Gary Keith has 35 years experience in the fields of public policy, political science, and law. He earned his doctorate in political science from Brandeis University and received his B.A. from Baylor University. Keith taught political science and was the pre-law advisor at the University of the Incarnate Word for ten years. He has taught at the University of Texas at Austin, Tarleton State University, Baylor University, and other colleges. He also served as a public policy analyst for the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research and as executive director of a caucus at the Texas legislature.

Keith grew up on a small farm in southern Missouri, then moved to Kansas City. The family moved to Waco, Texas when he was in high school. He graduated from Waco High, then attended Baylor, where he was an Honor Graduate in Political Science.

Keith moved to Boston for graduate school at Brandeis University, where he was a Gordon Fellow in Politics. While completing work for his Ph.D., he moved to Austin, Texas. In the ensuing years, he combined a career of teaching political science, working in Texas politics and government, and writing. He worked at the Texas legislature, worked for Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower, conducted legal, policy, and political research and consulting, and was active in politics and public interest groups.

Keith’s writing comes out of his work in politics, government, and academia. Starting in 1997, he was coauthor of a series of textbooks on Texas politics and government. In 2007, he published a political biography of Congressman Bob Eckhardt (Eckhardt: There Once was a Congressman from Texas), covering his career in Texas politics and the Texas legislature, and finally his years in Washington.

While at the University of the Incarnate Word, Keith served as vice president, then president, of the Southwest Association of Pre-Law Advisors, vice president of the Southwestern Political Science Association, member of the Pre-Law Advisors National Council (PLANC), and Treasurer of PLANC.

Returning to Austin after retiring from UIW, Keith taught at Huston-Tillotson University and again at the University of Texas—all while beginning his new career as a novelist. In 2025, his first novel, Austin Blues, was published, and in 2026 his second, The Mansions on Woodlawn Boulevard. He is currently working on two more novels.

To purchase Gary's book: Austin Blues a book by Gary A Keith - Bookshop.org US