Biography

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A native of Lexington, Kentucky, born to Wilbur L Hackett Jr. and Brenda Hackett. Keith is a 1988 graduate of Louisville Male High School. He attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where he received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Natural Resources in 1993.

Keith made his confession of faith in 1983 at First Baptist J-town in Jeffersontown, Kentucky under the pastorate of Rev. Thurman Coleman, Sr. His call to the ministry began while in college as the founder and president of the College Student Ministry at Union Missionary Baptist Church in Muncie, Indiana. In 1999 under the pastorate of Rev. Thurmond Coleman, Sr., he was licensed to preach, and served as the third Director to manage the Thurmond Coleman Sr. Family Life Center. He was ordained by Rev. James R. Pitts, Pastor of Green Castle Baptist Church. Keith became the Pastor of Greater Salem Baptist Church in June of 2005 (official installation was July 2005) and he continues to serve God and others. This is his first pastorate in the Kingdom of God. 

While Pastoring, Keith also serves as an Assistant Director in Public Works and Assets-Solid Waste Management Services Division for Louisville Metro Government. Keith is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency with 240 employees and a 25 million dollar budget. His responsibilities includes analyzing, developing and implementing work procedures, formulating policy and preparing budgetary data. The Division’s operational responsibilities include solid waste collection [residential garbage, recycling, and yard waste], bulk waste collection, and recycling service, special event sweeping/cleaning, neighborhood street cleaning in the urban service district/suburban street cleaning, managing and operating a waste reduction center, snow and ice removal, and storm debris removal. The District’s administrative responsibilities include composing/updating the Chapter 51-Louisville Metro Solid Waste Ordinances; licensing all landfills, solid waste transfer stations, composting facilities, recycling facilities, medical waste recycling haulers, solid waste haulers, household hazardous waste disposal, and junk yards in Jefferson County. He serves as the liaison between the Mayor office and the Waste Management District Board, which has five appointed board members and an advisory committee. The District is also responsible for reduce-reuse-recycle education and programs, illegal dumping, litter pickups on county public roads, neighborhood litter blitzes, the staffed recycling center drop off locations, maintaining and implementing a five-year solid waste plan for Jefferson County. His experience in solid waste began as an Operations Manager Trainee at Waste Management in East St. Louis, Illinois from October 1993 to May 1995. He was promoted and relocated to Louisville, KY as the Operations Supervisor for Waste Management Outer Loop Recycling and Disposal Facility in May 1995.

Keith has been affiliated with numerous organizations such as the Jeffersontown Ministerial Coalition Association; Motivational Associates - Motivational Speaker; Life Time Member of NAACP; Leadership Louisville - Class of 2005 Member; University of Louisville Executive Education Program - Class of 2005 Member; Louisville Urban League Young Professionals; and the Louisville YMCA Black Achievers Program; Fellowship of Christian Athletes Board; American Red Cross Louisville Area Chapter Board; U.S. Conference of Mayors Municipal Waste Management Association Vice President. He is currently serving as President of the Kentucky Bluegrass Chapter of Solid Waste Association of America. He is also currently the Vice President of the Baptist Fellow Center Board, and Dean of the J.L. Roberts School of Religion in Louisville, Kentucky. He has served as past president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Municipal Waste Management Association; Secretary of the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Kentucky Bluegrass Chapter; Board Member of the Board of Directors for the Baptist Fellowship Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

He has professional certifications from Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) in two disciplines: Integrated Solid Waste Management Systems and Transfer Station Management.

Keith is married to the former Tanisha Rachelle Bratcher. She is the youngest of eight children to the union of John and Catherine Bratcher of Decatur, Illinois. Their marriage was truly orchestrated and ordained by God for such a time as this! The Bible says, “Whosoever findeth a wife, findeth a good thing and obtaineth favor of the Lord.” Proverbs 18:22. God created marriage for our enjoyment and He pronounced it good, and Keith is the beneficiary of the blessing from God in being wedded to Tanisha his bride.

Keith and Tanisha are the proud parents of four children: Ronnee’, Jaelyn, Brenda, and Keith II. They also have one grandson, Nolan. Keith’s greatest joys are his relationship to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his wife, being a father and grandfather, ministering to his entire family, Greater Salem Baptist Church, and servicing God’s people and all people for His glory (Galatians 6:10).

 Under his Pastoral leadership, there are 24 active ministries. Several of the ministries have either been newly established, re-directed, and/or revitalized and has flourished. Those ministries are:

• Discipleship and Edification Ministry (DEM) - formerly known Christian Education ministry (CEM) has been transformed into the Discipleship and Edification Ministry to encourage, enlighten, equip, and empower our church to make disciples while edifying the body of Christ as we mature in our faith. 
• Men’s Ministry – has flourished and meeting every Saturday.
• Sunday school – has been restructured for greater impact within the body of Christ and in the community. Friday Noon & Wednesday night Bible Study - is consistent and faithful to the study of God’s Word. 
• Women’s Ministry - has experience revitalization with bible study and consistent annual women’s conferences, retreats, and other events that challenge and encourage women who are believers to live out their salvation through the process of sanctification (holiness).
• Evangelism and Unity in the Community Ministries - have been established, and are faithfully ministering to the needs of the lost and the unfortunate while strengthening the church. 

During this time of re-dedication and restoration, the church continues, “Making disciples for Jesus Christ – one heart at a time, one family at a time.”
 

The next great frontier/chapter for Greater Salem will be ‘Building a Healthy Church for Jesus Christ’; in other words, we want to be Romans 12 or "R12" believers who are transformed through spiritual disciplines that will be a catalyst for a revival in our churches.