Dr. Keaney earned her BA (bachelor of arts in individual concentration) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in Community Development and Urban Studies; she earned a MS in Education with a concentration in International and Intercultural Education and a Graduate Certificate in Consensus Building and Conflict Resolution at Florida International University in Miami. She earned her doctoral degree in Education with a concentration in Teaching, Learning, and Culture at San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University. These educational experiences at diverse geographic spaces around the country broadened her understanding of these areas of study, and the graduate work prepared her for a variety of endeavors, including research, consulting, and presentations at national conferences. Dr. Keaney has presented her research on funds of knowledge and the sense of belonging of street gangs at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in 2016, 2017, and 2018. She has also served as a guest lecturer at Broward College.
Dr. Keaney is currently an adjunct faculty for Pacific Oaks College and teaches the master's thesis sequence (HD 677A, HD677C, and HD699C) along with several other courses including the following: HD 562 Advanced Studies in Diversity and Anti-bias Issues, HD 364 Community Development as a Context for Development, HD 381 Human Development and Social Change, HD612 When Women Work Together: A Cross Cultural Cross Generational Approach and HD 305 Cognitive Development: How Children Learn within the Education and Human Development Department. Additionally, Dr. Keaney has over 20 years of facilitation and training experience in various areas of social justice. Dr. Keaney is passionate about working compassionately towards social change and has engaged in this field for over two decades through non-profit work and higher education. It was her non-profit work that sparked her dissertation research and interest in changing the perception of individuals involved in street gangs while also seeking equitable access and opportunities for vulnerable populations.