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ForensisGroup leaders Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk and Emily Lou Steenwyk have each been named nominees for the 2026 LA Times Studios Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards. The release highlights their distinct contributions to the firm’s growth, innovation, expert witness services, digital transformation, and community-focused initiatives across two generations of leadership.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – September 15, 2026 – ForensisGroup, known in the legal and insurance communities as The Expert of Experts®, a provider of expert witness services supporting attorneys, law firms, insurers, corporations and other organizations, announced today that Founder and CEO Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk and Managing Director Emily Lou Steenwyk have each been independently selected as nominees for the 2026 LA Times Studios Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards, recognizing their achievements and leadership over the past 24 months.
The Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards celebrate accomplished women who are making an impact across California's business community. Finalists and honorees will be announced during the live awards event on November 5, 2026, at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica.
For Mercy and Emily, the independent nominations recognize two generations of leadership at ForensisGroup and two distinct contributions to the company's continuing evolution.
Mercy founded ForensisGroup in 1991 after identifying a need in the legal community for a better way to connect attorneys with rigorously vetted, conflict-conscious expert witnesses who could help clarify complex issues and support the pursuit of truth.
Beginning with little more than a telephone, a desk at the Pasadena Public Library and her Altadena dining table, Mercy built ForensisGroup around a principle that continues to guide the company today: Nothing But the Truth®.
Over the past 35 years, she has grown the company into a nationwide expert witness provider supporting attorneys, law firms, insurance companies, government agencies and corporations. Today, ForensisGroup has supported more than 20,000 clients in over 30,000 cases.
Mercy guides the firm's strategic direction as litigation becomes increasingly complex and attorneys seek expert insight earlier in the case process. She has championed ForensisGroup's High Touch High Tech™ approach - using technology to improve efficiency while preserving human judgment in expert vetting, conflict checks, qualification review, attorney communication and expert selection.
“Being selected as a nominee is especially meaningful because leadership has never been about what I have accomplished alone,” said Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk. “ForensisGroup was built around a commitment to truth, service and helping others. I am proud of what our team has created together and especially proud to see another generation carrying those values forward.”
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – September 15, 2026 – ForensisGroup, known in the legal and insurance communities as The Expert of Experts®, a provider of expert witness services supporting attorneys, law firms, insurers, corporations and other organizations, announced today that Founder and CEO Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk and Managing Director Emily Lou Steenwyk have each been independently selected as nominees for the 2026 LA Times Studios Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards, recognizing their achievements and leadership over the past 24 months.
The Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards celebrate accomplished women who are making an impact across California's business community. Finalists and honorees will be announced during the live awards event on November 5, 2026, at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica.
For Mercy and Emily, the independent nominations recognize two generations of leadership at ForensisGroup and two distinct contributions to the company's continuing evolution.
Mercy founded ForensisGroup in 1991 after identifying a need in the legal community for a better way to connect attorneys with rigorously vetted, conflict-conscious expert witnesses who could help clarify complex issues and support the pursuit of truth.
Beginning with little more than a telephone, a desk at the Pasadena Public Library and her Altadena dining table, Mercy built ForensisGroup around a principle that continues to guide the company today: Nothing But the Truth®.
Over the past 35 years, she has grown the company into a nationwide expert witness provider supporting attorneys, law firms, insurance companies, government agencies and corporations. Today, ForensisGroup has supported more than 20,000 clients in over 30,000 cases.
Mercy guides the firm's strategic direction as litigation becomes increasingly complex and attorneys seek expert insight earlier in the case process. She has championed ForensisGroup's High Touch High Tech™ approach - using technology to improve efficiency while preserving human judgment in expert vetting, conflict checks, qualification review, attorney communication and expert selection.
“Being selected as a nominee is especially meaningful because leadership has never been about what I have accomplished alone,” said Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk. “ForensisGroup was built around a commitment to truth, service and helping others. I am proud of what our team has created together and especially proud to see another generation carrying those values forward.”
As Managing Director, Emily represents that next generation. A former elementary and middle-school teacher, she brings an educator's perspective to leadership - listening, clarifying complex issues, helping teams navigate change and keeping people at the center of the process.
Emily works across growth, operations, technology and culture at ForensisGroup. She has been instrumental in advancing the firm's digital experience and improving internal systems while maintaining the personal judgment and communication essential to identifying the right expert for each matter.
Her approach reflects a fundamental belief that technology should create more time for meaningful human work rather than replace it. By reducing repetitive administrative tasks and improving access to information, digital tools allow the ForensisGroup team to devote more attention to understanding cases, reviewing qualifications, vetting experts and communicating with attorneys.
Emily also leads many of the company's Force for Good™ initiatives. Her work includes environmental stewardship through One Tree Planted, which has resulted in more than 8,500 trees planted worldwide, as well as initiatives supporting humanitarian aid, education, equity, sustainability and community well-being.
“I am honored to be selected as a nominee and particularly grateful to share this recognition with my mom,” said Emily Lou Steenwyk. “She built ForensisGroup on values that continue to guide us today. My responsibility is to carry those values forward while helping the company evolve for the next generation of clients, experts and team members. Innovation matters, but so do integrity, service and human connection.”
Although their leadership paths are different, Mercy and Emily share a commitment to ensuring ForensisGroup continues to evolve without losing the principles on which it was founded.
Mercy's entrepreneurial leadership established the foundation. Emily's focus on operational and digital transformation is helping prepare the company for its next chapter. Together, their nominations reflect the importance of both continuity and change in building an enduring organization.
ForensisGroup, The Expert of Experts®, is a premier provider of expert witnesses, consultants and litigation support professionals with 3,000+ areas of expertise across business, engineering and construction, environmental and science, including technical, medical and financial disciplines. Since 1991, the firm has supported over 20,000 clients in more than 30,000 cases. Recognized as a Top 100 Women-Owned and Minority-Owned business in Los Angeles, ForensisGroup is guided by its commitment to Nothing But the Truth®. ForensisGroup combines technical expertise with High Touch High Tech™ service and Excellence in Human Connection™ to help clients navigate complex legal matters. The Los Angeles Business Journal recognized the firm with its 2025 Social Responsibility Award and ForensisGroup has been voted the Best Expert Provider by The National Law Journal and AM’s Best Client-Recommended Expert Service Provider for over 10 years. To learn more, visit ForensisGroup.com or call 800-555-5422.
As Managing Director, Emily represents that next generation. A former elementary and middle-school teacher, she brings an educator's perspective to leadership - listening, clarifying complex issues, helping teams navigate change and keeping people at the center of the process.
Emily works across growth, operations, technology and culture at ForensisGroup. She has been instrumental in advancing the firm's digital experience and improving internal systems while maintaining the personal judgment and communication essential to identifying the right expert for each matter.
Her approach reflects a fundamental belief that technology should create more time for meaningful human work rather than replace it. By reducing repetitive administrative tasks and improving access to information, digital tools allow the ForensisGroup team to devote more attention to understanding cases, reviewing qualifications, vetting experts and communicating with attorneys.
Emily also leads many of the company's Force for Good™ initiatives. Her work includes environmental stewardship through One Tree Planted, which has resulted in more than 8,500 trees planted worldwide, as well as initiatives supporting humanitarian aid, education, equity, sustainability and community well-being.
“I am honored to be selected as a nominee and particularly grateful to share this recognition with my mom,” said Emily Lou Steenwyk. “She built ForensisGroup on values that continue to guide us today. My responsibility is to carry those values forward while helping the company evolve for the next generation of clients, experts and team members. Innovation matters, but so do integrity, service and human connection.”
Although their leadership paths are different, Mercy and Emily share a commitment to ensuring ForensisGroup continues to evolve without losing the principles on which it was founded.
Mercy's entrepreneurial leadership established the foundation. Emily's focus on operational and digital transformation is helping prepare the company for its next chapter. Together, their nominations reflect the importance of both continuity and change in building an enduring organization.
ForensisGroup, The Expert of Experts®, is a premier provider of expert witnesses, consultants and litigation support professionals with 3,000+ areas of expertise across business, engineering and construction, environmental and science, including technical, medical and financial disciplines. Since 1991, the firm has supported over 20,000 clients in more than 30,000 cases. Recognized as a Top 100 Women-Owned and Minority-Owned business in Los Angeles, ForensisGroup is guided by its commitment to Nothing But the Truth®. ForensisGroup combines technical expertise with High Touch High Tech™ service and Excellence in Human Connection™ to help clients navigate complex legal matters. The Los Angeles Business Journal recognized the firm with its 2025 Social Responsibility Award and ForensisGroup has been voted the Best Expert Provider by The National Law Journal and AM’s Best Client-Recommended Expert Service Provider for over 10 years. To learn more, visit ForensisGroup.com or call 800-555-5422.
Press Release