current officers
2025 to 2027
Sasha breland, MD
Section chair
Dr. Sasha Breland is a board-certified forensic pathologist and a native of New Jersey. She completed an eight-year B.S./M.D. program at Montclair State University in 2004 and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) – New Jersey Medical School in 2009. Dr. Breland remained at UMDNJ-NJMS for residency training in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, serving as Chief Resident before completing her program in 2014.
Following residency, she pursued subspecialty training in Forensic Pathology at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, Texas, completing her fellowship in 2015. Dr. Breland has been in active forensic pathology practice since that time.
She began her career as a Deputy Medical Examiner at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Washington, D.C., where she later advanced to Deputy Chief Medical Examiner. Currently, Dr. Breland serves as Deputy Medical Examiner and Deputy Director for the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner.
Throughout her career, Dr. Breland has contributed to Domestic Violence Fatality Review Boards in both Washington, D.C., and O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Her professional interests include the investigation of in-custody deaths, and she has lectured on the topic at national and international forums.
Outside of her professional work, Dr. Breland enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Following residency, she pursued subspecialty training in Forensic Pathology at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, Texas, completing her fellowship in 2015. Dr. Breland has been in active forensic pathology practice since that time.
She began her career as a Deputy Medical Examiner at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Washington, D.C., where she later advanced to Deputy Chief Medical Examiner. Currently, Dr. Breland serves as Deputy Medical Examiner and Deputy Director for the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner.
Throughout her career, Dr. Breland has contributed to Domestic Violence Fatality Review Boards in both Washington, D.C., and O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Her professional interests include the investigation of in-custody deaths, and she has lectured on the topic at national and international forums.
Outside of her professional work, Dr. Breland enjoys traveling and spending quality time with family and friends.
Jan Gorniak, DO
section secretaryDr. Jan Gorniak was born and raised in Bronx, NY. She graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, PA. Dr. Gorniak is certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and forensic pathology. She served as a Deputy Coroner/Forensic Pathologist for Franklin County, Ohio from July 2005 to January 2008. She is a member of the National Association of Medical Examiners, the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, American Osteopathic Association, and the National Medical Association. Dr. Gorniak is also a registered medicolegal death investigator through the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.
In November of 2008, Dr. Gorniak was elected to the position of Franklin County Coroner, Columbus, Ohio. She was the county’s first full-time forensic pathologist coroner. She was re-elected in November 2012 and served in that position until resigning in October 2014. She went on to work as the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia (DC) Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. In the Fall of 2016, she was appointed the Fulton County Chief Medical Examiner (Atlanta, GA). As of June 2020, Dr. Gorniak calls Las Vegas, NV home, working as a Medical Examiner/Forensic Pathologist for the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner. |
Marcel Castor, Md
section treasurerDr. Marcel Castor is originally from South Orange Village, New Jersey, and has a lifelong passion for puzzles, science, technology, and teaching. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from Montclair State University in 2009 and his Doctor of Medicine from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in 2016. He went on to complete his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Duke University, followed by an Anatomic Pathology fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, and a Forensic Pathology fellowship at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.
Dr. Castor currently serves as an Associate Medical Examiner at the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office in Georgia. His professional interests center on integrating modern tools and process-improvement strategies into forensic pathology, with a particular focus on digital innovation and postmortem angiography techniques. He has presented nationally at meetings of the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS), and other professional organizations. Dr. Castor played a key role in guiding the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office through Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation in under 18 months, helping to establish the nation’s first forensic pathology fellowship sponsored by a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) — Morehouse School of Medicine. He personally recruited the program’s inaugural fellow, who will begin training in July 2026. Looking ahead, Dr. Castor aims to serve as Program Director of the forensic pathology fellowship, continuing to shape the next generation of forensic pathologists through innovation, mentorship, and leadership. Beyond the morgue, Dr. Castor enjoys camping, hiking, exploring emerging technologies, and engaging in pedagogy and mentoring the next generation of physicians, scientists, and citizens. |