“The Lord has great things in store for the future of Wisconsin Academy,” says Keith.  “I believe Adventist education is not a luxury, but a responsibility and an obligation we have to the youth of our church.  It will be my privilege to work hand in hand with Wisconsin churches and schools to market and maintain quality Adventist education for all of God’s children.”

Keith and his wife, Andrea, have two children. Their son, Ryan, will be a sophomore at Wisconsin Academy this fall. Their daughter, Kari, will be a freshman.

Keith was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and grew up in a medical missionary home. “Father was an outdoor enthusiast,” recalls  Keith. “He instilled a desire and sparked my love for nature. Two of our pets were a boa constrictor and a scarlet macaw.”

After his family returned to the United States, Keith graduated from Forest Lake Academy and attended Southern Adventist University, earning a B.A. in biology with secondary teaching endorsements in religion and the sciences. He also worked as nature director and later, as camp director at Camp Kulaqua.

“I met Andrea, my wife, in biology class,” says Keith. “We were both biology majors.  Later, she applied to work at Camp Kulaqua and I hired her as a girls’ counselor. One Friday night in June of 1990, I packed a picnic lunch, canoed her out to ‘Tree House Island’ and proposed to her.”

After they married, Keith and Andrea moved to Bismarck, ND, where Keith taught science and later served as vice principal from 1993-2001.  Andrea, realizing she and Keith would always be competing for the same jobs, returned to school and became certified to teach elementary, kindergarten and pre-kindergarten.  In 2001 Keith accepted a call to be principal of Greeneville Adventist Academy, a PreK-12 school in Greeneville, TN, where he has served for the past ten years.  In 2007 Keith earned a M.S. Ed. in Administration and Supervision. 

“I love anything to do with aquatics and sports,” says Keith.  “I love canoeing, and have always dreamed of canoeing the boundary waters.  Now I’ll be close enough to do it.”  He also likes mountain biking, soccer, floor hockey, and disc golf.

Keith enjoys public speaking and looks forward to preaching in area churches.  “My relationships with Christ and with people are what’s important to me.”

The Nelsons plan to move to Wisconsin this summer in preparation for the