Jeffrey S. ScruggsM.S.
AI/ML Engineer • CTO @ Venture for T.H.E.M. • Founder/CEO @ Majestic Light Group
Builder & Convener — blending AI productization with community-oriented programming in the Baltimore region
About Me
Transforming complex data into actionable intelligence
Who I Am
I'm an AI/ML Engineer, entrepreneur, and community builder based in Baltimore. As CTO of Venture for T.H.E.M., I lead technology for an HBCU-focused accelerator and built Fund.FWD — an AI-powered app helping HBCU students access funding resources. I also foundedMajestic Light Group, LLC, an AI consulting and software development firm.
With experience at the Pentagon, Naval Surface Warfare Center, and CMS, I bring deep expertise in computer vision, NLP, and deep learning to both government and commercial sectors.
Beyond tech, I'm passionate about community building — organizing events like the John Lewis Day of Action and speaking at conferences like Diversitech and BLK Tech Connect.
Professional Experience
Building intelligent systems across defense, healthcare, and enterprise
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Venture for T.H.E.M.
Baltimore, MD
- ▹Lead technology strategy for HBCU-focused entrepreneurship accelerator
- ▹Built Fund.FWD — an AI-powered app helping HBCU students and entrepreneurs access funding resources
- ▹Developed Venture AI platform as part of the accelerator ecosystem
- ▹Featured in Black Enterprise for Fund.FWD's impact on HBCU communities
Founder & CEO
Majestic Light Group, LLC
Baltimore, MD
- ▹Founded AI consulting and custom software development firm
- ▹Deliver AI consulting, ML projects, and mobile/web application development
- ▹Built client projects including Neon Paint Place Baltimore experience platform
Consultant / Data Scientist
LMI Solutions
Owings Mills, MD
- ▹Working on various projects supporting the Center of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS)
- ▹Spearheaded the Data Project BARACUS involving data visualization with Python, PowerBI, and Snowflake
- ▹Recognized as 2025 RealLIST Innovator by Technical.ly Maryland
AI/ML Engineer
Qinetiq US
Ft. Belvoir, VA
- ▹Spearheaded computer vision initiatives using AI and ML techniques for object detection
- ▹Designed and implemented models using CenterNet and Yolov3 to optimize precision and recall rates
- ▹Utilized TensorFlow and PyTorch for reliable ML operations
Machine Learning Computer Vision Engineer
Booz Allen Hamilton
Remote
- ▹Led design and implementation of computer vision ML projects for clients including the Pentagon
- ▹Performed diverse data engineering and analysis tasks optimizing data flow
- ▹Leveraged Python, Pyspark, and Jupyter notebooks for efficient ML algorithms
Software Engineer / Machine Learning
Naval Surface Warfare Center
Dahlgren, VA
- ▹Developed AI algorithms for strengthening national security
- ▹Trained object detectors for identifying adversary crafts with auto-detection
- ▹Utilized Python, PyTorch, and YOLOv2 for detection system optimization
Machine Learning Engineer
S.E.R.R.I Technologies
Bel Air, MD
- ▹Worked on AI/ML projects using TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Keras
- ▹Created classifiers and GAN networks
Traffic/ITS Engineer
AECOM
Hunt Valley, MD
- ▹Worked on projects involving field research, data collection, and analysis
- ▹Developed graphics, maps, data presentations, and reports
Press & Recognition
Featured in national and regional media outlets
Media Coverage
AI-Powered App Helps HBCU Students Score Funding
Black Enterprise
Feature on Fund.FWD and its impact on HBCU entrepreneurship
2025 RealLIST Innovators
Technical.ly Maryland
Recognized among leaders driving Maryland's innovations
BLK Tech Connect Empowering Black Professionals
WMAR-2 News Baltimore
Coverage of Baltimore tech community initiatives
Check Out Jeffrey Scruggs's Story
VoyageBaltimore
In-depth profile and interview on background and mission
Emmy-Nominated Interview
Doni Glover Show (BmoreNews)
Discussion on Venture for T.H.E.M. and tech entrepreneurship
Community & Speaking
Building bridges between technology and community impact
Speaking Engagements
Building a ChatGPT Bot Using Your Data
Diversitech 2024
Selected speaker presenting on practical AI/LLM implementation
AI & Black Tech Entrepreneurs Panel
BLK Tech Connect Baltimore
Panelist discussing AI opportunities for Black professionals in tech
AI for Mission-Driven Organizations
Zero to Launch: Fueling Your Mission with AI
Hosted workshop on leveraging AI for nonprofit and social impact
Tech Leadership in HBCU Ecosystems
HBCUniverse Summit
Represented Venture for T.H.E.M. and Fund.FWD platform
Community Leadership
John Lewis Day of Action
Emmarts United Methodist Church • Windsor Mill, MD
Coordinated community partners including NAACP chapter and Baltimore County Democratic Party for civic engagement programming
Builder Footprint
Technical Skills
Expertise across the full AI/ML stack
Machine Learning & AI
Frameworks & Libraries
Languages & Tools
Data & Visualization
Proficiency Levels
Education & Achievements
Continuous learning and recognized excellence
Education
Master's of Science in Software Engineering
University of Advancing Technology
Tempe, AZ • September 2022 - May 2024
Bachelor of Science in Transportation Systems/Engineering
Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD • August 2012 - May 2017
Senior Project: Driving behavior results of texting while driving using a simulator
Full-Stack Web Development Trainee
Coding Dojo
Tysons Corner, VA • November 2017 - April 2018
1,000+ hours immersive program: Python, MEAN, Java
Achievements
2025 RealLIST Innovator Awardee
Recognized for driving innovation through research, engineering, and applied technology while contributing to mentorship and community building.
Fuels Institute Case Competition
3rd place finalist with research on Connected and Autonomous Electric Vehicles through ridesharing apps.
San Francisco, CA (2016)
Technical Speaker
Delivered talks and workshops nationally and internationally on AI and technology literacy, from Baltimore summer camps to conferences in Philadelphia and international AI talks in Dominica.
Professional Organizations
National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) • Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) • Advancing Minorities in Engineering (AMIE)
Let's Connect
Interested in collaborating or have a project in mind? I'm always open to discussing new opportunities.
Get in Touch
Whether you're looking for an AI/ML expert for your next project, want to discuss technology, or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out!
Location
Baltimore, MD Area
Current Roles
CTO @ Venture for T.H.E.M.
CEO @ Majestic Light Group
© 2026 Jeffrey S. Scruggs. All rights reserved.