Roe is a senior litigator and chief of training for the Office of the Federal Defender in Minneapolis, a position she has held since 2000.  She has been an assistant federal defender since 1989.  Roe was an attorney and teaching fellow at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. from 1987 to 1989, and a staff attorney and fellow with the Wisconsin Judicare Indian Law Program in Wausau from 1984 to 1987.  Roe earned her LL.M. Trial Advocacy degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1992, her juris doctorate degree from Albany Law School of Union University in Albany, New York in 1984 and her bachelor of arts degree from State University of New York at Albany in 1981.

"What really impressed me about Katherian is that she became successful on her own.  She came from a humble background and worked hard to put herself through college and law school," Governor Ventura said.  "She has continued to work hard as a lawyer, earning praise from federal judges as well as her opponents in the U.S. Attorney's office."

Roe is a member of the Federal Bar Association and the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.  She has been a presenter at the Street Law Program at Edison High School in Minneapolis, a participant in the Mock Trial Program for Inner City Youth, served on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Youth Law based in San Francisco, California, and was a coach and judge for the Menominee Indian High School Mock Trial Team in Menominee, Wisconsin.