She received her Bachelor of Arts from Illinois State University in 2006 in Family and Consumer Sciences with an emphasis in Apparel, Merchandising, and Design. She earned her Master’s in 2009 and her Doctorate from Iowa State University in Textiles and Clothing in 2012. Her dissertation topic focused on the plus size women’s ready-to-wear clothing industry in the 1910s and 1920s. Keist worked as a graduate assistant (2007-2011) at the Textiles and Clothing Museum on Iowa State’s campus where she enjoyed exhibit design, research, and fulfilling other collection duties. She is currently the Midwest Student Travel Awards Chair and on the Regional Board for Costume Society of America.