Centering Passions, Guided by Giving

Greg Gorder, J.D. ‘85, and his wife Val focus their philanthropic impact on clinical education and honor former UW Law Dean Kellye Testy. Their gifts have expanded through their family foundation.

Greg Gorder, J.D. ‘85, always hoped to align his personal passions of law, civic and social justice with his philanthropic impact. When Gorder was asked to step in for his law firm boss at a UW Law alumni meeting, he didn’t realize it would lead to a deep, decades-long connection to the UW that would allow him to do just that. That first meeting set Gorder on a path to joining the law alumni association, and eventually the UW Foundation Board, committing gifts of time and resources to support opportunities for others.

For Gorder and his wife Val, philanthropy has long been a focus in their life, so his work with UW Law alumni was a great fit for his personal passions. As their careers and family grew, so did their desire to give and support the causes that were most meaningful to them and in turn, share their deep belief in giving with their children.

“We're proud of how we have decided to use our funds, and I think we've hopefully set a good example for our family, our kids and our community,” Gorder said. “Education has certainly always been at the top of our passions,” Val added.

The Gorders met on the campus of another Washington college, Washington State University. Gorder went on to complete his law degree at the UW School of Law, eventually joining the law firm Perkins Coie, while Val began a career with Nordstrom, all while raising three children. Gorder’s desire to stay connected to UW was initially spurred by his boss at the time who asked that he attend a law school alumni board meeting in his place. Since he joined the alumni board, Gorder and his family have continued to engage and give back to the UW, as well as grow their philanthropy to many organizations and causes around the region.

“That was sort of how we started thinking about our philanthropy. Our kids got a great education, and what if we could help some people who might not have that,” Val said. “Every time we would think about how to give, I would think, gosh, our family was so lucky to have such good education. What if we extended that to folks who didn't?”

The Gorders have made a significant impact with their engagement and gifts to the UW and have also expanded their giving through their family foundation. They focus on education, as well as housing, civic and social justice with gifts honoring former Dean Kellye Testy, contributions to law clinics and the Brotherhood and Sisterhood Initiatives. “We are investing in the leadership that the UW represents in our city, in our region, our state and nationally,” Gorder said. “So many of the advances that we're having in science and medicine, in business, in law, and in population health are coming from the UW.”

Current UW School of Law Dean Tamara F. Lawson sees the Gorders’ passion and focus as a tremendous asset to UW and works closely with Gorder in his role on the Alumni Leadership Committee at UW Law. “One of Greg’s strong motivations is his desire to create positive impact,” said Lawson, “and he brings 110% to participate at the highest level. I’m grateful for the strategy, leadership and initiative he brings to our mission — to make UW the best law school as measured by global impact.”

While Val also gives to Seattle University, she supports Gorder’s work with the UW School of Law and recognizes the impact the UW has on so many causes they support through their family foundation. “We've had to really hone our family's giving, and so education, civil rights, and human services have been a priority for us as well — and housing, of course,” Val said.

The Gorders are especially proud of passing on the legacy of philanthropy to their children, instilling the values of supporting causes they are passionate about.

“What I say to our family is to find a cause that speaks to you. We talk to our kids about figuring out where they would like to start by giving their time,” Val said. “The most meaningful giving is when you can also give your time. There is giving and then there's giving that really feels like an investment toward something that you believe strongly in or have a connection to. It just feels different.”