Jeff was drawn to the role by the opportunity to engage in a wide range of hands-on crafts while living in a setting that encourages exploration and connection to nature and the outdoors.

Before stepping into this role as part of his semi-retirement in 2025, Jeff spent three decades in the printing and office products industry, working across roles including Project Manager, Process Improvement and Quality Engineer, and Marketing Director. After years focused on systems, quality, and outcomes, he chose to simplify his professional life and return to the hands-on craftsmanship that has interested him since childhood.

A lifelong autodidact and enthusiastic skill-collector, Jeff is known for his patience and wide-ranging knowledge. He enjoys learning new crafts and drawing from multiple disciplines to solve problems thoughtfully—whether restoring an aging structure or answering a question about how something works.

Outside of his work at Wiawaka, he explores fiction writing, experiments with craft beer brewing, and continues to study traditional building arts, including timber framing in Latvia, with future plans to pursue blacksmithing and green woodworking.