Posted on 05/07/20
Network focuses on innovation, best practices, collaboration, and advocacy
Baltimore, Md - May 7, 2020 - Joan Grayson Cohen, Esq., LCSW-C, executive director of Jewish Community Services (JCS) of Baltimore, has been named to the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies’ (NJHSA) board of directors. The announcement was made yesterday during the organization’s 2020 Virtual Annual Conference attended by agency executives, professionals, project managers and other leaders from around the country.
“It is an honor to be a part of the Network for Jewish Human Service Agencies’ national board of directors,” said Grayson Cohen. “Now more than ever, I believe in the important and rich work of human service and the extraordinary contributions of my colleagues around the country. I look forward to the opportunity to expand learning opportunities for our agency and share best practices as we push forward to fulfill JCS' mission of supporting families and individuals in meeting basic needs for economic sufficiency; in living independently; in achieving mental health and competence; and in feeling supported by and connected to the Jewish community in ways that are meaningful to them.”
Grayson Cohen joins the organization’s second board since its inception in May 2017, when the Association of Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies and the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services joined forces. She joins a distinguished list of leaders from both human service agencies and other sectors to help shepherd this new organization into the future. CEO of Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit Perry Ohren has been named chair. John Colborn, COO of Philadelphia’s JEVS Human Services, will serve as vice chair; David Marcu, CEO of Israel Elwyn, treasurer; and, Judy Halper, CEO of Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) of Minneapolis, secretary. James Kahn, a senior partner at Philadelphia law firm Margolis Edelstein, and June Gutterman, CEO of Jewish Family Services of Columbus, Ohio, who were the co-chairs of both the steering committee that developed the Network and its interim board, will continue as ex-officio members.
The trustees are: Julie Chapnick, social welfare program manager, Institutional Allocations, Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference); Claudia Finkel, COO, JVS SoCal; Susan Friedman, director, Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey; Paula Goldstein, president and CEO, Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia;
Jordan Golin, president and CEO, Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh; Michael Hopkins, CEO, Jewish Family Service of San Diego; Robert Hyfler, independent not for profit consultant; Stephan Kline, associate vice president, public policy, Jewish Federations of North America; Erik Lindauer, of counsel, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP; Jay Miller, founding president, J Square Developers; Lori Moss, director, Albert & Sara Reuben Senior and Community Resource Center, Jewish Federation of Greater Indiana; Brian Prousky, executive director, Jewish Family and Child Service of Greater Toronto, and chair of the Canadian Chapter of NJHSA; Larry Reader, shareholder, Spain, Price, Reader & Thompson P.C. in Houston; Leslie Reis, senior manager, CVS Health; Leah Rosenbaum, president and CEO, JVS in Metropolitan Detroit; Dr. Sigal Shelach, director, JDC's Israel Employment Initiative (TEVET); Ray Silverstein, vice president, store development, Starbucks; Andrea Steinberg, CEO, JFS of Atlantic & Cape May Counties, NJ; Fred Stock, president and CEO, Jewish Community Services in South Florida; and, Aviva Sufian, specialist leader, Deloitte Consulting.
ABOUT NJHSA
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA) The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies was formed in May 2017 when the two leading Jewish services organizations – the Association of Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies (AJFCA) and the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services (IAJVS) – joined forces. It is a international membership association of more than 140 non-profit organizations in the United States, Canada and Israel. The Network’s members provide a full range of human services to the Jewish community and beyond, including healthcare, career, employment and mental health services, as well as programs for youth, family and seniors, Holocaust survivors, immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities and caregivers. The Network’ strives to be the leading voice for this sector, to be the go-to place for innovation, best practices, collaboration and advocacy, as well as to strengthen agencies to better serve their communities. Visit www.networkjhsa.org for more information.
ABOUT JCS
Jewish Community Services (JCS), a comprehensive non-profit human service agency of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, provides a broad range of services to meet the multi-dimensional needs of individuals and families throughout Central Maryland.