Jea Marjori Calingo, known simply as Jea, is a creative designer, digital marketing and operations manager, entrepreneur, and senior lecturer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts, majoring in Visual Design, from Miriam College, where she also teaches in the Department of Arts and Design undergraduate program. In 2022, she was a finalist for the Amazing Alumni Teacher Award, recognizing her dedication and impact as an educator.
Though she originally aspired to take BS or AB Psychology and become a behavioral-developmental pediatrician, life led her down a different path that blended creativity, business, and education. A frustrated medical doctor at heart, she remains a devoted House M.D. and Grey’s Anatomy fanatic. While her doctoral journey isn’t in medicine, she’s hopeful about earning her PhD soon.
Jea’s career began in her family’s business. She currently manages digital marketing and operations at Villamayor Motor Parts and Company, a prominent motorcycle and bicycle retailer in Rizal.
In 2016, she ventured into the food and beverage industry, becoming an Australian-certified barista through CCA-Manila’s Coffee Academy. She further honed her expertise by studying Coffee Business Management at the Barista & Coffee Academy of Asia. That same year, she became the marketing manager for her mother’s Filipino restaurant. By 2017, she opened her own café, a cozy space celebrated for its free-to-read library, reflecting her deep love for books and fostering community.
In 2022, she expanded into the hospitality industry, managing residential rental apartments, a private resort, and two bed-and-breakfast units. She provides creative design and social media consulting services to small and medium-sized enterprises alongside these entrepreneurial pursuits.
Her commitment to learning has been a defining aspect of her journey. Jea studied Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines in Ortigas but pursued managerial and e-commerce studies at the University of the Philippines instead. She later returned to Miriam College to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration, specializing in Innovation Management. Her capstone project, created in collaboration with her friend and classmate Chef Annalisa Mariano, was awarded the Outstanding Strategic Innovation Plan. From 2020 to 2021, she further pursued advanced studies, earning units toward a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Teaching at Miriam College. Now, she is pursuing a PhD in Management, majoring in Business Anthropology at San Sebastian College-Recoletos Manila.
At home in Angono, Rizal, Jea enjoys simple moments with her partner, their 15 cats, and a dog. Surrounded by creativity and a supportive community, she finds inspiration in her environment and the people she connects with, skillfully balancing her professional endeavors with her passions.