Vanessa Lynch is the Regional Director for DNA for Africa, and a Senior Government Affairs Consultant at GTH-GA, based in South Africa. Vanessa has extensive experience leading nationwide policy initiatives and working with governments to advance dynamic legislative and policy changes.

Vanessa founded The DNA Project in 2005, and in 2021 launched @DNAforAfrica, dedicated to the use of advocacy outreach and  forensic expertise  to aid the development of DNA databases and casework programs throughout Africa.

Vanessa is regarded as a key opinion leader in the field of Forensic DNA policy and has been lauded for her leadership in driving the adoption of legislation to administer South Africa’s national DNA database, the first of its kind on the African continent. Serving as Deputy Chair of the National Forensic Oversight and Ethics Board (SA), she monitored the implementation of the provisions of the DNA Act in its first five years and now serves on the Forensic Databasing Advisory Board (FDAB) for the ISFG.

Prior to her work in forensic DNA, Vanessa held various legal positions, including legal advisor for an international contactless payment solutions company and as a commercial associate in a London law firm.

Vanessa completed her Law degree at the University of Cape Town in 1992 and recently submitted her research in forensic DNA profiling for her doctorate in Law at the University of Stellenbosch.