During his tenure at NMAAM, Jeffries has helped advance the Museum’s institutional growth, fundraising, operations, and community impact. In his development role, he secured a $2.5 million Lilly Endowment grant to create a traveling exhibition highlighting the historic and cultural significance of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. He also developed an innovative consortium model designed to bring the exhibition to HBCUs, Black churches, and museums in metropolitan areas throughout the Southeast, supported by an extensive digital toolkit.
Jeffries brings more than 20 years of experience in the cultural nonprofit sector. His career has included leadership roles with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia, State University of New York at Purchase College, and Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Connecticut. His work has spanned fundraising, strategic innovation, education, organizational growth, and social impact.
Throughout his career, Jeffries has led and supported large-scale cultural and community initiatives. He served as project director for two year-long international cultural exchange projects in Brazil and Romania funded by the American Alliance of Museums and the U.S. Department of State. While with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, he developed an education master plan recognized by the American Symphony Orchestra League and launched a multimedia music education program that expanded the orchestra’s reach across a three-state region, ultimately serving more than 40,000 students annually.
His work has also included initiatives focused on early childhood learning, food education, bilingual museum access for Spanish-speaking communities, and cross-regional educational collaboration. In 2015, the Association of Children’s Museums published an article he authored on his approach to fundraising, innovation, and organizational scaling.
A veteran of the United States Air Force, Jeffries earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Charleston, a master’s degree in Community Planning from the University of Maryland, College Park, and an executive certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Jeffries is active in Nashville’s arts and civic community. His current service includes membership on the Nashville Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Search Committee, the Advisory Council at the Blair School, and the 2026–27 cohort of the Executive Insight Circle of the American Association for State and Local History. He also serves as a jurist with The Forge, is a member of Nashville Rotary, and participates on the Fisk University Alumni and Jubilee Singers Blue and Gold Planning Committee.
Outside of his professional work, he enjoys hiking, travel, exploring new cuisines, photography, and art.