Heather Mahalik Barnhart

Heather Mahalik Barnhart is a recognized authority in digital forensics, with more than 20 years of investigative experience at the intersection of technology, law enforcement, and cybersecurity. Barnhart began her career in digital forensics during her service in the Air Force National Guard and has focused on mobile forensics since 2010. Her work spans a wide range of devices and platforms, and she has contributed to investigations involving child exploitation, homicides, and high-profile cases such as the analysis of Osama Bin Laden's media. Barnhart has supported law enforcement, consulting firms, and federal agencies in extracting and decoding digital artifacts critical to global investigations.

Barnhart holds a senior leadership position at Cellebrite, a global provider of digital intelligence solutions. As Senior Director of Community Engagement, she leads strategic growth initiatives and fosters relationships with customers, partners, and industry professionals, strengthening Cellebrite’s role in the digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) community. Previously, she served as Senior Director of Digital Forensics, advising DFIR professionals on emerging challenges and supporting investigative missions through Cellebrite’s digital intelligence tools. Barnhart also shares her expertise through Cellebrite’s "Tip Tuesday" series on YouTube, contributing to ongoing education in digital forensics.

In addition to her industry work, Barnhart plays a significant role in cybersecurity education. She is the DFIR Curriculum Lead and Head of Faculty at SANS Institute, shaping digital forensics and incident response training, and serves as Dean of Faculty at SANS Technology Institute. As a SANS Fellow, she is recognized for her contributions to smartphone forensics and Windows artifact analysis. At SANS, Barnhart leads courses including "FOR585: Smartphone Forensic Analysis In-Depth" and "FOR500: Windows Forensic Analysis." She is co-author of "Practical Mobile Forensics" and has served as technical editor for "Learning Android Forensics" and "SQLite Forensics."

Barnhart is also an advocate for digital safety, having developed the SANS Security Awareness #SecureTheFamily initiative to promote cyber safety for families. She maintains smarterforensics.com, a platform for digital forensics resources and community contributions. Barnhart has been featured in "Women Know Cyber" as one of 100 women combating cybercrime. Her ability to communicate complex forensic concepts to investigators, corporate audiences, and families positions her as a leading voice in cybersecurity, digital forensics, and incident response.