Assistant Vice President of Major and Planned Giving Jeff Geldien (M.A. ’12, Ph.D. ’18) was a signature away from a career with the Secret Service—he’d passed the required tests, the interviews, and polygraphs, and just needed that final conversation before getting an official offer and start of a new career.
“The lead agent in Spokane, who’d been Bill Clinton’s top agent, talked to me about several challenges of the job, one specifically I remember was the divorce rate among agents was 81 percent,” Jeff explained. His wife, Leslie, was expecting the couple’s first of their two daughters in just over a month. “That was it. I didn’t want to become an 81-percenter.”
Long before the Secret Service made its offer, Jeff Geldien was an athletic boy growing up in Casper, Wyoming. His father was vice president of a company that provided parts to mining trucks and, on the road frequently, left Jeff in the care of his grandmother. He attended public schools, playing basketball, baseball and golf, and went on to earn his undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming.
“At first, I wanted to be a trauma surgeon,” Jeff admitted, “but as I started to figure things out, I got interested in law and law enforcement, so I landed on a criminal justice major.”
Jeff’s involvement in sports remained throughout his college experience—he interned with the Wyoming athletic director and worked with the men’s basketball program in Laramie for a few years. One could say it was in his blood, as one of his grandfathers was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and then became an athletic administrator and his other grandfather was a life-long sports fan who also mentored Jeff. As a child, Jeff was always on the field, court, or track, helping in some way. His dad was also formative in making sure he was supported in his sports endeavors. So, when he graduated, he took a job with the University of Hawaii’s athletic program, putting his law enforcement goals on the back burner.
A job with an athletics travel and training company brought Jeff to the Inland Northwest, where he met Leslie—the Spokanite fifth-grade teacher who’d later become his wife. September 11, 2001, changed everything for the business, prompting Jeff to shift gears. That was when he put in his application with the Secret Service. Jeff received an offer of employment from the Spokane City Police department as well. His law enforcement ambitions were all but coming to fruition.
“It was a lifelong dream of mine,” he admitted, “but my family was more important.”
Putting his heart first, Jeff turned down both offers and continued to work with international sports programs. A few years later, he applied for an entry level position at Gonzaga School of Law. After a decade, he’d achieved the position of assistant dean of external relations. During that time, he completed his master’s degree in organizational leadership, and his doctorate in leadership studies. In 2018, he officially joined the University Advancement team, though his role with the School of Law had plenty of opportunities for collaboration with UA previously.
Today, Jeff leads the team of major and planned giving officers, collaborating with academic partners and deans to connect their ideas with benefactors wanting to make an impact. In his spare time, he is an avid reader, and “dog dad” who is keeping his grandfather’s legacy alive, making, marketing and distributing his signature barbecue seasoning, “Salt River Seasoning.” He maintains his involvement in local sports, serving on the Boards of Trustees for the Spokane Youth Sports Association and Spokane Regional Sports Commission. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters (pictured below)—one of whom is a current Zag.
Jeff’s view on the team in Advancement is one of immense gratitude, gaining a healthy dose of perspective from his participation in a recent leadership cohort for the Council of Independent Colleges.
“We perform at a very high level,” he said. “In Advancement at Gonzaga, we are professional, well-trained, and an impactful shop that is truly advancing the institution, and a lot of schools would give anything to be in our position.”
Never one to sit on the sidelines, we are truly grateful for Jeff’s dedication to his team and the University’s mission.