Meet AIAFS' Staff

Janina Cich, MA

Janina Cich, MA, serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS). Janina is a retired Law Enforcement Officer with two decades of Criminal Justice experience. Currently, she serves as the Criminal Justice Program Director at Concordia University, St. Paul. Since 2003, Janina is a Professor of Criminal Justice & Forensic Mental Health Programs, and MN POST Skills at local colleges and Universities and a frequent lecturer. She conducts Crisis Intervention Training for Law Enforcement and Mental Health Practitioners focusing on awareness, assessment, intervention, de-escalation techniques, and prevention approaches for mental health populations in the criminal justice systems. She has co-authored several Criminal Justice/Forensic Mental Health articles, serves as a peer-review peer member of Forensic Scholars Today (FST); Forensic Mental Health Insider (FMHI) publication. Janina is a Board Member of Fraser Mental Health Advisory Team, MN Peace Officer Standards, and Training (POST) focus group, and with the Midwest Alliance on Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (MASBS).