Geoff grew up in Vermont and received a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Cornell. After graduating from the University of Washington with a Ph.D. in Bioengineering (Biomechanics), Geoff moved to Oregon to design and market gear for local start-up brands — everything from motorcycles to running shoes to biometric monitoring apparel. This work paved the way for him to work in the Nike Innovation Kitchen for five years. While at Nike, Geoff was in charge of Global Football (Soccer) Equipment Innovation. His most recognizable success with Nike is the commercialization of soccer balls used in the English Premiere League and with the US National Teams.

Over eight years ago, Geoff and his family moved to Bend where he became the Director of Product for Ruffwear. While at Ruffwear, he supported a fully-integrated team that included innovation, design, marketing, sales and overall customer satisfaction. Geoff has managed product commercialization on a local, regional and global scale.

It is with these experiences, and his passion for open spaces, that he curates the outdoor products degree program. Students in the program will understand the process of commercializing outdoor products and be fully respectful of the places where those products are used and enjoyed. He feels OSU — and OSU Cascades in particular — is perfectly poised to champion the balance of commercialization and conservation.