Born in Oakland, California, Jon was raised in a multicultural upbringing that took him to Argentina, Israel, and Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis, and honed his craft as an actor at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

Jon kicked off his acting career with roles in popular TV shows such as Parks and Recreation and Transparent, as well as films like First We Take Brooklyn and Empty. He then transitioned to screenwriting, selling his first two screenplays, First We Take Brooklyn and Mob Town, which starred the likes of Harvey Keitel, David Arquette, Jennifer Esposito, and P.J. Byrne.

In 2019, Jon made his directorial debut with the sleeper hit film, Feral State. The film was a critical and commercial success, and was picked up by Hulu for global distribution.