Lisa Bailey is an artist, sculptor, and the author of “Clay and Bones: My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist.”

From the moment Lisa picked up a skull, she became fascinated by forensic facial approximation, and rose to become the first female forensic sculptor in the FBI. Lisa worked to modernize facial approximation guidelines by launching a research project with the University of Tennessee’s “Body Farm.” As a result, the FBI houses the first 3D digital and photographic reference collection of contemporary skulls for forensic art training and casework.

Lisa began her career at the FBI two months after the September 11 attacks, working on the graphic team creating courtroom evidence for the prosecution of the “20^th hijacker” Zacarias Moussaoui. In her 18-year career she worked on hundreds of cases including child abduction, sexual assault, homicide, and terrorism.

She was an instructor of the FBI Forensic Facial Imaging Class, adjunct faculty member of the FBI Academy, and has been interviewed for the Washington Post, A&E True Crime, and National Public Radio. Her forensic work has been featured on Dateline NBC, America’s Most Wanted, and the National Museum of Health and Medicine.

Now retired, Lisa lives in Portugal with her husband Reid, and ridiculously spoiled cat, Bettie Cupcake.