Jeff McDonald | jabo38

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, decentralized networks and non-profit sectors.

Interests

Passionate about blockchain technologies—like NEM, Symbol, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Morpheus, WaterFall—governance, trustless innovations, artificial intelligence (AI), aliens, and financial independence. Alongside these interests in technology, I prioritize health, longevity and life extension, education, spirituality, fitness, self-reliance, meditation, truth, science, and Christian values, blending personal growth with a vision for positive societal change.

Professional Experience

  • Co-founder, CTO, CBO at LuxTag (Jan. 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 (Jan. 2014 - Feb. 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 (Mar. 2008 - Jul. 2017)
    • Taught English conversation and developed course materials for a large student body.
  • Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho (Jun. 2002 - Jun. 2004)
    • Implemented educational programs and promoted HIV awareness.

Education

  • Master of Arts in Religious Studies - The University of Kansas (Aug. 2004 - May 2006)
  • Graduate Certificate in Peace and Conflict - The University of Kansas (Aug. 2004 - May 2006)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - Oklahoma State University (Aug. 1999 - Jun. 2001)
  • Associates of Arts in Religious Studies - Tulsa Community College (Jan. 1998 - Jul. 1999)

TEDx Talk

In 2017, prior to the popularization and formalization of ERC-721 (2018), Jeff and Rene introduced the concept of utilizing blockchain for purposes beyond currency by proposing non-fungible assets on the blockchain.