Dr. LeGarde is a Forensic Anthropologist and Scientific Recovery Expert (SRE) at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Nebraska Laboratory. She was born and raised on a cattle ranch in Central Montana and attended the University of Montana in Missoula, MT for her undergraduate and graduate degrees. During this time, Dr. LeGarde was a Forensic Firearm, Evidence, and Autopsy Technician at the Montana State Crime Lab, as well as a volunteer for the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT).

Dr. LeGarde joined the DPAA Laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in June 2012 after completing her master’s degree. She specializes in the resolution of commingled human remains (CHR) and has been responsible for managing large CHR projects at the DPAA since 2019, previously the USS Oklahoma Identification Project and currently the Enoura Maru Project, both from WWII. Dr. LeGarde also serves as an SRE on recovery missions conducted by the DPAA.