Pastor Keith grew up in Las Vegas, NV. He graduated from the University Nevada Las Vegas in 1978 and enrolled at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. During his third year, on internship at Immanuel Lutheran in Wadena, MN, he met the love of his life, Cheryl. They married the summer of 1982 following his graduation from Luther. They have been married 42 years and have three adult children, Becca (married to Andrew), Mary, and David, and three grandchildren, Emmett, Eva and Eden. Pastor Keith enjoys reading, yard work, going on dates with Cheryl and enjoying time with family and friends.

Calvary Lutheran in Bemidji was his first call, where he served as Associate Pastor and then as Senior Pastor. His next call was Senior Pastor of American Lutheran Church in Windom, MN. The ELCA then called him in 1995 as Mission Director for five synods in the Dakotas and Northern Minnesota. In 2019 until his retirement in 2021, he served out his ELCA call as the Director for Evangelical Mission in the Northwestern Minnesota Synod.

Since retirement, he has served as an interim pastor in three different settings: A New Journey Lutheran Parish of Gary, McIntosh and Bejou; Zion Lutheran Church of Warroad; and Bethany-Holy Trinity Lutheran Parish of East Grand Forks.