Dr. Cheryl Purdy is the lead digital forensic examiner/analyst for the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department in Owensboro, KY. She has been with the department for 11 years and has performed hundreds of examinations, many of which have led to convictions in both the state and federal systems. In addition, she is the Owensboro Community and Technical College project manager for a National Security Agency coalition grant with the University of Louisville and 4 other colleges and universities that have been awarded the prestigious Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation by the NSA.
In addition to her Ph.D. in Information Technology with a specialty area in digital forensics, Dr. Purdy has completed training with the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training, the National White Collar Crime Center, the Secret Service funded National Computer Forensics Institute, and the American Academy of Applied Forensics.
Recent awards for her accolades include being selected as the 2021 National Sheriff’s Association Reserve Deputy of the Year, the 2021 New Beginnings (Sexual Assault Support Services) Voice for Change Award, and the 2021 Owensboro Noon Optimist Respect for Law Award. She a member of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Cyber Threats Working Group and the International High Technology Crime Investigation Association.
Dr. Purdy has two daughters who are professionals in their respective fields. One is a patent attorney and the other is an occupational therapist. Her favorite pastime is spending time with her 6-year-old grandson.