ABOUT JEFFREY
Creative Leadership for a Resilient Asheville
Personal Introduction
Jeffrey Burroughs (they/them) is an artist, community organizer, and small business owner in Asheville’s River Arts District and Downtown.
Their work is about more than art. It is about building connection, opportunity, and resilience.
As an artist, Jeffrey has turned creative vision into real impact. As a community organizer, Jeffrey brings people together across sectors to address challenges and create actionable plans. As a small business owner, they have created jobs, supported local makers, and contributed to Asheville’s creative economy.
They are running for Asheville City Council to bring that same collaborative, solutions-focused leadership to city government.
Jeffrey believes leadership begins with listening, showing up, building bridges between communities, and staying at the table until the work gets done.
From the River to the Ridge
Asheville’s story has always been one of creativity, care, and community.
Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, Jeffrey worked alongside artists, small businesses, and volunteers in the River Arts District to help support recovery efforts. Studios reopened, neighbors showed up for one another, and the district began rebuilding through cooperation and shared purpose.
That experience reinforced Jeffrey’s belief that communities become stronger when people work together to solve problems.
Today, Jeffrey brings that same approach to the entire city, from West Asheville to East End, from Southside to Montford. Their focus is on affordable housing, strengthening local businesses, expanding opportunity, and ensuring residents have a meaningful voice in how Asheville is governed.
Where I Come From
Jeffrey grew up in a small farming town in Michigan, where hard work and responsibility were part of everyday life.
Their first jobs included detasseling corn and working on an assembly line as a machine operator and welder. Those early experiences shaped how Jeffrey understands the dignity of work and the importance of stability and opportunity.
Those values continue to guide how they approach leadership and decision-making today.
Professional & Community Leadership
Jeffrey’s career has combined creativity, entrepreneurship, and community leadership.
As the founder of the Jeffrey Burroughs Fine Jewelry + Design Studio and Gallery Melange, they’ve built businesses rooted in craftsmanship, collaboration, and supporting local makers.
Through this work, Jeffrey has helped strengthen Asheville’s creative economy while building relationships with artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders across the region.
Their leadership following Hurricane Helene further demonstrated the power of collaboration. Working alongside neighbors and organizations, Jeffrey helped support efforts that allowed artists and small businesses in the River Arts District to begin rebuilding.
This experience reinforced their belief that effective leadership requires bringing people together, listening carefully, and turning ideas into practical action.
A Lifelong Commitment to Equality & Sustainability
Jeffrey has long believed that communities thrive when people are treated with dignity and when opportunity is accessible to everyone.
Earlier in their career, Jeffrey was involved in the fight for marriage equality at a time when legal recognition was far from guaranteed. This January, Jeffrey and their husband Jason celebrated 18 years together, a partnership built on care, resilience, and commitment.
Jeffrey’s work has also focused on environmental leadership. While working in New York City with 9Thirty Theatre Company, they helped pioneer EcoTheatre, an initiative that challenged the performing arts industry to rethink its environmental impact.
Their work helped establish sustainable production practices that are now widely recognized across the industry. Jeffrey has spoken at universities, including Yale, and participated in national panels exploring the intersection of environmental responsibility and the arts.
Family, Responsibility, & Care
At the heart of Jeffrey’s work is family.
Jeffrey and Jason have built a life rooted in partnership and shared responsibility, and their dogs Jak and Fox bring daily reminders of patience and joy. When their nephew needed a stable home, they adopted him at age 15. Becoming a parent deepened Jeffrey’s understanding of education, housing stability, mental health, and the systems families rely on when life changes unexpectedly.
These experiences shape how Jeffrey leads and listens. They reinforce the belief that public policy is personal and that the decisions a city makes affect real people and real futures.
GUIDING PRINCIPALS
Creativity as Problem Solving
Thoughtful solutions come from vision paired with practical action.
Equity
as Practice
Ensure access to opportunity across neighborhoods, incomes, and identities.
Community
as Action
Progress happens when people work together in shared accountability and trust.