About Dotti
“I am blessed to have been designated with the honor of speaking for our deceased.” – Dotti
Dotti Owens
M.A., D-ABMDI, DR. PH Candidate (Dr. Public Health)
With over two decades of experience in medicolegal death investigation, Dotti Owens brings a powerful blend of field expertise, proven leadership, and public health insights. She served 12 years in the Ada County Coroners’ Office, including 8 years as the elected Coroner, during which she led multidisciplinary teams in death investigations, forensic pathology, and administrative operations. Her leadership emphasized staff development, continuous education, and high investigative standards.
Dotti fostered strong partnerships with law enforcement, public health agencies, and elected officials to improve operations, secure critical grant funding, and implement strategic budget management. Under her direction, the Ada County Coroners Office earned national accreditations from both the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) and the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME).
Since retiring from public office, Dotti has continued to shape the field as a sought-after consultant. Her work includes regional forensic facility development, grant acquisition, and professional training for coroner/medical examiner agencies nationwide. She actively serves on boards at the local and national levels and remains a vocal advocate for systemic improvements across the medicolegal death investigation landscape.
Dotti is currently a second-year Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) student, where her research focuses on the intersection of medicolegal death investigation, public health surveillance, and systems-level prevention strategies. Her doctoral work emphasizes the critical role forensic data plays in informing policies related to overdose deaths, suicide prevention, infant mortality prevention, and post-incarceration mortality.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boise State University and a master’s in criminal justice administration from Arizona State University. Dotti is a certified Diplomate with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.