MEET THE TEAM!
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University of Louisville
Northern Kentucky University
University of Dayton
University of Cincinnati
Tiffin University
Purdue University
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
Lindsey Wilson College
Madison Central High School
Gavin
(Not Pictured)
Case Lead
University of Louisville
Senior - Criminal Justice Major
I chose this internship because of the unique opportunity provided to get my feet wet in the criminal justice system outside of traditional law enforcement positions. I'm very excited to get hands-on experience with investigative work and play a role in the pursuit of justice. In the future, I hope to either pursue a career in law, law enforcement, or academia focusing on Criminal Justice.
Abby
Megan
Case Lead
University of Louisville
Masters - Criminal Justice
I obtained a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from the University of Louisville and am now due to graduate their Accelerated Master’s Program in summer 2023. My long-term career goals are to obtain a PhD in Criminal Justice and work as a licensed investigator. I applied and participated in an internship with Braden Investigations originally in Spring of 2022, with a goal to learn from Dr. Braden and my fellow interns. My interest in interning with Braden Investigations was largely due to Dr. Braden’s passion for what she does and her focus on wrongful convictions and cold cases. After completing my initial semester in the internship, I have remained as a volunteer intern, now taking on the role of a Senior Case Analysis. I hope to come away from the internship with a greater knowledge of how all parts of the Criminal Justice system can work together more successfully and to work successfully as an advocate to those who are unable to do so for themselves.
Case Lead
University of Louisville
Masters - Criminal Justice
I am beyond blessed to have graduated from the University of Louisville with a master’s in criminal justice this past December! I obtained my bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Kentucky during the spring of 2009. This past year has taught me that I am ready to be done with school just yet and will hopefully be able to continue this fall in the PhD program in criminal justice at the University of Louisville. It has always been a dream of mine to enter the field of criminal justice as a behavior analyst and eventually a hostage negotiator. I made the decision to go back to school after the unexpected loss of my husband and this heartbreaking loss gave me the strength, motivation, and determination to turn my dreams into a reality. I am honored to have been working with Dr. Braden since my summer internship the past year and now becoming one of the Senior Case Analysts that make up our amazing team. I hope to continue to bring peace to the families who have been left with so many unanswered questions for far too long.
Isabelle
University of Dayton
Junior - Biology Major
Neuroscience Minor
I am a rising Junior at the University of Dayton currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in neuroscience. My future goal, whether it be in the medical field or in criminal justice, is to have a career where I can help people and make a difference in their lives. After meeting with Dr. Braden and hearing her story and life experiences, I instantly knew I would love to do this internship. The work that she does for others and the impact it makes is incredible and inspiring. This internship is a wonderful opportunity to expand my knowledge in this field and to help people in a different way than what I have been doing in the medical field. I hope to gain knowledge and experience, and I am so excited to get started!
Brooke
University of Louisville
Senior - Criminal Justice Major
Moriah
University of Louisville
Junior - Criminal Justice Major
Psychology Minor
I chose this internship after learning about the work Dr. Braden does and the impact she has in so many lives. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from Dr. Braden and excited to be able to contribute to her work. I hope to carry the information I learn from this internship with me in my future career.
Riley
University of Dayton
Junior - Criminal Justice Major
Social Work and Political Science Minor
I am currently in my junior year at the University of Dayton majoring in criminal justice studies with minors in social work and political science. Criminal justice, and this field of work specifically, has always fascinated me. I love the idea of being able to help others through pursuing my passions. My goal, although I am always seeking new opportunities, is to contribute to the criminal justice system through social work, investigative work, or possibly legislative advocacy. After hearing more about Dr. Braden’s story, and the work she does for others, I knew that this experience would offer a place for me to grow in my own knowledge while still helping others. I am so grateful to have this opportunity and I can't wait to get started!
Rhianna
Northern Kentucky University
Senior- Criminal Justice Major
Psychology & Pre-law minors
In the future, I plan to be a lawyer. I have an interest in human rights; specifically in helping those who have been disproportionately impacted and cast aside by the criminal justice system. Because of the area I plan to go into, I wanted to be a part of this internship. I am eager to learn more, gain experiences, and help others find justice through this opportunity.
As a current senior at the University of Louisville, I am hoping to gain more experience and knowledge through the Braden Investigations Internship by working with cold cases and Jane and John Doe cases. I have always had my mind set on becoming a crime scene investigator because it will allow me to bring justice to victims and their survivors. After talking with Dr. Braden, I have realized how important crime scene evidence is and how much it can prevent injustices. I hope that in working next to Dr. Braden I will continue to be guided down the right path to pursuing my career’s purpose!
Maggie
University of Cincinnati Graduate
Criminal Justice Major
Political Science Minor
I am a recent graduate from the University of Cincinnati where I received a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science. After graduation, I hope to pursue a career in either investigative work or legal advocacy. I have interned with Dr. Braden before, and I enjoyed it so much I had to stay on the team! I hope to sharpen my investigative skills, as well as gain more insight on wrongful conviction cases. Her passion is inspiring, and I cannot wait to continue working with her and my peers.
Lindsey
Tiffin University
Senior- Forensic Psychology Major
I am in my last semester at Tiffin University, and one of my biggest career goals is to be involved in the criminal justice system doing psychological research and investigative work in order to help those who have been failed by the system. I was an intern for Dr. Braden in the fall, so being able to continue on with this team and this experience is truly amazing! I am very excited for this semester so that I can explore new avenues and continue old ones while simultaneously helping those who don’t have a voice. I’m looking forward to gaining more experience in the Forensic Psychology field, as well as applying more of my passion of psychology to the work Dr. Braden does here at Braden Investigations!
Chloe
University of Louisville
Senior- Criminal Justice Major
Psychology Minor
Peyton
University of Louisville
Junior - Criminal Justice Major
Philosophy Minor
From the beginning, I was interested in this internship because of the hands-on experience it will provide me for my future career, where I hope to become a criminal lawyer. I have always been someone interested in looking beyond the surface level, analyzing data and statistics to look for real answers, and any type of criminal investigation. I look forward to bringing justice to survivors and families of victims
I’m a senior at the University of Louisville this year! My major is Criminal Justice, and my minor is Psychology. I chose Braden Investigations for my internship because it not only will give me a glimpse into the criminal investigation side of things, but I will also get to see/learn how to speak up for those who cannot! Whether someone is a victim or someone is wrongfully convicted, everyone deserves to have a voice -- and that voice can be mine one day. I eventually would like to be a forensic analyst or a crime scene analyst, but this internship with Braden Investigations will really help me decide where my heart lies. Thank you, Dr. Braden, for this opportunity to not only see the difference but also be the difference!
Olivia
Brittany
University of Louisville
Senior - Criminal Justice Major
I have been with Braden Investigations for a year now. I have been married for 7 years, and I have 3 wonderful kiddos who keep me busy. I am currently in the Criminal Justice program. I want to make a difference in someone’s life and be a voice of someone who cannot be heard. Being with Braden Investigations have given me opportunities to help with cases I would have never imagined working on.
University of Louisville
Senior - Criminal Justice Major
I am a senior at the University of Louisville majoring in criminal justice. I am hoping to work in victim’s advocacy after I graduate in May. I chose to work under Dr. Braden because of her notable passion for the criminal justice system. I am eager to learn from her and all her experience!
Shelby
University of Louisville
Junior - Criminal Justice Major
Psychology Minor
Nel
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Library Assistant
I graduated from Purdue University North Central in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 2017 with a Master of Science in Library and Information Science. I aim to use my skills in research to solve Jane and John Doe cases as well as assist other cases in the Great Lakes area. My current cases of interest are the two Porter County Jane Doe cases, the disappearance of Opal Fulks in 1931, and the suspicious death of Rylan Cotter in 2008. I chose this internship since it offers a unique path to transfer my skills in librarianship and communications into a meaningful career in research and social justice. Working closely with Dr. Virginia Braden who offers extensive expertise in solving Cold Cases gives me an incredible opportunity to learn from the best in the field while earning hands-on skills in criminal justice research.
I chose this internship because of the opportunities to learn more about investigative techniques and to gather experience for my future career. I hope to one day work for the FBI as a special agent and work in the field. I believe this internship will help prepare me for this. I am grateful for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me!
Cody
Madison Central High School
Senior
I am a senior at Madison Central High School with an interest in pursuing a biochemistry degree and then going to medical school. My ultimate goal in life is to leave the world better than I found it, and Dr. Braden's internship gives me the opportunity to explore all the ways I can do this. Dr. Braden's work inspires me every day to make a difference in the world, and I am so excited to be working alongside her and this team.
Gabby
University of Louisville
Senior - Criminal Justice
I made the decision to intern for Braden Investigations in order to expand my knowledge of career paths within the criminal justice system. Since I am heading towards graduation, I am working towards figuring out how I will make an impact on my community post-grad. I believe this is a great way to begin the journey. After graduation, I am not too sure of my plans, but I am looking into continuing a career in investigations or law enforcement.
Zhane
University of Louisville
Senior - Criminal Justice Major
I join this internship to diversify my background in criminal justice. My career goal is to be an attorney. Instead of gaining experience inside of a courtroom, I wanted to know the critical thinking and logical reasoning process during an investigation. The trial and error before presenting hard evidence.
Rachel
Lindsey Wilson College
Senior - History and Criminal Justice Double Major
My goal is to attend law school in 2024 and eventually work as a post-conviction attorney for wrongful conviction cases. I chose this internship because Dr. Braden shares the genuine passion that I have for wrongful conviction cases, and I know that there is a lot I can learn from this experience that will help me help others.
Skylar
University of Northern Kentucky
Senior - Major: Criminal Justice
Minor: Psychology
II have always known I wanted to do something in the criminal justice field because I have this love for helping people. I was interested in this internship because I could see Dr. Braden’s passion for the field. Her passion makes me so much more excited to be learning from her and getting to know the field better. After graduation, I would love to be working with crime analysis or possibly a forensic psychologist.
