thanatology program.

In 2004, Kathleen served as a disaster cadre member for FEMA, assisting victims devastated by four hurricanes in Florida. She then joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serving as Victim Assistance Program Specialist, Unit Chief and Deputy Program Director for the FBI’s Office for Victim Assistance in Washington, DC.

Representing the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Department of State, Kathleen traveled internationally to speak about victim assistance and assist local law enforcement with start-up victim assistance efforts.  In 2011, as the Bureau’s first Line of Duty Death Liaison, Kathleen developed and implemented the FBI Line of Duty Death protocol, for which she received the FBI Knowledge Award for innovation and excellence.

Kathleen received the FBI Director’s Award Distinguished Service to Victims of Federal Crime, the Bureau’s highest award, for her exemplary assistance to victims, families and survivors of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting in Newtown, CT, and the U.S. Department of Justice Federal Service Award for her coordination of services to the Boston Marathon Bombing victims.  In 2014, Kathleen was asked to lead and develop an FBI National Law Enforcement Victim Assistance Training and Certification Program to promote the need for Victim Specialists within local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies throughout the country.

Kathleen retired from the FBI in 2015, but she continues to serve in a number of capacities within law enforcement, hospital and educational environments to communicate the need to expand victim assistance and death education.