Design Like a J.E.D.I.: The House That Nancy Built
Nancy Crump Wahl, director of the Scottsdale Police Department Forensic Services Division
Nancy Crump Wahl never planned to lead a crime lab. In fact, she didn’t even start in forensic science. But sometimes, leadership doesn’t come from ambition—it comes from a sense of responsibility. From saying “yes” when others hesitate. From building things that last and lifting people along the way.
Today, Nancy serves as the director of the Scottsdale Police Department Forensic Services Division. But her story is more than a resume. It’s a blueprint for how purpose, persistence, and quiet courage can change lives—inside and outside the lab.
A different path to science
Nancy’s journey began in a small Idaho town, where expectations for girls leaned more toward homemaking than lab coats. But even then, she was asking different questions. Encouraged by a high school teacher to push past the limits of her environment, Nancy found herself in advanced calculus and, eventually, excelling in chemistry—despite not taking her first chemistry class until 12th grade.
That moment—when something "just clicked"—set her on a path to study chemistry at the University of Utah, where she navigated the isolating reality of being one of the few women in upper-division science classes. The message wasn’t always spoken, but it was felt: women had to prove they belonged. Nancy did just that, and then some.
Earning trust, building confidence
Nancy didn’t follow a linear career path. She started in medical device research, teaching community college, and eventually discovering her passion for instrumentation—specifically gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was grounded in precision and truth—skills she’d later bring to the forensic field.
One of her first professional mentors, Dr. Suzanne Winters, PhD., took a chance on her, assigning complex projects and treating her like a trusted colleague. That experience shaped Nancy’s leadership philosophy: to build people up and challenge them, long before they feel ready.
The unlikely forensic scientist
Nancy's introduction to forensics came through toxicology, not television. A colleague suggested she look into crime lab work. She wasn’t sold—at first. But the more she learned, the more she saw the deeper value: justice, integrity, impact.
After relocating to Arizona, it took Nancy just over a year to get into the Phoenix Crime Lab—six months for an interview and another six for background clearance. Her foot in the door came in the Controlled Substances Unit. It wasn’t her first choice, but she didn’t complain. She simply got to work.
Changing the system from within
The lab she joined was a far cry from today’s standards. There was no DNA unit, minimal structure, and no accreditation. But with encouragement from newly appointed Director Susan Narveson, Nancy helped build the lab from the inside out—developing SOPs, pushing for standards, and helping guide the transformation to a fully accredited forensic facility.
One of her defining moments came when the city proposed a Field Drug ID Program, modeled after the Arizona DPS program. Nancy voiced strong concerns. So naturally, she was asked to lead it. She and colleague Kelley Merwin designed and implemented the program, training the first officers and setting a precedent for field drug testing that would later influence labs across the country.
Leading through service
Over time, Nancy climbed the ranks—not because she asked to, but because people trusted her. As a new supervisor, she faced the awkward shift from peer to leader, balancing credibility with humility. She also navigated the realities of new motherhood in a workplace with no lactation rooms and minimal flexibility. She didn’t complain—but she remembered. And she worked quietly to change things for those who would follow.
When she was asked to supervise forensic disciplines she had never worked in—trace, arson, latent prints, firearms, questioned documents—she didn’t posture or micromanage. She leaned into her role as a servant leader. “I’m here to make sure you can do your job,” she told her team. “You tell me what you need, and I’ll work to get it for you.”
A legacy beyond the lab
After 25 years at the Phoenix Crime Lab and raising two amazing children, Nancy accepted a new challenge: leading the Scottsdale PD Forensic Services Division. It wasn’t only a step up in title—it was a step toward impact. In Scottsdale, she found a culture that aligned with her values: courageous conversations, positive intent, and collaborative leadership.
But Nancy’s influence reaches far beyond the walls of any lab. She’s served on mission trips in Thailand and Malawi. She took her children on the mission trips to Malawi, exposing them to the realities of injustice, poverty, and perseverance. In Malawi, she worked to help release prisoners who had been forgotten by the system—some jailed for more than a decade without trial.
These aren’t resume bullet points. They’re part of who she is.
“The house that Nancy built”
When Nancy retired from Phoenix, a senior DNA analyst stood up and said, “This is the house that Nancy built.” It wasn’t just about programs or SOPs or the beautiful new crime lab. It was about culture. About people. About legacy.
Now, in Scottsdale, she’s building again—not monuments, but people. Her leadership is rooted in the belief that success isn’t measured by how high you rise, but by how many others rise with you.
Nancy isn’t one to seek the spotlight. But her story—of resilience, humility, and purpose—is one that deserves to be told. Because in the end, the most powerful legacy you can leave isn’t a title. It’s the lives you’ve changed along the way.
All opinions expressed in Design Like a J.E.D.I. with Jinhee Lee are exclusive to the author and are not reflective of Lab Design News.
