KEITH VALLES

After graduation I attended UNM for one semester. I then returned to LC and stayed out for awhile and just worked. I actually had the best job I have ever had working at Musicland at Mesilla Valley Mall during that time. In '91. I returned to school at NMSU and did really well.

I moved back to Albuquerque in '92 and started again at UNM. Changed my major three times - economics, then political science and finally settled on history.

I got my BA from UNM in '98 and entered law school in 1999. In fact I wasn't able to make it to our 10 year reunion in 1999 because I had just started law school in Kansas. I attended Washburn University School of Law in Topeka.

Then in 2000 I learned that my father in Las Cruces was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I returned to NM and transferred to UNM Law School. I attended law school during the day and took care of my father at night who by that time was terminally ill.

My dad passed away right before finals during my second year of law school. It was a very tough time for me but I managed to bounce back and finished my legal education.

I graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2002. After a brief stint in private practice I became Assistant District Attorney and Children's Court Attorney in Socorro in 2004. In 2014, I was promoted to Deputy District Attorney and assigned to supervise the satellite office in Truth or Consequences. I prosecuted felonies and misdemeanors - including homicides, sex offenses, DWI's and juvenile offenders. I left the district attorney's office in 2015 and have since been in private practice. I volunteer my legal services with the New Mexico Legal Aid Volunteer Attorney Program and have been a contract attorney for the New Mexico Law Office of the Public Defender since 2018.

I have extensive experience with crimes of violence against women in that I ran the DA's Office Violence Against Women Prosecution Unit from 2004-2014. I was also facilitator of the Socorro County Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Task Force, Sierra County Child Abuse Task Force, Chair of the Socorro County DWI Planning Council and served on the board of directors of the Rio Grande Valley Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program.

I was also a co-director on the 7th Judicial District Behavioral Health Collaborative and served six non-consecutive terms as President of the Socorro Civitan Club, a charitable organization in Socorro which performs community service work and raises money for the poor and disabled.

I am also a founding and charter member of the Las Cruces Civitan Club.

Probably my single fondest memory was when I gave the famous or infamous election speech or as Sebastian Stinson said "Martin Luther King" speech in 11th grade when I was running unopposed for senior class Senator. I probably should have run for student body president instead huh!

I also really enjoyed going to the Speech and Drama Tournaments. We were a wild and crazy bunch. I had a lot of fun at those tournaments even though I didn't win a darn thing. I'd always place 1st, 2nd then 5th or something. Strange.

Anyways I also enjoyed being a member of AFJROTC. I still have my medals and my uniform is still hanging in my closet. And I can still twirl an M1 Garand Rifle. Some skills never leave you.