Jack Burns (he/him) is a multi-hyphenate designer with roots in entrepreneurship, education, and consumer packaged goods. Leveraging his decade of experience, he crafts and implements successful strategies for research institutions and companies globally. He is currently working as a freelance consultant and part-time professor based in Los Angeles with resources in New York, Rhode Island, Washington DC, and Beijing.

As a founder of Genusee, the first circular economy eyewear company, Jack learned firsthand what it takes to be a steward of change. Genusee (2016-2022) made eyewear in Flint, MI, from upcycled water bottles that resulted from the Flint Water Crisis. Genusee was founded in 2016 and blossomed after Jack was awarded mentorship from Fjord and IDEO. The company was heralded by World News Tonight, Vogue, T-Mag of The New York Times, and Elle Magazine, among other note-worthy publications, as a beacon of sustainable business practices.

Prior to founding Genusee, Jack became a professor at Parsons the New School for Design, in 2015. As a leader in academia, he designs and implements courses and curricula across disciplines. In 2022, Jack further solidified his position at the intersection of theory and practice by earning a graduate degree in Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons, enhancing his ability to seamlessly integrate diverse fields of knowledge and design principles into innovative solutions.

Jack's work has been acknowledged through awards from esteemed organizations, including LVMH, CFDA, and the Accessories Council. He has also shared his expertise on panels and presented his work at influential events like The CFDA Education Summit, Primer Conference, United Nations Economic and Social Youth Forum, Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute: Fashion For Good Systems, and Global Brands Group Sustainability Conference.

With a focus on employing facilitation and strategic design methodologies to drive transformative processes, Jack is dedicated to fostering change that improves the lives of people and preserves the planet.