Previously, she was the Forensic and Children's Mental Health Coordinator for the Florida Department of Children and Families in the 19th Judicial Circuit. She is First Vice President of the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJS) Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and was recently elected to the position of Executive Counselor for the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) Juvenile Justice Section; Dr. Bratina is also a three-time recipient of the Sage Junior Faculty Professional Development Teaching Award. Her research interests and publications include human exploitation, criminological theory, race, social structure, ethnicity and crime, and forensic mental health. She has published her work in the Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice and in the International Journal of Police Science and Management.