JT Marino

Co-founder, Tuft & Needle and Chief Disruption Officer, Serta Simmons Bedding
Board member, Penn State Smeal College of Business Board of Visitors

JT Marino '09 is Co-founder of Tuft & Needle (T&N) and Chief Disruption Officer of Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB).  JT is a passionate storyteller, facilitator and teacher, having inspired T&N's most challenging and disruptive projects. JT has been instrumental in redefining the sleep industry and retail experience through the business’s rapid nationwide expansion, award-winning company culture, evolving product offering and acclaimed advertising campaigns.

Prior to T&N, JT combined principles from both design and engineering to develop future-forward software products in the high-tech industry, and he has applied this same discipline to reimagining the sleep industry. JT has extensive experience building and leading teams of designers and engineers, along

with researchers and scientists, to develop innovative experiential initiatives. JT started his career as an engineer at the world's leading software application consultancy, where he accelerated his experience through working amongst the foremost thought leaders and tech leaders for VC-funded startups and Fortune 500 companies.

 JT has been featured on USA Today, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Inc., Recode, Buzzfeed, Mashable, among others, and he is a frequent keynote speaker at startup and industry events such as SXSW, Startup Grind and ShopTalk. JT has been named as one of The Recode 100, Arizona Republic’s 35 Under 35, received eTail West’s Visionary of the Year Award and appeared in McGraw Hill’s curriculum. JT studied computer science and mathematics at Penn State University.