CURRICULUM VITAE
EMPLOYMENT ADDRESS:
Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office
11001 Cedar Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Professional e-mail: jfelo@cuyahogacounty.us
Personal e-mail: jfelo@hotmail.com
Phone number: (216) 698-5491
FAX number: (216) 698-6649
PERSONAL DATA:
Born: February 12, 1966
Los Gatos, California
Community Service:
Life Member, Alpha Phi Omega National Service Organization
Member and Usher, St. Paschal Baylon Catholic Parish, Highland Heights, Ohio
Member, Irish American Club – East Side
EDUCATION:
1984 to 1988 – St. Lawrence University
Canton, New York
Class rank: 17 / 575
Bachelor of Science in Biology, Magna Cum Laude
1988 to 1992 – The University of Health Sciences,
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Kansas City, Missouri
Class rank: 5 / 105
Doctor of Osteopathy, Summa Cum Laude
BOARD CERTIFICATION:
November 19, 1997 – Diplomate, The American Board of Pathology
Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
September 15, 1998 – Diplomate, The American Board of Pathology
Forensic Pathology
MEDICAL LICENSES:
Issued: September 12, 1997 State of Ohio, 34-00-6746
Expires January 1, 2021
State of Michigan, 5101025316
Expires November 22,2022
POSTGRADUATE TRAINING:
1992 to 1993 – Intern, Johnson City Family Practice
(Osteopathic Internship)
Wilson Memorial Hospital
Johnson City, New York
1993 to 1997 – Resident, Division of Laboratory Medicine
(Anatomic and Clinical Pathology)
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Cleveland, Ohio
1997 to 1998 – Fellow, Forensic Pathology
Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office
Cleveland, Ohio
MEDICOLEGAL EXPERIENCE:
Total Autopsies Performed: 4085 (As of June 26, 2020)
Total Court Testimonies: 196
Total Depositions: 32
MEDICAL EMPLOYMENT:
July 1, 1998 – May 31, 2006 – Deputy Coroner and Forensic Pathologist
Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office
June 1, 2006 – July 31, 2007 – Chief Deputy Coroner and Forensic Pathologist
Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office
August 1, 2007 – May 31, 2011 – Deputy Coroner and Forensic Pathologist
Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office
June 1, 2011 – February 7, 2016 – Deputy Medical Examiner and Forensic Pathologist
Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office
February 8, 2016 – Present – Chief Deputy Medical Examiner and Forensic Pathologist
Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE:
April 5, 2006 to May 31, 2006 – Acting Chief Deputy Coroner of Cuyahoga County
June 1, 2006 to July 31, 2007 – Chief Deputy Coroner of Cuyahoga County
July 1, 2006 to Present – Program Director of Forensic Pathology Fellowship,
Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office
Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office
February 8, 2016 to Present – Chief Deputy Medical Examiner of Cuyahoga County
AWARDS AND HONORS:
1984 to 1988 – Dean’s List, St. Lawrence Faculty Scholar
1986 – Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society
1988 – Phi Beta Kappa
1989 – Sigma Sigma Phi, National Osteopathic Honor Society
1990 – Psi Sigma Alpha, National Osteopathic Scholastic Honor Society
2019 – Jewish Sacred Society Professionalism and Compassion Recognition
PRESENTATIONS:
Human Toxoplasmosis
- Laboratory Medicine Grand Rounds, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, May 1994.
- Microbiology Continuing Education Series, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, November 1994.
Fluids and Electrolytes
- W. King School of Medical Technology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, July 1994.
Maternal and Neonatal Screens
- W. King School of Medical Technology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, February 1995.
Postmortem Forensic Toxicology
- Laboratory Medicine Grand Rounds, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, April 1995.
- Immunopathology Continuing Education Series, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, May 1995.
Non-Neoplastic Salivary Gland Pathology
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, December 1995.
The Forensic Aspects of Alcohol
- Laboratory Medicine Grand Rounds, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, February 1996.
- Immunopathology Continuing Education Series, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, April 1996.
Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii From Specimens Submitted for Viral Culture: IFA Confirmation
- Twelfth Annual Clinical Virology Symposium, Clearwater, FL, April 1996.
Male Genitourinary Pathology
- Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, January 1997-2019.
Gastrointestinal Pathology
- Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, January 1997-2019.
Forensic Pathology Photographic Review
- Department of Pathology, MetroHealth Medical Center, March 1999-2001, 2008-2009, 2011-2012.
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, May 2002.
- Department of Pathology, MetroHealth Medical Center, April 2004, 2005, and 2007.
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, April 2005, 2006, and 2009-2010.
- Department of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, May 2007 and March 2009.
Forensic Pathology and the Forensic Pathologist
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, October 1999.
- Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy, June 2003.
- Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy, February 2004.
- Forensic Science (Chemistry 102) Course, The College of Wooster, April 2007.
Introduction to the Forensic Sciences
- Twinsburg High School, November 1999.
- Romance Writers of America, September 2003.
Non-Accidental Childhood Injuries
- Pediatric Grand Rounds, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, February 2000.
- Department of Pathology, MetroHealth Medical Center, April 2000.
Non-Accidental and Air Bag Associated Childhood Injuries
- Ohio State Coroners Association, May 2000.
Air Bag Associated Injuries in the Pediatric Population
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN, September 2000.
Forensic Pathology as a Career
- Louisa May Alcott Elementary School, June 2000.
- Broadview Heights Kiwanis Club, January 2004.
- Peter Chanel High School, March 2009.
- Cleveland Clinic Pathology Residency, February 2019.
A Retrospective Comparison of Skeletal Injuries in Infants and Children Utilizing Two Methods of Total Body Radiographs with Correlation of Autopsy Findings
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Conference, Richmond, VA, October 2001.
Embolized Crospovidone in the Lungs of an Intravenous Drug Abuser
- Cleveland Society of Pathologists, February 2002.
Identification of Crospovidone in Tissues of Intravenous Drug Abusers
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Conference, Shreveport, LA, September 2002.
Suicide in Cancer Patients: A Five Year Retrospective Review<
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Conference, Shreveport, LA, September 2002.
The Autopsy, Forensic Sciences: How They Impact Your World
- Case Western Reserve University, January 2004-2007.
Time of Death and Postmortem Changes
- University Hospitals of Cleveland Department of Pathology, April 2004 and 2007.
- Cleveland Clinic Foundation Department of Pathology, May 2007 and October 2010.
- CCMEO Medicolegal Death Investigation Course, March 2012.
- Cleveland EMS, June 2018.
Drug Prevalence in Drowning Deaths in Cuyahoga County, Ohio: A Ten Year Retrospective Study
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Conference, Nashville, TN, September 2004.
Sudden Death Due to Bilateral Spontaneous Pneumothoraces in a Marijuana User
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences 57th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, February 2005.
Sharp Force Injuries
- The Ohio State Coroners Association 60th Annual Conference, Columbus, OH, May 2005.
- Department of Pathology, MetroHealth Medical Center, March 2006 and February 2019.
- Department of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, May 2007 and March 2009.
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, March 2015.
Fatal Hemoperitoneum: An Unusual Complication of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, October 2005.
- University of Michigan’s Advances in Forensic Medicine & Pathology, May 2019.
Forensic Odontology: Pediatric Identification
- Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office Forensic Odontology Training Seminars, March 2006.
Reporting Scene Data to the Pathologist; SUIDI Top 25 Explained
- The Ohio State Coroners Association 62nd Annual Conference, Columbus, OH, May 2007.
- Ohio Child Fatality Review Training, Columbus, OH, September 2007.
- Infant Death Investigation Training, Columbus, OH, June 2011.
Infant Death Certification
- Ohio Child Fatality Review Training, Columbus, OH, September 2007.
Forensic Pathologist as an Expert Witness
- Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, April 1, 2009.
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law, February 2010, 2019, and 2020.
Forensic Pathology and Death Investigation
- North Coast Polytechnic Institute, June 17, 2009.
- Northeast Ohio Public Safety Conference, March 2013.
- Cleveland EMS, June 2018.
Que Sera, Sera? Survivability of Fatal Motorcycle Accidents Involving Un-Helmeted Cyclists
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 2009.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death
- Euclid Hospital Presents The Coroner’s Series, Euclid, OH, September 8, 2009.
- University Hospitals of Cleveland Department of Pathology, May 2011 and March 2013.
- Infant Death Investigation Training, Columbus, OH 2011.
Blunt Force Injuries
- Euclid Hospital Presents The Coroner’s Series, Euclid, OH, September 14, 2010.
- Department of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, October 2010.
- Department of Pathology, MetroHealth Medical Center, February 2019.
Homicidal Commotio Cordis in a Tissue Donor Victim
- National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Meeting, Cleveland, OH, October 2010.
Forensic Pathology in the Hospital Setting
- Department of Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, February 2011.
- Department of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, March 2014.
Forensic Radiology: Applications in the Evaluation of Injury and Death
- Ohio Society of Radiologic Technologists, April 2012.
- Ohio State Coroner’s Association, Northeast Regional Meeting, November 2012.
- Department of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, March 2013.
Wounds and Injuries
- CCMEO Medicolegal Death Investigation Course, November 2012.
Fatal Milk-Induced Pulmonary Hemosiderosis (Heiner Syndrome) in an Infant
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences 66th Annual Conference, Seattle, WA, February 2014.
Deaths due to Asphyxia
- Southwest General Hospital EMS, November 2016
- University of Michigan’s Advances in Forensic Medicine & Pathology, May 2019.
Fentanyl Analogs in Postmortem Examinations
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences 70th Annual Conference, Seattle, WA, February 2018.
The Opioid Crisis: The Cleveland Experience
- University of Michigan’s Advances in Forensic Medicine & Pathology, May 2019.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
National Association of Medical Examiners
- Fellow
- Best Resident Subcommittee, 2005 to 2009
- Member, Board of Directors, 2011 to 2017
- Forensic Pathology Training Subcommittee, 2016 to present
National Association of Medical Examiners Foundation
- Member
- Board of Trustees, 2014 to present
- Chair, Research Committee, 2015 to present
American Academy of Forensic Sciences
- Fellow, Pathology/Biology Section
St. Lawrence University Alumni Association
PUBLICATIONS:
Merrick TC, Felo JA, Jenkins AJ. Tissue distribution of olanzapine in a postmortem case.
Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2001;22(3):270-274.
Ganesan S, Felo J, Saldana M, Kalasinsky VF, Lewin-Smith MR, Tomashefski JF Jr. Embolized crospovidone (poly[N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone]) in the lungs of intravenous drug users. Mod Pathol. 2003;16(4):286-92.
Tomashefski JF, Felo JA. The pulmonary pathology of illicit drug and substance abuse.
Curr Diag Pathol 2004;10(5):413-426.
Gorniak JM, Jenkins AJ, Felo JA, Balraj EK. Drug prevalence in drowning deaths in Cuyahoga county, Ohio: a ten-year retrospective study. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2005;26(3):240-243.
Felo JA. Book Review: Essential Forensic Neuropathology by Juan C. Troncoso. Am J Surg Pathol. 2010;34(5):755.
Naso-Kaspar CK, Herndon GW, Wyman JF, Felo JA, Lavins ES, Gilson TP. ‘Lingering’ Opiate Deaths? Concentration of Opiates in Medulla and Femoral Blood. J Anal Toxicol. 2013;37(8):507-11.
Maskovyak A and Felo J. Sudden death due to asphyxia by primary tracheal small cell carcinoma. Acad Forensic Pathol. 2014 4(4):558-562.
Maskovyak A, Felo J, Kohler L. Prevalence of drugs and alcohol identified in fatal work-related injuries: a two office experience. Acad Forensic Pathol. 2015 5(1): 98-104.
Wiens AL, Felo JA. Dissecting thoracic aortic hematoma masquerading as blunt force injury of the neck. J Forensic Sci. 2015 60(4): 1093-1094.
Maskovyak A and Felo J. Sudden death due to spontaneous small bowel perforation within an incarcerated umbilical hernia. Acad Forensic Pathol. 2016 6(2): 122-129.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS:
1989 to 1990 – Osteopathic Manipulation Technique Laboratory Assistant,
The University of Health Sciences
1994 to 1997 – Lecturer, John Weaver King School of Medical Technology,
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
1995 to 1996 – Deputy Inspector, College of American Pathologists
1996 to Present – Basic Science Lecturer, Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
1999 to 2008 – Pulmonary Pathology Lecturer, Case Western Reserve University
School of Medicine to Present Visiting Pathology Lecturer, MetroHealth Medical Center Department of Pathology
1999 – Bioengineering Lecturer, Case Western Reserve University
Visiting Pathology Lecturer, Cleveland Clinic Department of Pediatrics
2002 to 2010 – Instructor, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
2010 to 2015 – Clinical Instructor of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
2015 to Present – Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
2006 to 2015 – Clinical Assistant Professor of Pathology, Ohio University of Osteopathic Medicine
2016 to Present – Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Forensic Pathology, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
2006 – Ohio State Representative, National Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Investigation Academy
2007 to Present – Visiting Pathology Lecturer, Cleveland Clinic Department of Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
2007 – Visiting Pathology Lecturer, The College of Wooster Department of Chemistry
2009 to Present – Coordinator, Euclid Hospital’s Medical Examiner’s Educational Series
2011 – Visiting Pathology Lecturer, Cleveland Clinic Department of Infectious Disease
2020 – Clinical Education Site Coordinator, West Virginia University Pathologist Assistant Program