Jeff McDonald

Headshot of Jeff McDonald

About Me

Jeff McDonald is a seasoned professional raised in the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, with diverse experience gained in Lesotho, South Korea, and Puerto Rico spanning across technology, education, and non-profit sectors.

Interests

Blockchain, NEM, Symbol, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Morpheus, AI, building a better tomorrow, health, aliens, sci-fi, spirituality, exercise, meditation, Christianity, and more.

Professional Experience

  • CTO, CBO, Co-founder at LuxTag (January 2017 - Present)
    • Oversees backend development and coordinates major decisions.
    • Focuses on blockchain applications for digital certificates of authenticity.
  • Core Team Member, Co-founder, Vice President, Head Trustee at NEM (January 2014 - February 2022)
    • Helped grow NEM from a market cap of under $1 million to over $15 billion.
    • Managed operations and community organization for the NEM Foundation.
  • Assistant Professor at Keimyung University (March 2008 - July 2017)
    • Taught English conversation and developed course materials for a large student body.
  • Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho (June 2002 - June 2004)
    • Implemented educational programs and promoted HIV awareness.

Education

  • Master of Arts in Religious Studies - The University of Kansas (2004-2006)
  • Graduate Certificate in Peace and Conflict - The University of Kansas (2004-2006)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - Oklahoma State University (1999-2001)
  • Associates of Arts in Religious Studies - Tulsa Community College (1997-1999)

TEDx Talk

In 2017, prior to the popularization and formalization of ERC-721, Jeff and Rene introduced the concept of utilizing blockchain for purposes beyond currency by proposing non-fungible assets on the blockchain.