NSHE News
Press Release
REGENTS RE-ELECT LEAVITT CHAIRMAN, GEDDES VICE CHAIRMAN
NSHE News
  NSHE
Las Vegas, Nevada - June 4, 2010
The Nevada Board of Regents today re-elected James Dean Leavitt as chairman and Jason Geddes as vice chairman of the 13-member higher education governing body.
Regents Leavitt and Geddes will begin their second one-year terms July 1.
 
James Dean LeavittJames Dean Leavitt
James Dean Leavitt was elected in 2004, representing District 13 which encompasses a large area of Clark County stretching from Mount Charleston to Laughlin, with portions of southwest and southeast Las Vegas.
 
In addition to owning and operating the Law Office of James Dean Leavitt, he was an instructor at UNLV in the Greenspun School of Communications from 1993 to 1998. Additionally, he founded Express Yourself Seminars, a one-day public speaking workshop.
 
Leavitt's law practice is limited almost exclusively to criminal defense. He has a special interest in juvenile cases where counseling and representation are intertwined.
 
He earned a B.A. in speech communication rhetoric from Brigham Young University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Idaho.
 
Leavitt and his wife Debbie together raise their three children.
 
Jason GeddesJason Geddes
Jason Geddes was appointed by Gov. Kenny Guinn to serve on the Board of Regents in 2006 as the representative for Washoe County, District 11 and was elected to the office in November 2008.
  
Geddes was born in Winnemucca, Nevada but spent his formative years in Gabbs. He attended Traner Middle School and Sparks High School. Through scholarships and a full-time job, he attended the University of Nevada, Reno where he became involved with student government and public service. While pursuing a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, he worked full time and served as the ASUN agriculture senator, student body vice president, student body president and University of Nevada System Student Legislative Spokesman.
 
He was elected to serve in the Nevada State Assembly in 2002 and while serving was an active
member of the Education, Judiciary, and Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining committees.
 
Geddes earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nevada, Reno in biochemistry with minors in biology and chemistry. He also earned a Ph.D. from UNR in environmental sciences and health (environmental chemistry option).
 
Geddes and Cindie (his wife of 23 years), are enjoying the adventures brought by the ever-changing experiences of their nine-year-old son, Joe.
About NSHE
The Nevada System of Higher Education, comprised of two doctoral-granting universities, a state college, four comprehensive community colleges and one environmental research institute, serves the educational and job training needs of the nation's fastest growing state. The NSHE provides educational opportunities to more than 110,000 students and is governed by the Nevada Board of Regents.
Quick Links
Contact: 
John Kuhlman
Nevada System of Higher Education
(702) 889-8426
To receive daily news about NSHE institutions, Board of Regent agenda notifications, Handbook updates or higher education issue briefs, please subscribe by clicking here.