Michelle Keller

Professor Michelle Keller holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Colorado School of Law. She was a full-time prosecuting attorney for more than 11 years before joining the Winona State University Criminal Justice faculty in August 2015. She has prosecuted cases in Michigan, Colorado, Missouri, and Wisconsin, and until August 2015, she served as the Deputy District Attorney in La Crosse County, WI.

During her years as a full-time prosecutor, Keller handled a wide range of criminal cases, including homicides. In addition to other serious crimes, her caseload focused on juvenile cases, crimes against children, domestic violence, and sexual assault. Professor Keller has over 120 hours of training in multiple forensic interview protocols. She is a member of the Bar in Colorado, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and, while on sabbatical in 2022, she returned to the La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney. She still serves that office on a part-time basis as a Special Prosecutor, mostly assisting with legal research and writing and assisting with case or trial prep for serious matters.

Professor Keller began teaching at Winona State for the Child Advocacy Studies (CAST) program in 2014 before joining the university full time as part of the Criminal Justice faculty. She has taught a variety of courses, including Crime & Justice in America, Juvenile Justice, Forensic Interviewing of Children, Criminal Law and Procedure, Minnesota Criminal Code, Corrections, Probation and Parole, and Investigations and Communications.

She was instrumental in securing a grant that resulted in the updating of Winona State’s Forensic Interviewing of Children Lab, and she founded and organizes the yearly Criminal Justice Internship & Career Fair for students held each Fall. Professor Keller has published and presented in the areas of Disproportionate Minority Contact with Juveniles and, in collaboration with Professor Samantha Dahly, Police Administration Response to Use of Force Incidents. Professor Keller also oversees the Criminal Justice internship program, in collaboration with Dr. Mark Norman, and she has taught classes and given lectures for other Winona State programs.

Professor Keller has served as the Criminal Justice Program Coordinator since 2016.