Meet the Mengmu Team

Jeff was born in 1964 and graduated from university in 1986. He founded Mengmu Nurseries in 2019 and coordinates the Clematis Breeding Alliance of China, which brings together research institutions, universities, and individual breeders.

He grew up in rural China with a lifelong love for nature and an easy rapport with plants and animals. Known for his frank, straightforward manner, he keeps his outlook grounded no matter how circumstances shift.

Compassion and public service guide his decisions, from supporting philanthropic initiatives to drawing inspiration from Mother Theresa. As Mengmu expands, he aims to help more people and shoulder greater social responsibility.

Maggie leads international business development for Mengmu Nurseries, working with the marketing, logistics, sales, and office teams to manage day-to-day collaboration with overseas horticulture partners. From 2019 to 2021 she handled the same responsibilities at Tianjin Lanxiu Horticulture Co., Ltd.—Mengmu's registered company name—helping align partner requests with production plans and shipping schedules.

Her toolkit includes certificates from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in child and adolescent psychology and family education psychology, the 40-hour "Bridging the Gap" cross-cultural communication program, a mental health interpreting credential, and Culture Advantage's 70-hour medical communication course. She also holds the TEM-8 English certification and Mandarin PSC 2A rating, which she applies when projects require technical language or bilingual negotiations.

Earlier, Yufei offered executive English coaching, supported medical conferences and patient appointments, and completed translation assignments for nonprofit and commercial organizations. She previously served as assistant manager at the Beijing HHS Center, taught English during her university practicum at Nanchang No. 1 Middle School, and volunteered with Shepherd's Field Children's Village to bridge communications between staff, volunteers, and families. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Jiangxi Normal University.

Joshua Kaufmann serves as Assistant to the CEO at Mengmu Nurseries, partnering with Jeff Miao and Maggie Miao on international trade operations.

Since August 2024 he has taught Drama and Visual Arts at the Tsinghua University High School International Department in Beijing, following two years as a Drama Teacher and Homeroom Teacher at Beijing Haidian Daoxianghu School from August 2022 to July 2024.

Joshua is deeply committed to philanthropy and volunteered at Shepherd's Field Children's Village in Tianjin from September 2014 to October 2016, producing advocacy videos and managing digital campaigns that supported orphans and helped children reconnect with their biological parents.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty University in Virginia, USA, completing his studies in September 2017 after pausing for work experience. He has achieved intermediate proficiency in Mandarin Chinese.

Born on September 25, 1978 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, Xia Long graduated from Zhejiang Gongshang University in 2003. He brings 15 years of management experience with multinational corporations, including Toshiba Corporation Japan, where he specialized in automotive quality systems and lean production.

Since June 2020 he has served as Production Director at Mengmu Nurseries, channeling corporate operations discipline into horticultural production.

For more than two decades he has pursued horticulture as a dedicated enthusiast, investing his free time in plant cultivation, propagation, and hybrid breeding research. Recognized for his expertise in clematis and hydrangea, he also lectures on garden plants and practical horticulture.

Born in May 1983, Zhang Zhongjie earned a Bachelor's degree in Horticulture from Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology in 2007 and brings more than 17 years of experience in plant seedling tissue culture production management.

He specializes in tissue culture R&D, production protocols, equipment oversight, and sterile workflow operations, and also has extensive background in fruit tree cultivation along with greenhouse flower and vegetable production. Zhang has led tissue culture teams ranging from 30 to 80 members.

His previous roles include Tissue Culture Production Manager at Beijing Sunnow Biotechnology Co., Ltd. from 2016-2024, Tissue Culture Production Supervisor at Haisheng Group from 2014-2016, and Production Manager at Huadong Seedlings, a Sino-Japanese joint venture, from 2007-2014.

Since December 2024 he has served as Tissue Culture Technology Manager at Mengmu Nurseries, overseeing technical SOPs, technician training, and audit-ready standards.