Meet the Founder

Yahkub Makendy Jacob is an educational leader, lyric baritone, composer, and visionary dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through education, music, creativity, and purposeful living. With a career spanning performing arts, higher education, behavioral therapy, and personal development, Yahkub has built a legacy rooted in service, transformation, and the belief that every person has the capacity to learn, grow, and rise.

A classically trained artist, Yahkub’s formal training includes the Florida International University School of Music Opera Theatre, Valencia College Opera Theatre, and Barbizon Modeling and Acting School. His classical foundation was shaped through vocal study with Grammy Award–winning lyric baritone and General Director of Opera Orlando, Gabriel Preisser, as well as guidance from several other distinguished voice teachers who helped refine his technique, artistry, and performance craft.

Academically, Yahkub holds an Associate Degree from Valencia College, a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Florida International University, a Bachelor of Science in Business and Organizational Leadership from Valencia College, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Palm Beach Atlantic University. He is also a doctoral candidate in Higher Education (Ed.D.) at Walden University, specializing in evidence‑based leadership and management. His academic journey reflects his commitment to lifelong learning and his ability to bridge theory and practice while supporting learners from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

He is the creator of POSTER8 – Volume 1, a series of uplifting and inspirational posters, and the composer of Songs of Adoration and of Praise, a multilingual praise and worship songbook written in Spanish, French, Creole, and English to support children in Haiti and beyond. He also composed Songs of Admiration for Haiti and the Ancestors, honoring Haiti’s Slave Revolution and the courageous men and women who fought for freedom.

His artistic excellence has been recognized through multiple awards, including top placements in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and the SFLNATS Chapter Auditions, as well as the FCCAA Winter Music Symposium. He has also been honored with the Leader’s Award and the Enrollment Superlative for dependability at Valencia College.

Yahkub’s performance background is rich and diverse. As a skilled stilt performer, he was a member of the renowned Second Story Guys, delivering high‑intensity, choreographed acrobatic performances across major Florida theme parks—including Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Orlando, and Busch Gardens—and touring nationally and internationally under Hardrive Production.

His operatic and musical performances include principal roles he performed during his college training, such as Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, as well as Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro. He has also presented several successful solo recitals that showcased his vocal versatility, musicality, and stage presence. He performed as Marco in Gianni Schicchi, appeared as a featured soloist with the Cabaret Opera Dinner Show, and sang with the Florida Opera Theatre Choir, the Florida Grand Opera Choir, the Opera Orlando Choir, and the Valencia Singers. He has also performed the National Anthem on several occasions for Valencia College’s 9/11 Heroes Celebration, honoring first responders and the memory of those lost. His additional stage experience includes Puccini’s Messa di Gloria as bass soloist, ensemble work in Mozart’s Requiem, and serving as a backup singer for Vanessa Williams at the Daytona 500.

His artistic journey includes work as a Character and Parade Performer at Walt Disney World and as a Modeling Instructor for Barbizon of Orlando, where he taught stage presence, etiquette, and performance skills. During this time, he was also signed with the Reeve Agency, completing runway, trade show, and promotional modeling across Central Florida.

Yahkub expanded into media as a co-host on several local Haitian television shows alongside Sheba, and he portrayed the voice of Jesus in a nationally broadcast Haitian Creole film about the life of Christ.

Before entering higher education leadership, Yahkub served as a Behavioral Therapist, training autistic children in communication, social development, and behavioral skills while supporting families through evidence‑based interventions.

In higher education, Yahkub has extensive experience serving diverse student populations as a Peer Advisor, Enrollment Advisor, Academic Advisor, Student Services professional, Manager of the Student Ambassador Program, and now as an Assistant Director of Student Services. His leadership centers on access, equity, and personal transformation. He has delivered workshops on study strategies, higher education planning, business etiquette, and personal development, always with a focus on empowering learners to succeed.

Across every chapter of his career, Yahkub remains guided by a single mission: to inspire others to learn, grow, and rise through education, music, and spiritual empowerment. His work continues to uplift communities through leadership, artistry, and a deep commitment to human potential.