Michelle Willingham

Michelle Willingham, Ph.D. is a Lecturer in the Criminal Justice program at the University of Kansas. She earned her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Juvenile Justice from NOVA Southeastern University in 2020. With 25 years of experience as a Crime Scene Investigator at the San Antonio Police Department and current oversight of the Missing Persons and Juvenile Processing Unit, she brings extensive practical expertise to her academic role.

• Education: Ph.D. in Criminal Justice (Juvenile Justice concentration), NOVA Southeastern University (2020)
• Professional Experience: 25 years in law enforcement (San Antonio Police Department), 15 years teaching in higher education

Her research and practice focus on juvenile justice systems, crime scene investigation, and law enforcement protocols. She specializes in bridging forensic practices with institutional processing of juvenile cases and missing persons reports.