Keely has always been sparked by two things - running/movement and writing. In her youth, she was either writing poetry or racing around outside playing any number of games. Keely studied Communications at Rhode Island College (2001 Graduate). After graduation, she attended Emerson College and received her Master of Arts degree in Health Communication (2003). Keely worked as a Health Educator and Communicator before studying to become a personal trainer (2004). As a personal trainer, she’s worked as a Fitness Director, Group Fitness Instructor, and Stroller Strides/Fit4Mom Franchise Owner. She has owned her own personal training business for over 20 years. Throughout her fitness career, both writing and running helped Keely process the world around her.

Despite not pursuing a career in writing initially, she dreamt of becoming a published author. When she saw her own children struggling in school and pushing up against societal norms, Keely had the idea for her first book. Troublemakers and Superpowers was published in 2023 by Sasquatch Books.

Although published, she has never had an agent. She is seeking representation from a literary agent who feels a connection to who she is as a person and as a writer. Keely is all heart. She tends to write sweet, fun, and cozy picture books and early readers. But, she also loves YA novels, especially novels-in-verse, where her MC’s superpowers shine through in beautiful, triumphant ways.

Keely has completed her first year of Vermont College of Fine Arts’ MFA for Writing for Children and Young Adults program. It is not an overstatement to say that this program has been life-changing for her!

Having spent her last twenty years as a fitness specialist who dreamt of being a writer, she used her first semester to find and strengthen her weaknesses, learn the basics of storytelling, and dabble in a few different genres. Before her second semester, Keely was accepted into the program’s Picture Book Intensive. She spent the entirety of her second semester studying picture books and writing twelve very different manuscripts. Although she loves them all, one is ready to pitch, and she will bring three others to the pitching point.

At the end of her second semester, Keely applied for the Novel-in-Verse Intensive and was accepted. She will study novels-in-verse and also complete her Critical Thesis in her third semester.