Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Entrepreneurial Experience
Timeline
Generic

John Jefferys

Brooklyn,NY

Summary

To secure an opportunity where I can make a lasting impact on the lives of young people by fostering creativity, resilience, and lifelong learning through innovative programs that blend education, design, and personal development.

Overview

32
32
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Fab Lab Program Manager

Urban Resource Institute – Fab Lab
01.2022 - 04.2025
  • Built and launched a trauma-informed Fab Lab serving youth survivors of domestic violence, delivering year-round programs that strengthened digital literacy, resilience, and empowering them with life skills through art and social justice projects.
  • Recruited and developed a high-performing educator team, raising instructional quality and expanding access to hands-on learning in digital fabrication and design.
  • Forged partnerships with universities, artists, and industry leaders, creating direct pipelines into higher education and careers in technology resulting in a increase of 66% in high school graduation and 75% of Fab Lab students going on to higher education.
  • Directed $230K+ in capital and program budgets, successfully opening a state-of-the-art lab while instituting rigorous safety and compliance protocols.
  • Introduced innovative curricula and multi-level assessments, boosting student enrollment and engagement and demonstrating measurable growth in both technical and social-emotional competencies and reaching a 20% increase in tech confidence.
  • Advanced program sustainability by securing grant support and strengthening donor relations through compelling reports and face-to-face funder engagement.

Executive Director

Alliance for Digital Fabrication Education
01.2015 - 01.2021
  • Founded and scaled a nonprofit advancing equitable access to STEM and design education, empowering hundreds of youth through digital fabrication and project-based learning.
  • Secured sustainable growth by leading a diversified fundraising strategy that attracted major gifts, grants, in-kind donations, and community support.
  • Designed and implemented innovative curricula that blended arts, technology, and entrepreneurship, producing measurable gains in creativity and critical thinking.
  • Recruited, trained, and mentored educators and advisors, building organizational capacity and ensuring program excellence.
  • Directed operating and program budgets with full transparency and compliance, strengthening trust with funders and partners.
  • Launched signature initiatives—including the Mobilemaker.ED Cart, (a mobile Fab Lab serving public schools across New York City and State), FIRST Robotics Challenge Team, and STEM-focused camps/festivals—that expanded access to hands-on learning for students across NYC.

Instructor – Robotics and STEM

Brooklyn College Community Partnership / YMCA Afterschool Program
01.2017 - 01.2018
  • Designed and taught a hands-on robotics and coding curriculum that introduced at-risk 4th and 5th graders to foundational STEM concepts.
  • Adapted instruction to diverse learning needs, fostering an inclusive environment that supported individual growth and engagement.
  • Integrated LEGO Mindstorms and Scratch to deliver interactive lessons that built problem-solving skills and digital literacy.
  • Maintained robotics kits and tools, ensuring equitable access and full student participation.

Sculpture Instructor

Buck’s Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp
06.1995 - 08.1995
  • Guided youth ages 10–17 through sculpture workshops, building confidence, creativity, and technical skills.
  • Taught traditional methods including life-casting and lost-wax bronze casting, expanding students’ artistic craftsmanship.

Instructor – Sculpture & 3D Design; Shop Technician

Louisiana State University – College of Art and Design
09.1993 - 05.1995
  • Taught BFA courses in sculpture and 3D design, blending traditional craft and new media to deepen exploration of form and space.
  • Facilitated critiques that promoted collaboration, peer feedback, and critical analysis.
  • Mentored students across Architecture, Landscape Design, and Art departments, advancing technical proficiency and creative outcomes.
  • Managed the design shop, maintaining tools, equipment, and safety standards to support safe, effective learning.

Education

Master of Fine Arts - Sculpture

Louisiana State University, College of Design
Baton Rouge, LA
01.1995

Bachelor of Fine Arts - Photography

Temple University, Tyler School of Art
Philadelphia, PA
01.1986

Skills

  • Program Development & Management
  • Strategic Planning & Partnership Building
  • Budget & Resource Oversight
  • Fundraising & Grant Writing
  • Trauma-Informed & SEL Practices
  • Curriculum Design (STEM/STEAM, Arts Integration)
  • Experiential & Project-Based Learning
  • Student Mentorship & Higher Education Coaching
  • Staff Recruitment, Training & Supervision
  • Digital Fabrication & Prototyping (3D Printing, Laser Cutting, CNC)
  • Robotics & Coding Instruction (LEGO, Scratch, Arduino)
  • 2D and 3D Digital Design Software Fluent
  • Conflict Resolution & Team Leadership
  • Equity-Driven & Inclusive Pedagogy
  • Public Speaking & Community Engagement

Websites

Certification

  • Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certified
  • NYS Mandated Reporter Training Certified
  • Trauma-Informed Practice Protocol Training Certified

Entrepreneurial Experience

Launched and led multiple start-ups, including Hudson E-Bike (boutique dealership navigating pandemic supply chain challenges), Exhibitology Inc. (design/build firm delivering exhibit environments with a flawless on-time record), and Not Plan A – Real Estate Development (multi-unit property management focused on sustainable growth and long-term passive income).

Timeline

Fab Lab Program Manager

Urban Resource Institute – Fab Lab
01.2022 - 04.2025

Instructor – Robotics and STEM

Brooklyn College Community Partnership / YMCA Afterschool Program
01.2017 - 01.2018

Executive Director

Alliance for Digital Fabrication Education
01.2015 - 01.2021

Sculpture Instructor

Buck’s Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp
06.1995 - 08.1995

Instructor – Sculpture & 3D Design; Shop Technician

Louisiana State University – College of Art and Design
09.1993 - 05.1995

Bachelor of Fine Arts - Photography

Temple University, Tyler School of Art

Master of Fine Arts - Sculpture

Louisiana State University, College of Design

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