Scott Oulton

Scott Oulton began his career with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) testing seized drugs as a forensic chemist in 1990. He testified as an expert forensic science witness in over 125 different Federal/State court criminal proceedings. He has published five scientific articles and developed two internationally recognized forensic science standards. He has over 35 years of distinguished federal service and has progressively served in key leadership positions (supervisor, program manager, section chief, associate laboratory director, and laboratory director) since 1999. In 2011, he was appointed to the Senior Executive Service as associate deputy assistant administrator, where he was responsible for leading DEA’s forensic laboratories. In 2022, he was promoted to the chief of forensics (assistant administrator), which placed him in charge of the DEA’s Forensics Division. In that capacity, he oversees ten decentralized and seven sub-regional laboratories spread across the US with more than 560 employees that provide analytical, intelligence, scientific, and other forensic and administrative support to law enforcement, prosecutors, legislators, and the public.