Heather R. Van Zee

Heather R. Van Zee, J.D. serves as Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for the Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement program at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, leveraging over eleven years of courtroom experience from roles as Assistant County Attorney and Assistant Public Defender to bridge practical legal expertise with academic instruction.

Her educational credentials include:

• J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law
• B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of Northwestern – St. Paul

Professor Van Zee's research and professional focus centers on criminal justice systems, with specialized expertise in DWI offenses, controlled substance prosecutions, violent crime litigation, and tribal court proceedings involving family law and child protection. Her work extends to forensic interviewing methodologies and juvenile justice interventions, including anti-bullying program development and driving diversion coordination.

No scientific awards or fellowships were documented in the source material.

As Program Coordinator, she provides direct student mentorship through the Law Enforcement PPOE program, which she successfully recertified with the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) on January 27, 2022. Her leadership emphasizes collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams comprising judges, law enforcement, probation officers, and social workers, though specific research grants were not referenced.

She operates within professional networks connecting academic training to real-world criminal justice implementation through institutional partnerships and courtroom-derived pedagogy.