Jefferson Fietek has 20 years directing and arts education experience in the Midwest.  He is in his eighth year as Theater Department  Chair of Anoka Middle School for the Arts in Anoka and is Adjunct Faculty in the School of Education at the College of Saint Scholastica in Saint Paul.  He co-founded Young Artists Initiative (YAI) in Saint Paul, Minnesota where he served as Artistic Director for 8 years. YAI's primary focus is bringing arts education to low-income and at-risk youth.   Besides his work in theater, he has worked tirelessly to create school environments that are safe and inclusive for all students.

He has been awarded the Ordway Center's Education Award for Community Commitment, the Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership's (CESCaL) Educator of the Year Award, the Anoka-Hennepin District 11's TOP Teacher Award 
and the Senator Allan Spear Award for Community Commitment.