She earned her first degree in education in 1997 from the University of Lapland and worked as a teacher.

[1] She undertook doctoral research at the University of Lapland and graduated in 2010 with a PhD which explored Sámi cultural sensitivity through educational anthropology.

[2] Keskitalo researches Sámi education in contemporary and historical settings and has published widely on the subject, including on the history of Sámi education in Norway.

[3] Another aspect of her research is how cultural backgrounds influence perceptions of nature in the education system.

[1] She is project lead at the Institute of Migration, exploring multicultural childhoods in Lapland.