Dr. Keeling has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Purdue University.  She is currently a professor and Chair of the Department of Justice Administration and responsible for oversight of academic programs in Justice Administration and the Southern Police Institute and the Institute for Community Security and Public Safety (formerly the National Crime Prevention Institute).

Dr. Keeling serves as a member of the University of Louisville Homeland Security Advisory Board and participates in ongoing electronic security initiatives with the U. S. Secret Service. She is currently completing a project with $2.9 million in federal funding that has resulted in the creation of a Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in partnership with the FBI on the university’s Shelby Campus.  Dr. Keeling has extensive experience in applied research within criminal justice agencies.  She has conducted research and consultation for various federal, state, and local organizations including the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, Kentucky State Department of Corrections, Kentucky Justice Cabinet, Louisville and Jefferson County Crime Commission, and Louisville Police Department.  She has been actively involved in the development and implementation of democratic police training programs in Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.  She additionally co-cosponsored a seminar “Policing in the 21st Century” with the Office of Public Security, People’s Republic of China.  She has also worked to establish community-based services for the victims of domestic violence in Romania. She has served as a member and chair of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council; the Louisville Division of Police, Citizen’s Advisory Committee; and the University Working Group for the Overseas Security Advisory Council of the U.S. State Department.  She has authored and co-authored a variety of publications on topics within criminal justice and law enforcement. 

She has received the Melvin Shein Award of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council for contributions to law enforcement training, the Mayor’s Award for distinguished service, Business and Professional Women’s Award for “Woman of Achievement” and Slovakia Ministry of the Interior award for contributions to police education.