Keith Nagel, a zookeeper by training and the newly elected president of The National At-Home Dad Network, is our Lead Dad of the Week.
Keith and his wife Leslie met at Disney World where they both worked in the Animal Kingdom as zookeepers – she taking care of the rhinos and some of the big cats, he being in the middle of the Flights of Wonder bird show.
But even working at the most magical place on earth is a job. After three years they moved to Seattle. Since then they’ve traveled the country for Leslie’s career at REI, the outdoor sporting goods company. When he could, Keith worked at zoos, like his stint in Sacramento handling the tigers and lions.
When their boys were 2 and 3 months old, they were living in Minneapolis, a more affordable city. That’s when Keith put his hand up to be a Lead Dad who devoted all of his time to his family.
“When we moved to Minneapolis, my mindset was I was taking care of the kids at home but pursuing other options,” Keith said. “But then I went to HomeDadCon. That solidified in me that my role was the at-home dad, and it realigned my thinking. I came away from that weekend fully engaged.”
Their sons are now 7 and 9 and they live in Madison, Wisconsin, a vibrant university town where he feels supported. “We found a neighborhood and a social group here that embraced us,” he said.
Like many Lead Dads, Keith is there to support his wife in her career and helping his family fulfill his full potential. After 15 years with the company, his wife is running the REI store in Madison, while he is working to bring more community and online events to the National At-Home Dad Network.
Welcome, Keith, to The Company of Dads!
