My Story

Jake Ifshin is passionate about helping students connect to their innate curiosity and discover the unique approach to learning that works best for them. He is from the Washington, DC area where he attended the prestigious Sidwell Friends School. He moved to New Mexico to study at St. John’s College in Santa Fe for his BA and MA in Classics and Philosophy. The collaborative and dialogue-based pedagogy of the Great Books Program at St. John’s shaped Jake’s interdisciplinary approach to education.

After graduation, Jake moved back to the DC area to work as a classroom teacher for five years at a Reggio Emilia-inspired school, and as a literacy tutor for underserved students in DC public schools. Jake developed his specialization in finding new ways to foster early mathematical and literacy skills via creative outlets such as music and visual art. He presented his innovative projects at multiple conferences, including at the Annual Conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC).

While teaching, Jake led and expanded a school-wide gardening program and volunteered with a local nonprofit called Everybody Grows, which grew into a full-time leadership role. He soon after started a business delivering educational gardening programs to schools, senior communities, and corporations. This experience led him to Socially Responsible Impact (SRI) investing to support individuals and communities in growing wealth in alignment with their values. In his free time, he loves to be outdoors for skiing, mountain biking, climbing, or hiking.