Jeff Cho
Leader • Technologist • Entrepreneur
Jeff is a leader, technologist, and entrepreneur with a strong interdisciplinary and collaborative background. He is passionate about ethical and equitable leadership, technology for social good, culture through culinary arts, and fostering sustainable communities. He holds an M.Sc. in Computing Science from the University of Alberta as well as numerous awards and decorations for his leadership, research, and service.
Major Projects and Initiatives
Past and Present
Caldera Interactive
Caldera Interactive is an indie studio in Edmonton, AB that Jeff co-founded in 2019. Caldera Interactive is driven by its values of diversity, equitability, and sustainability at all levels. The studio is working on a cooperative multiplayer horror-adventure game with assistance from the Canada Media Fund and the Edmonton Screen Industries Office. Jeff is currently the team’s Executive Producer, and was formerly the President and Game Director from 2019 to 2022.
Canada Open-Source Projects (CANOSP)
Canada Open-Source Projects is an academic program that connects top students from Canadian universities to work on open-source projects for a semester. CANOSP is an excellent opportunity for students to meet peers from across the country, connect with industry, learn about open-source development, and strengthen their skills as software engineers. Jeff is the co-founder and co-organizer of CANOSP.
The Awesome Foundation
The Awesome Foundation’s mandate is forwarding the interest of awesome, $1,000 at a time, which it does through local self-organizing chapters of trustees who fund the microgrants. Jeff was a founding trustee for Awesome Foundation – Kingston (ON) where he also served as the chapter’s Dean for a year. Following his move out west, he went on to serve as a trustee and Dean for Awesome Foundation – Edmonton (AB) for two years.
Interactive Arts Alberta
Interactive Arts Alberta is a non-profit founded in 2015 that supports game development and games culture in Alberta. This includes creators who make video games, board games, XR experiences and support a diverse, robust, sustainable industry – provide-wide. IAA supports game creators at all levels, from AAA, indies, educators, and even students. Jeff previously served on the IAA board of directors as Vice-Chair for his two-year tenure.