Kalef Jones was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, in the northern section of the city. As a youth, Kalef always sought additional knowledge which led to numerous citywide contests and events. It wasn’t until his later teen years that he started to find himself involved with the criminal justice system. By the age of 21 he returned to civilization a reformed individual. Since then, Kalef has worked closely with a plethora of workforce development programs that target men and women who identify as “disconnected youth.” He was a featured speaker of a My Brother’s Keeper forum in late 2015. Also during this time, he was an intern in the Mayor’s Office during Mayor Michael Nutter’s administration. In February 2017, The Corps Network awarded him a Corpsmember of the Year: this national honor recognized Kalef for the great work he does not only at his job but also in the community.