Jeff Reifman
Senior Technologist
Experienced entrepreneur and eight year Microsoft alumnus with expertise in software development, social media, journalism, publishing and communications.
- Website: jeffreifman.com
- Email: jeff@newscloud.com
- Phone: +1-507-556-7770
- Locale: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Available for global projects and opportunities
Overview
I'm a serial entrepreneur and software industry project manager with eight years of experience as a Microsoft Program Manager and Group Program Manager. I helped lead the technology team which launched MSN News and MSNBC.com. Since then, I've worked twelve years in startups, journalism, social media, and nonprofit efforts.
I'm a published freelance writer with a wide variety of clips in technology and culture. I also have a unique and diverse portfolio of grassroots PR and guerilla marketing success. I'm a regular volunteer teacher with Street Yoga.
I'm currently available for consulting related to strategy, technology, communications or capacity building, short term projects or the right full time opportunity. I am willing to relocate and open to international work.
Highlights
Led Capture of Missing Writer in Wired Magazine's Vanish Contest
Evan Ratliff wrote a story about how people disappear in the digital age. Then he went on the run himself, with Wired readers trying to track him down. I used Facebook application technology as a honeypot to find Ratliff in New Orleans and connect with locals to catch him on the ground. Learn more.
Three-time Knight Foundation Journalism Grantee
Received $689,471 in grants to develop open source Facebook application software for media organizations and research news engagement. Learn more.
Journalism
Highlights of my writing include three cover stories on Microsoft's technology, its corporate citizenship and my own socially responsible investing for Seattle Weekly.
Work Experience
NewsCloud Consulting
Founder, Project Manager
- Period: 2005 - Current
- Job type: Full time
Working as a consultant and experimenting with startup concepts such as Geogram.com. Web development in PHP and Yii Framework.
Managed the implementation of three Knight Foundation grants related to Facebook, journalism and social media research.
Actionstudio and GroundSpring
Founder, Project Manager
- Period: 2001 - 2005
- Job type: Full time
Built web-based services for nonprofits. Raised more than $580,000 for ActionStudio from The Omidyar Foundation and Aspiration. Later acquired by Groundspring (now Network for Good).
GiftSpot.com
Co-founder, CEO
- Period: 1999 2000
- Job type: Full time
Left Microsoft, raising $2 million in venture capital to found GiftSpot.com, an electronic gift certificate company. Built team of forty-five within three months. Company acquired by GiftCertificates.com within one year.
Microsoft Corporation
Group Program Manager
- Period: June 1991 - April 1999
- Job type: Full time
Helped lead technical launch of MSN News (1995) and MSNBC.com (1996) among other projects.
- Microsoft Online Store 1999
- Special projects 1996-1998
- MSNBC.com 1996
- MSN News, 1995
- Microsoft Research (At Work) 1991-1995
Habitat Espresso
Four Angels Cafe
Owner, Philanthropist
- Period: 1997 - 2000
- Job type: Part time
Founded two not for profit coffeehouses in Seattle to engage the community in local philanthropy. The effort received widespread media coverage:
Technical Skills
Technical Project Management
Software Architecture
Social Media Strategy
Facebook Applications
User Centered Design
PHP, MySQL & Yii Framework
Webmaster / SEO
XTHML / CSS / Javascript
System Administration / AWS
Ruby on Rails
Publications
Engaging Youth in Social Media: Is Facebook the New Media Frontier?
Nieman Reports
A research project creates experimental applications for Facebook to learn whether the news habit can be fostered online and lead to civic engagement. Read more
This Changes Everything: Occupy Wall Street and the 99% Movement
A Yes! Magazine Publication
Co-authored essay on the strategy of the Occupy movement Read online | Buy
Patents
Method and system for providing touch-sensitive screens for the visually impaired
System and method for facsimile cover page storage and use
System and method for facsimile load balancing
Facsimile machine with custom operational parameters
Education
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.
Class of 1991
Pacific Palisades High School
Class of 1987
Misc.
Volunteer Yoga Teacher
I volunteer regularly teaching yoga to teen boys in recovery through Seattle's Street Yoga. Completed Yoga Works RY200 (2011), Pacific Yoga RY500 (2013) and Off the Mat Into the World's Basic and Advanced Leadership Training (2012).
Social Investing
I'm a co-op investor in Fair Trade coffee, tea and chocolate provider Equal Exchange and have traveled to Peru to meet their farmers and learn about their supply chain. I am also a founding investor in Upstream 21, which operates with a socially responsible corporate charter.
Hobbies & Interests
Hiking, running, snowboarding, photography, travel, gardening, vegetarian cooking and scrabble.