OUR TEAM

LEADERSHIP

MICHAEL DAMON O’CONNELL

// PRESIDENT //

Since 2001, Mr. O’Connell has had his grasp on the data service scene, developing three laboratories and churning out both data recovery and digital forensic investigation. Mr. O’Connell continues his career today in data recovery and digital forensics as the Lab Director of Flashback Data, LLC dba Digital Crime Lab. He’s who we call the expert that the experts turn to.

Flashback Data is a private digital crime lab comprised of data recovery engineers, retired law enforcement, and US Army intelligence personnel. A powerhouse with both the minds and means to tackle your data emergencies. The company has been providing forensics services and tier 1 data recovery to clients around the world, including District Attorney’s Offices, Sheriff’s offices, Police departments, other government agencies, and foreign nations. The Flashback Data hub is the first private laboratory in the world accredited for digital forensics under the ANAB International (ISO17025:2005) program, which is the same accreditation that the FBI and DEA hold. Mr. O’Connell has two children and he enjoys all the extremities of Texas including hunting, fishing, camping, and sailing from the gulf coast to the highland lakes of Texas. He is an honor graduate from the Military College of Vermont, Norwich University. He brings forth the military belief to always adapt and overcome to every situation.

His “why”? To remain on the cutting edge.

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Damon O’Connell CV

RUSSELL CHOZICK

// VICE PRESIDENT //

Russell has always been interested in technology. He built his first computer in 1995 and started coding HTML and C shortly after. Shortly after college he was an early team member at a small data recovery company in Austin, TX where he met co-founder Damon O’Connell. He helped grow the company through name changes, investments, and large corporate eDiscovery cases.

When the new company decided to get out of the data recovery and forensics world, he reached back out to Damon to see if he was interested in getting back into it and the rest is history.

Russell has been responsible for streamlining the data recovery operations through the development of internal processes and tools to manage cases throughout a data recovery case. Russell began some of the first R&D on NAND flash recovery techniques in the industry back in 2005 in order for Flashback to become an industry leader with SSD and flash memory. As the company has grown is Digital Forensics presence, Russel extended his data recovery knowledge into the forensic world and is currently a Certified Forensic Computer Examiner (CFCE) and peer review coach for the CFCE process.

Russell is former University of Texas swimmer, National Champion and former American record holder. He currently enjoys rock climbing…

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Russell Chozick CV

TEAM

ERIC BROWN

// LEAD DATA RECOVERY ENGINEER //

Ever since I got my first computer I became absolutely fascinated by them and how they worked. I loved to take them apart and fix them up. Once I got into the real world, I was given an opportunity to work in the data recovery industry. This is an industry I did not know a lot about, but it sounded intriguing. So, for the last 24 years I have been working in data recovery and growing my knowledge in getting clients back their data, and their peace of mind.

Having worked with over 24,000 hard drives, countless mobile phones, tablets, tapes, and dvds — you name it — I consider myself one of the top data recovery specialists in the industry.

Knowing that I am able to help people save their businesses from failing, recover pictures of a past relatives, weddings, special days, and even students’ dissertations is what keeps me doing this every day.

I started my career at Ontrack and learned everything from the basics to higher level specialties. Through the years I have continued to gain a plethora of knowledge in industry research and trying new techniques, and with spending the last 14 years at Flashback Data, the learning continues.

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Eric Brown CV

STACY KAZMIR, M.S.

// FORENSIC CASE MANAGER //

Stacy Kazmir — our very own leading lady of all things digital forensics — began her career in January of 2010 as a Crime Scene Specialist for Austin Police Department after earning her Master of Science degree in Forensic Entomology from Texas A&M University in 2009.

During her time as a CSU, Stacy took onscenes related to violent crimes such as homicides, suicides, robberies, and sexual assaults, as well as provided expert testimony in such cases. All in all — she’s a pretty big deal.

Since 2015 Stacy has played an integral role within the Company as Flashback Data LLC’s Forensic Case Manager. From overseeing of forensic cases, acting as the clients’ primary point of contact, accounting responsibilities, internal auditing for accreditation compliance, and collaborating with Senior Forensic Examiner Matt Danner in directing all operations within the Forensics Division — she’s always in the know.

As Forensic Case Manager, Stacy works with a wide variety of clientele to include law enforcement, criminal and civil attorneys, prosecutors and defense counsels, corporations, and private citizens.

When she’s not knee deep in the evidence room, Stacy enjoys bow hunting, horseback riding, saltwater fishing, and spending time with her husband in Port Aransas.

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Stacy Kazmir CV

KOTNI MURPHY

// CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER //

Kotni is a Native Houstonian, a people person, and our very own best dressed. She kicked off her career with five years working in Distribution and spent the last thirteen in the Accounts Receivable and Collections departments of Houston, Texas.

After residing in the bayou city for most of her life, she set her sights on a change of both scenery and employment, bringing her to Austin in November 2017. Kotni is a mother of two boys and a ten-year-old pup named Beckett.

As a true outdoors(wo)man, she enjoys spending time in the yard, fostering a copious garden. Alongside her dedication to our team, Kotni loves to make time in her busy schedule for family gatherings and live music.

TREVOR SHOPPACH

// ACCOUNTANT //

Trevor is an Austin native currently pursuing his CPA. He has two dogs and has been happily married for 3 years. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in accounting at Mary-Hardin Baylor while playing soccer and leading the team to numerous conference championship appearances.

He has worked as a staff accountant at two CPA firms, a dental office and Texas Gas Service. He now has his own book of business doing bookkeeping for several businesses around Austin. He loves to travel and be outdoors.

EXAMINERS

MARVIN GILLEY

// DIGITAL FORENSIC EXAMINER //

Marvin is USAF Veteran and a Retired Senior Detective from the Austin Police Department. Marvin’s experience includes criminal investigations and digital forensic analysis in a wide range of criminal offenses including but not limited to Capital Murder, Murder, Sexual Assault, Child Pornography, and a host of White Collar Crimes. Marvin has over 12 years of experience in digital forensics investigations and in the handling and examination of digital evidence Marvin has also testified numerous times primarily in Travis County District Court pertaining to digital forensic evidence in the various cases.

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Marvin Gilley CV

THOMAS TRUSAL

// DIGITAL FORENSIC EXAMINER //

Thomas W. Trusal was born and raised in Pennsylvania. Mr. Trusal was a member of the Pennsylvania State Police for twenty-six years. The bulk of his career was spent doing investigations, with 17 years as Digital Forensic Examiner. Mr. Trusal is married and has 3 children.

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Thomas Trusal CV

CONNIE BELL

// DIGITAL FORENSIC EXAMINER //

Connie Bell began her career in digital forensics in 2010, working criminal cases in Florida. She has extensive experience analyzing computers, mobile devices, and other digital media involved in cases ranging from drug and fraud investigations to sexual assaults and homicides. Connie holds multiple certifications in digital and mobile device forensics and has testified as a digital forensics expert on county, statewide, and federal criminal cases in Florida. She earned her masters degree in digital forensics from the University of Central Florida in 2015, culminating in her final thesis project studying location data from Android devices.

Connie is also a member of several digital forensics-related professional organizations, including the Scientific Working Group for Digital Evidence, and she is also a technical assessor for the American National Standards Institute National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Connie began working with Flashback Data in 2015, performing analyses on IP theft and other civil investigations. Connie lives in Tampa, Florida and enjoys spending time with her family, biking, and kayaking.

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Connie Bell CV

GAIL BERGHORN

// DIGITAL FORENSIC EXAMINER //

After twenty-three years working for a Tampa, Florida non-profit organization managing computer and business operations, Gail Berghorn was offered a training opportunity from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to become a digital forensic examiner. During her time at FDLE, she conducted digital forensic examinations on computers, laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, SD cards, skimmers, and other digital media. She worked with officers from local law enforcement agencies and FDLE agents. Her cases included arson, murder, child pornography, burglary, identity theft, assault, and drug possession.

When her husband decided to retire to Montana, Gail started looking for digital forensic positions out west. An opportunity presented itself near Salt Lake City, Utah, working for a government contractor providing forensic assistance to a government digital forensic laboratory. She currently works with government employees, fellow contractors, and National Guard soldiers as they conduct digital forensic analysis, provide technical support to agents in the field, and validate hardware/software for laboratory use. Gail provides training in forensic analysis for new examiners and develops work guides. In addition to this full-time position, Gail contracts as a forensic examiner with Flashback Data, LLC.

In her free time, Gail volunteers as an usher for the Salt Lake City Performing Arts Center and enjoys spending time outdoors with Utah’s beautiful scenery. She spends time with her husband and Nikki, their Siberian Husky, on their 30-acre homestead in Montana. Gail is a horse show manager and runs several horse shows during the year. It’s fun to organize and run a large event and get to nuzzle horses at the same time!

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Gail Berghorn CV