Geoff’s story is rooted in education, faith, family, and community. After years in academia and national work, illness brought his family back to Eastern Kentucky — and Harlan became home. He’s spent the last decade investing in local people, local businesses, and downtown Harlan, and he’s running for mayor because Harlan’s future is now.

Where He Comes From

Geoff grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota, a small town known for having the largest open-pit iron ore mine in the world. Both sides of his family served in the military, and from an early age, he learned the values of hard work, responsibility, and service. As a Boy Scout, he spent countless hours outdoors and earned the rank of Eagle Scout — an experience that helped shape his character, leadership style, and lifelong love of the outdoors.

He enjoys hunting, spending time in the mountains, and sports — although he played more hockey than basketball!

A Teacher at Heart

While attending the University of Montana, Geoff worked overnight shifts at a children’s shelter. That experience led him to teaching and to a lifelong commitment to young people.

After college, Geoff joined Teach for America and taught high school special education on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. While there, he coached varsity baseball, leading his team to state, and later served as department head, assistant principal, and district IEP chair.

Teaching and coaching taught Geoff how to listen, how to lead, and how to believe in people—especially before they believe in themselves.

Meeting Sky — and Finding Harlan

Geoff met his wife, Sky—an Eastern Kentucky native—while they were both teaching through Teach for America in New Mexico. In 2003, she brought him to Harlan County for the first time.

When they decided to marry, Sky wanted their wedding to be at Pine Mountain Settlement School, where her mother, Connie, had been a teacher. Geoff and Sky were married there in 2005, surrounded by family and the history of this place.

A Different World — And a Turning Point

After they were married, they spent ten years in Boston, building careers in a highly academic, data-driven world. They were both at Harvard during that time — Geoff earned his MBA and PhD, and Sky completed her PhD and later worked as a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer.

Their oldest son, Harlan, was born in 2010 and named in honor of Sky’s family & home.

Then Connie was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and everything changed.

Coming Home

Connie’s illness clarified the Marietta’s faith and priorities. They realized that being close to family and community mattered most — and that realization is what brought them back to Kentucky.

Geoff accepted the position of Executive Director of Pine Mountain Settlement School on the day their youngest child, Perry, was born. They loaded up a 16-foot moving van with their five-year-old and baby, and drove from Boston across Pine Mountain to Harlan County.

Connie passed away less than a month after they moved home.

During grief and uncertainty, the Mariettas were carried by faith, family, local churches, and a community that showed up with meals, prayers, and presence. That love made something clear: Harlan County would be home—and where they would raise their children.

The Power of Community

Geoff brings both heart, faith, and experience to public service.

His professional experience includes serving as:

Executive Director of Pine Mountain Settlement School
Founder of Invest 606, supporting entrepreneurship and economic growth in Eastern Kentucky
Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of the Cumberlands
Chief Impact Officer at the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky
Chief Financial Officer of Addiction Recovery Care
Director of One Harlan County

Across these roles, Geoff has managed complex budgets, secured major grants, grown programs, and helped organizations turn good ideas into lasting impact. He understands how to be a responsible steward of public dollars — and how to make sure projects deliver real results for the people they’re meant to serve. He has also secured millions of dollars in grant funding that is currently at work in Eastern Kentucky.

Rolling Up His Sleeves

Caring about a place means investing in it—and doing the work yourself.

Geoff helped bring long-vacant buildings back to life by starting 2nd & Main in downtown Corbin and later Moonbow Tipple and Harlan County Beer Company in downtown Harlan. These weren’t quick projects or easy wins. Many of the buildings had been empty for years, with no working plumbing, electric, or HVAC.

When traditional banks wouldn’t lend, Geoff learned how to piece projects together, secure financing, and roll up his sleeves alongside local contractors—fixing what was broken and building something new.

The goal has always beent o create places where people could gather, work, and build a future.

Always Focused on Youth

No matter where his career has taken him, Geoff has stayed involved with young people.

He’s been an academic advisor, a college instructor, and a grant‑writer who helped create paid internships for youth. He’s coached little league, middle school baseball, and high school football.

Geoff believes that when kids have opportunity, communities have a future.

Home — and What Comes Next

Geoff and Sky live in downtown Harlan with their children, Harlan and Perry, who attend Harlan City Schools, and their dog Rue.

Today, Geoff continues to invest in Harlan’s future. Current projects include partnering on a boutique hotel in the historic Power & Horton Building and working to transform more than 500 acres in Evarts into cabins and a natural park — creating jobs, preserving land, and expanding outdoor and tourism opportunities.

He believes Harlan’s best days are ahead—not because of big promises, but because of the people already here.

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