Jeffrey James Keyes

Jeffrey James Keyes is a senior executive assistant for Higher Learning, providing support to Carolyn Dinshaw and Maria Sachiko Cecire.

Prior to joining Mellon, Jeffrey served as executive assistant and grants manager for the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund. He was the temporary administrative coordinator for Mass STEM Hub, was part of the One8 Foundation, and served in a number of roles at Columbia University School of the Arts, including assistant director of student affairs and program assistant for the MFA theater program. Jeffrey is the New York Times best-selling author of Killer Chef, which he coauthored with James Patterson. His award-winning short film Uniform was featured in over thirty film festivals worldwide. Jeffrey serves as a mentor for the PEN America Prison Writing Program and is the recipient of the inaugural PEN America/L’Engle-Rahman Prize for Mentorship.

He holds a BA in theater and visual arts from Fordham University and an MFA in playwriting from Columbia University School of the Arts. He also studied at the British American Academy of Drama in London.