Following a national search, Brian T. Keech has been appointed vice president for government and community relations, Temple University President John Fry announced Tuesday. Keech will assume his new responsibilities this fall. 

A longtime resident of the Philadelphia region, Keech currently serves as the senior vice president of government and community relations at Drexel University. In total, he has served the Drexel community for 26 years, including nearly 15 years in his current position.  

At Drexel, Keech is the president’s primary liaison to community leaders, government agencies and elected officials, and his work has helped strategically position Drexel for success within a highly public and regulated industry. For nearly 30 years, Keech has adeptly navigated regulatory environments at the federal, state and local levels, which has been key in supporting Drexel’s strategic plan and spurring the university’s unprecedented growth during the past two-plus decades. 

“Having previously worked closely with Brian for several years, I know how intentional and thoughtful he is in terms of how he goes about this important work,” Fry said. “Temple's status as a state-related institution means that it is critical that we foster collaborative relationships with government and community leaders and have a seat at the table for the important conversations that are guiding policy and legislation, both here in Philadelphia and across the commonwealth. This is something that Brian has done for the entirety of his career, and I know he is absolutely the right person to lead our efforts in this area moving forward.” 

Prior to his current role at Drexel, Keech held a series of other positions, each one with expanding responsibility.  

“I am excited to join the Temple University community, as I believe deeply in this institution and its mission. I also understand the key role that it plays here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Keech said. “I want to thank President Fry as well as the entire search committee for putting their trust in me throughout this process. I am excited to get started and carry on this important work.” 

At Drexel, Keech staffs the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees and was the chair of the Integration Council between Drexel University and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. He currently serves as the lead for the Governance Team on the Drexel-Salus University Integration Council. He also recently helped secure funding, land and city zoning approvals to support $3 billion worth of construction and investment for Drexel and Wexford Scientific’s redevelopment of uCity Square. 

Other Drexel projects that he played a part in helping bring to fruition include the Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building, the Lebow College of Business building, and the American Campus Communities residential and retail complex. He also serves on the president’s leadership team for St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and has helped secure substantial funding for St. Christopher’s and Drexel since 2019. 

Outside of his work at Drexel, Keech serves on several external boards and committees, including the Board of Directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. 

Keech earned a doctor of education from Drexel in 2023 and holds a master of arts in political science from American University. He earned his bachelor of arts from Villanova University.