Keith Pierson was born in Michigan and raised in Detroit. He fell in love with aviation in high school while enrolled in the Junior Air Force ROTC program. After discovering this new passion, he enrolled at Western Michigan University in the aviation flight science program. After graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science, he began flight instructing for the College of Aviation as a CFI, CFII, and MEI. In 2011, Keith was hired at Atlantic Southeast Airlines as a First Officer on the CRJ. After ASA, Keith flew corporate and charter operations on the Embraer 145 and Boeing 737 respectively before being hired as a First Officer at Southwest Airlines in 2018.

As an OBAP member, Keith has volunteered regularly with the Phoenix and Virgin Islands ACE Academies, APIS, and most recently serving on the collegiate series mentorship team. In addition to his OBAP duties, Keith also serves on the mentorship team at Southwest Airlines as a pilot mentor for new hire First Officers. Keith, his wife, and son currently reside in Phoenix Arizona.