Keenan grew up in New Mexico, aptly named the “Land of Enchantment” for its diverse ecosystems and rich cultural heritage. From an early age, he loved exploring the traditional acequia water systems of the Rio Grande and developed a profound respect for the subtle beauty of the high desert and the wildlife that has adapted to thrive there. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, he had extensive opportunities to explore the surrounding mountains, river systems and geology of the Southwest.

Formative family road trips to some of America’s most iconic national parks ignited Keenan's passion for conservation. His love for nature was accompanied by new hobbies, including backpacking, fly fishing, scuba diving and rock/ice climbing.

At the University of New Mexico, Keenan studied Sustainability, focusing on food geography and small-scale agriculture/permaculture systems. When an opportunity arose to travel to India and work on an organic farm, he jumped at the chance. After graduating, he spent several years journeying to remote regions around the globe, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Canada and Europe.

Merging his passion with his career, Keenan has worked in the outdoor retail and adventure travel industry for over a decade. A self-proclaimed “gear head,” he loves dissecting the differences between ultralight tents, stoves, backpacks and clothing layering systems. But gear is simply the gateway, facilitating adventures to remote places where we can feel most intimately connected to the world and other living creatures.