Denter Barbara Rae-Venter Inspires a New CBS Prime Time Series
At Dent the Future, we often talk about the power of reinvention and the impact of unlikely, cross-disciplinary stories. Few people embody this more than our long-time community member, Barbara Rae-Venter. Today, we are thrilled to share some massive news: a network primetime drama inspired by Barbara’s life and her 2023 memoir, I Know Who You Are, is officially in the works at CBS.
The CBS Drama: I Know Who You Are
The project, titled I Know Who You Are, has recently moved past the pilot-script stage and into a “two-additional-script order” at CBS. The show follows a brilliant forensic genealogist who is pulled back into the police force she once walked away from, using cutting-edge DNA technology to follow genetic breadcrumbs and crack impossible cold cases.
Most excitingly, Barbara is not just the inspiration for the show—she is also serving as an Executive Producer. She is producing alongside Sharon Levy and Lisa Fahrenholt at Endemol Shine North America and Philly De Lacey at Screentime New Zealand, with Corinne Kingsbury (creator of CW’s In the Dark) writing and executive producing.
A Long-Time Denter
Barbara first spoke at the Dent conference in 2019, sharing the story of how she helped unmask the Golden State Killer. Since then, she has been a staple of the Dent community. After that initial appearance she delivered a partner talk at The Community Library during our week in Sun Valley ID. And has attended every Dent conference since, including 2023, 2024, and our most recent gathering in Santa Fe in 2025. As a dedicated member of our community, she’ll be joining us again next month for our exclusive event at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.
A Career of Impact
While the world knows her as the genetic genealogist who cracked the Golden State Killer case in 2018, Barbara’s impact has only grown. Through her firm, Firebird Forensics, she has now helped identify suspects or victims in more than 60 cold cases.
Her expertise remains the gold standard in the field. When the search forNancy Guthrie—mother of NBC Today’s Savannah Guthrie—made national headlines in February 2026, Barbara was the expert the national press turned to for insight, with her work featured across NBC, NPR, and CBS.
What’s Next?
The CBS show is still in its early development stages, so there is no air date yet. We’ll be keeping a close eye on casting news and a potential pilot order. In the meantime, if you see Barbara with us at the Magic Castle next month, be sure to drop her a huge “congrats.”
If you’re new to her work, we highly recommend starting with her 2023 memoir,I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever.
Join people like Barbara who are “denting the universe” at our next conference. Apply for an invitation here.