In 2000, Keith was honored as Ohio’s High School English Teacher of the Year by the Ohio Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts, was named Who’s Who of American High School Teachers in 2005, and was inducted into the National Honor Roll of Outstanding American Teachers in 2006.

Currently, Keith is an adjunct professor of English at Lakeland Community College and a 40+ year teaching veteran. In 2022, Keith earned their Excellence in Teaching Award, and in 2021 they honored him with their Distinguished Service Award for his many contributions to the college. He has taught writing and literature to students, teachers, and writers for over four decades at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. Keith also does freelance writing and editing.

To date, Keith has published twelve books and authored nearly a hundred articles directed towards teachers and coaches. His articles have appeared in national print and on-line publications like Scholastic Coach, Wesleyan Advocate, School Library Journal, Teacher Magazine, Accent on Living, Athletic Management, Athletic Business, Lutheran Journal, OJELA,  and Wrestling USA, among others.

In 2021, Wrestling USA Magazine named Keith their national Sportswriter of the Year.

His books Wrestling Coaches Survival Guide (1995) and Writing Smarter (1998) were published by a Prentice Hall, and Coaches Choice published six more books, including The Elite Wrestler (2020), 101 Proven Ways to Motivate Athletes (2021), and 101 Winning Strategies for Wrestling Coaches (2021).

In October, 2015 Black Rose Writing published Keith’s debut novel My Last Year of Life (in School).

In 1993 Keith earned a Master’s Degree in English (Creative Writing) from Cleveland State University. He has a Bachelor of Science from Miami University (OH) where he was the winner of the Greer-Hepburn Award for Creative Writing, and as a member of the Ohio Education Association, Keith is committed to teaching English.

In addition, Keith’s skill as a teacher of writing has enabled him to serve as an editor of various educational newsletters and student publications. He has also conducted many in-service seminars for writers, teachers, and coaches at Lake Erie College, Notre Dame College, and Lakeland Community College.

Keith is a former wrestling coach and athletic director at Richmond Heights (OH) High School. In 2009 Keith was inducted into the Ohio Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame after tenure of coaching that includes being named Ohio Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1988, Head Coach of the U.S.A. All Star Wrestling Team in 1989 (vs. the Oklahoma All Stars), and head coach of the Ohio All-Star Wrestling Team in 1991. The Greater Cleveland Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association awarded Keith their Coach of the Year award in 1989 and their Award of Merit in 2002, and the Ohio High School Athletic Association honored Keith with their State Award in 2013.

Keith lives in Willoughby with his wife. They have three grown children.