MARTIN J. KEENAN
8305 E. Brookhollow St; Wichita, KS 67220 (620) 793-0347 (cell)
e-mail: m.keenan@sbcglobal.net (home)
EDUCATION
Juris Doctorate, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 1985, G.P.A. 3.02/4.00 • Class rank 62/169
B.A. with distinction, Honors in Political Science, 1982, G.P.A. 3.95/4.00 • Phi Beta Kappa • Summerfield Scholar; 16 credit hours of Spanish
Outstanding Graduating Senior in Political Science (one of three); Gustafson Scholarship recipient for Political Science
Delta Upsilon Social Fraternity, Vice President
Great Bend High School, Great Bend, KS, Diploma, 1978; Student Body Vice-President; Member of 1978 4A State Debate Championship Team
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Assistant Public Defender, Sedgwick County Public Defender, May 2024-present.
Director of Medical Legal Program at GraceMed Health Clinic, Inc. May 2023-Feb. 2024
Attorney at Law Office of Martin J. Keenan, LLC. November 2019-May 2023
121 S. Whittier St; Suite 420, Wichita, KS 67207 (316) 833-8200
keenanlawyer@gmail.com www.martykeenan.com
concentrating on criminal cases, felony and misdemeanor; also, some civil litigation, domestic.
Named third-place winner in BEST OF WICHITA 2022 under “Criminal Defense Law.” Bronze Medal.
(2017-2019) Instructor, Criminal Justice and Political Science, Butler County Community College; received TEACHING EXELLENCE AWARD from Joan and Suanne Roueche Foundation, 2019.
2017-2018 Instructor, Criminal Justice, Cloud County Community College and Butler Community College.
Oct. 2016-Oct. 2017 Attorney; Of Counsel, McDonald Tinker PA, Wichita, KS
June-Oct. 2016 Associate Attorney, O'Hara & O'Hara, LLC, Wichita, KS
2012-2016 Instructor, Central Community College, Hastings, NE; Political Science
2010-2011 Adjunct Professor, Barton Community College, Great Bend, KS, POLS 1800 (Government of the United States)
2011 (Fall) Adjunct Professor, Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS, POLS 620 (Constitutional Law)
2011 (Spring) Adjunct Professor, Dodge City Community College, Dodge City, KS (American National Government)
1988-2012 Attorney, Keenan Law Firm, P.A., Great Bend, KS
1986-1987 Attorney, Shultz & Webb, Chtd., Wichita, KS
1985-1987 Attorney, Kahrs, Nelson, Fanning, Hite & Kellogg, Wichita, KS
1984 Legal Intern, Douglas County Legal Aid Society, Lawrence, KS
1984 Law Clerk, Kahrs, Nelson, Fanning, Hite & Kellogg, Wichita, KS
1983 Law Clerk, Stevens, Brand, Lungstrum, et al., Lawrence, KS
1981 Legislative Intern, Senator Bob Dole, Washington, DC
BAR ADMISSIONS
State Court, Kansas, April 19, 1985; U. S. District Court of Kansas, April 19, 1985; U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, July 19, 1985
MEMBERSHIPS
Kansas Bar Association, Wichita Bar Association
Southwest Kansas Bar Association, Former Board Member
Twentieth Judicial District Ethics Committee, (former member)
PUBLISHED ARTICLES
"Lincoln's Forgotten Profession," Journal of the Kansas Bar Association, April, 1989, Vol. 58, No. 4, p. 27.
"Quiet Motion Picture Legend Buried in Great Bend," Journal of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, p. 43, Vol. 21, No. 1, Silver Anniversary Edition.
"Who Killed Attorney Arthur Banta?" Kanhistique, July 1999
"Quiet Motion Picture Legend Buried in Great Bend," article regarding Oscar Micheaux; Kanhistique, June 1999.
Finished book on Joan Bondurant, World War II Spy and Gandhi expert; to be published in 2025. Joan Bondurant (1918-2006) is from my hometown, Great Bend, KS.
ACADEMIC SPEECHES AND PRESENTATIONS
Presenter, Oscar Micheaux Film Festival, August 10, 2001, Gregory, SD (Sponsored by South Dakota Humanities Council)
Presenter, "Learning to Hear the Stories II: Made In Kansas", University of Kansas Oral History Workshop, March 9, 2001; sponsored by Hall Center for the Humanities. Topic: "Pioneer Black Filmmaker Oscar Micheaux and his family of Exodusters."
Presenter, to Kansas Arts Commission, Board of Directors, Great Bend, Kansas, December 1999: "Oscar Micheaux"
Speaker, Speakers Bureau, Kansas Humanities Council. Topic: “Black Kansans and the Harlem Renaissance.”
Speaker, Joan V. Bondurant, World War II Spy, Kansas Aviation Museum, 2024.
Speaker, Joan V. Bondurant, Barton County Historical Society, 2024
Speaker to Newman Univ. Business doctorate program on historical research re biography of Joan V. Bondurant. The topic was on using primary sources. 2023
STATEWIDE INVOLVEMENT
Member, Board of Directors, Kansas Humanities Council (2002-2006)
Appointed by Governor Sebelius to Facilities Closure and Realignment Commission, a blue ribbon panel charged with studying certain state facilities and making recommendations to the legislature in December 2009. Facilities included: Kansas School for the Blind, Kansas School for the Deaf, Rainbow Mental Health Facility, Parsons State Hospital, Beloit Detention Facility for Girls, and Kansas Neurological Institute
Appointed by Governor Mark Parkinson and KDOT Secretary Deb Miller to the KDOT Project Selection Process Working Group to help select highway projects for a new Comprehensive Highway Plan
Appointed by Governor Mark Parkinson to Friends of Cedar Crest Board of Directors, 2010
Assisted in SKY-TV’s documentary “Oscar Micheaux: the Superhero of Black Filmmaking,” directed by Italian Director Francesco Zippel. Attended Cannes Film Festival in 2021 with Oscar Winner Kevin Willmott to represent Kansas at world premiere of documentary
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Chairman of Oscar Micheaux Golden Anniversary Memorial Celebration, March 24 and 25, 2001; Chairman of Oscar Micheaux Memorial Celebration, 2003, 2005 and 2007
Barton County Arts Council, Board Member, 1999-2012
Member, Jack Kilby Committee (Mayor's committee organized to honor Great Bend native Jack Kilby, 2001 Nobel Prize Winner for Physics)
Family Crisis Center, President, Board of Directors, 1993-1994; Board Member 1990-1995 (Domestic Violence Shelter)
American Red Cross, Golden Belt Chapter, Member, Board of Directors, 1995 - 2001
Great Bend Kiwanis Club, President 2000-2001; Member, 1989 - 2002; Board of Directors, 1993 - 1995; Second Vice President, 1998,
Teen Court Judge, 1997 - 2003
Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout; Scouting for Food Chairman, 1991; Chairman of Cheyenne District Friends of Scouting Community Fundraiser, 1997-1998; Founder and Cub Master of Pack 115, Grace Academy School
Board member, Headstart Advisory Board, Great Bend, 2004 - 2006
Barton County Young Men's Assn. (Boys Home) Board Member, 1998 - 2010; Secretary, 2000 - 2010
Attorney for ACLU, State of Kansas 2020-2022
Author of “The Spy Who Met Gandhi,” to be released this summer on amazon.com
PERSONAL
Date of Birth: August 25, 1960
Spouse: Julie A. Keenan, married on May 27, 1989.
Children: Tyler Keenan, 33, lives in Austin, TX; employed in computer software sales management for Sprinklr.
Jefferson Keenan, 31, lives in Aspen, CO; ski instructor.