Jeff  Krainess

Jeff has served in a variety of Leadership positions with several major Retail Companies in the US. His expertise is in the Merchandise Planning and Information Systems areas where he has managed the Sales, Inventory and Gross Profit components of Retail Financial operations. In addition, Jeff has served as Director of Guest Relations for a prominent South Beach Boutique Hotelier company where he revamped and spearheaded the launch of a new guest relations program and played a key role in opening up their newest hotel property. Jeff also has in depth experience in the Residential Real Estate market and holds real estate licenses in Virginia, DC and Pennsylvania.  He currently works for the Smithsonian Business Ventures as Senior Planning Manager for the Retail Store operation and enjoys the Smithsonian and life in the Washington DC metropolitan area. 

Originally from Akron, Ohio, Jeff graduated from Miami University in Oxford Ohio with a BS in Business Administration and a Major in Marketing and Decision Sciences. He has lived in Pittsburgh, PA; New York City; Dallas, TX; Miami Beach, FL; and, for the past 2 1/2 years, Washington. Having grown up with deaf parents, Jeff is fluent in American Sign Language and is very comfortable working with the deaf community in Washington. He also speaks some Spanish and French.

Jeff has traveled extensively throughout Europe, South America, Africa and the Middle East.  Some of his favorite pastimes are eating out, theatre, traveling, music and current events. He is an avid GLBT film festival-goer and attends Film Festivals worldwide where he celebrates the diversity of the GLBT community.