Kurt and Crista Geitzenauer of Queen Creek, Arizona, have a passion for expanding access to health care in rural communities and opportunities for men in nursing.

Kurt grew up in the small rural town of Fenton, Iowa, with parents in the health care profession. His father volunteered for much of his adult life as an emergency medical technician and his mother as a licensed practical nurse. When determining the direction he wanted his career to go, it was an easy decision. Kurt attended Iowa Lakes Community College for Pre-Nursing and then transferred to Drake University, and landed at Iowa Methodist School of Nursing where he earned his Diploma of Nursing. 

In search of warmer weather, Kurt packed his bags and moved to Arizona where he met his wife Crista, a native of Arizona, and in 2014, he returned to school to earn his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grand Canyon University.

As a lifelong Hawkeye fan, Kurt follows athletic events from afar and takes every opportunity to show his affinity. Although initially Crista was not a Hawkeye fan, as her love for Kurt grew, so did her love for the University of Iowa. 

When Kurt and Crista visited the UI College of Nursing in 2019, they met with the Men in Nursing student organization and shared Kurt’s background as a paramedic, medic/nurse for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, and the Arizona Cardinals, and his work as the on-field medic/nurse for the Arizona Cardinals. He also discussed his time working for MedAire where he provided care over the phone to commercial airline crew members from around the world. 

“If a pilot were to get sick in Germany, I would triage them and then send them to the doctor,” Kurt explained. “These scenarios involved anything from a cold to a heart attack.”

Kurt always knew he was interested in health care, particularly a career in emergency or trauma. Because of his education and experiences, he has had many opportunities in his career. Reflecting on his time in college and preparing for his nursing career, he shared that there were not many scholarships available for him as an undergraduate student. 

“That’s the reason I give back—to give kids who grew up in rural Iowa another scholarship to further their education.”

Kurt and Crista have a planned gift established at the UI College of Nursing. Kurt expressed, “I am giving back to Iowa because I am a huge fan of the state and the University of Iowa. I am also a big supporter of getting nurses involved, especially men in nursing. I felt like it was great to give back some of what Iowa gave me as far as education and my upbringing.” 

To aid in getting nurses involved, Kurt and Crista have made financial contributions to the College’s Men in Nursing student organization that enabled students to participate in the National Men in Nursing Conference. Crista added, “I love everything that male nurses bring to the table and to be able to support future men in nursing from small town communities, just continues to give back to the communities from which he was raised.” 

Additionally, with the launch of the new Simulation in Motion-Iowa program, a cutting-edge mobile education program that brings high-quality, evidence-based clinical education to emergency medical services and hospital professionals across the state, they have found another avenue of giving that aligns with their passion for rural health care.

“Planning for the future is important in all aspects of life, including giving in the areas you are passionate about. It’s not always about what you have today, but what you can give tomorrow or in the future,” Crista said.