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Christina Pietz, Ph.D., ABPP

Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Psychology

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*Licensed in Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana and she holds a Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate

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Dr. Pietz worked for the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners for almost 25 years. In January 2015 she retired from the United States Medical Center, and now works contract. She is board- certified in forensic psychology, is the Past President of the American Board of Professional Psychology, and Past President of the American Board of Forensic Psychology. From 2001 to 2015, she was the Director of Forensic Training at the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute in Springfield, Mo. In January 2023, Dr. Pietz became the co-chair of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology Continuing Education Program. 

For the past 32 years, Dr. Pietz has worked as a forensic psychologist. She has testified and/or consulted in almost all 50 states, qualified as an expert witness in federal court, state court, military court, and juvenile court. In this capacity she has conducted competency, insanity, death penalty, IME, and fitness for duty, disability evaluations. Dr. Pietz is an expert in assessing for evidence of posttraumatic stress disorder and completing evaluations of individuals alleging to suffer from trauma in the forensic context.  She conducts workshops on this topic throughout the United States and in Canada.  She has provided opinions and reports regarding this issue in the civil litigation context and in the criminal context, and she conducts workshops for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology on this topic. Notable cases include those of Jared Loughner (attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords), Auburn Calloway (federal express pilot that assaulted flight crew members in an attempt to hijack the plane),  William Merriweather (charged with three counts of murder while robbing a bank), and Lisa Montgomery (death penalty case).

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Currently, Dr. Pietz receives referrals from courts, defense attorneys and prosecutors to conduct forensic mental health evaluations of juveniles and adults. She is licensed as a psychologist in Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and Indiana, holds a Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate, and has qualified as an expert witness on numerous occasions. Dr. Pietz has extensive experience consulting with colleagues, attorneys and courts on a variety of forensic mental health issues and evaluations.

She conducts forensic evaluations addressing a wide range of psycho-legal issues, including:

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• Competency to proceed to sentencing, trial, deposition, revocation

• Miranda waiver

• Waiver to adult court/“reverse-waiver”

• Not-guilty by reason of mental disease or defect (“insanity”)

• Violence risk assessment

• Sentencing/dispositional issues

• Sex offender risk assessment/psychosexual evaluations

• Pre-employment screening

• Fitness for duty

• Trauma (PTSD) evaluations

• Immigration

Dr. Pietz earned her Bachelor’s degree from Creighton University, her Master’s degree from Sam Houston State University, and Doctoral degree from Texas A&M University. She completed her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School. Dr. Pietz obtained specialized postdoctoral education, training and supervision in forensic psychology. In 1999, she was awarded specialty board certification in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, a credential held by approximately 350 psychologists nationwide. This certificate has been recognized by courts and statutes in some jurisdictions as the standard of professional competence in forensic psychology.

Dr. Pietz is committed to ongoing education and professional development. She has authored several papers and published a book entitled Violent Offenders: Understanding and Assessment. Throughout her career, Dr. Pietz has conducted several workshops on testifying in court, DSM-5, and other forensic topics. She presents to the local law enforcement community and local county jails on topics such as recognizing mental illness, substance abuse issues, and prevention of suicide in law enforcement.

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