REUBEN D. ROTMAN, President & CEO
Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies
rrotman@networkjhsa.org | 201.977.2423
Reuben D. Rotman is the founding President and CEO of the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. The Network was established in 2017 following the merger of two predecessor associations, as an international membership association, with the mission of strengthening and advancing the Jewish human service sector. Today, the Network serves as the leading voice for the sector; the go-to for best practice research, innovation, and partnerships. Supporting its 150+ member organizations, the Network’s goal is to strengthen the capacities of its member agencies and to advance the scope and impact of the Jewish human service sector.
Reuben came to the Network having served as the CEO of Jewish Family Service of MetroWest New Jersey, where he held several increasingly responsible positions for 21 years. Previously, Reuben held positions with UJA Federation of New York, Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit and Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Reuben currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of SourceAmerica, which connects the non-profit sector to the US Federal government and commercial sectors to secure employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, and also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Social Current, a newly established national organization which seeks to activate the power of the social sector by bringing together a dynamic network of human service organizations and partners. Reuben also serves as Founding Chair of the Advisory Council for Ta’amod, which provides training and resources to support inclusive, safe and respectful Jewish communal workplaces. In 2021, Reuben was included among the listing of the international listing of the 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life, as published by the Algemeiner Publication.
Reuben earned a double Master of Arts from Brandeis University; in the Management of Human Services from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and in Jewish Communal Service from the Hornstein Program for Jewish Professional Leadership. Reuben also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and in Sociology also from Brandeis University.
LISA-LORAINE SMITH
Chief Program Officer
LLSmith@networkjhsa.org | 201.977.2542
Lisa-Loraine Smith is the Chief Program Officer for the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. In her position as CPO with the Network, Lisa oversees all program offerings and develops and directs the content for conferences, webinars and trainings. Lisa works closely with the lay and professional community of the Network to establish and maintain work groups among key affinity groups, toward the goal of ensuring that the content offerings of the Network meet the diverse and changing needs of the Network’s constituency.
Prior to joining the Network Lisa served for 14 years as the Executive Director of Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, CT. In her position at JFS of Greenwich, Lisa directed significant growth for the agency bringing a range of new initiatives and new client populations to the agency through the establishment of the Online Support Group Project, the Jewish Health and Healing Center at JFS and the JFS Support Group Center. Previously, Lisa served as the Associate Executive Director of Interfaith Neighbors in New York City and was the founder and co-director of the Peace of Mind Project, a mental health support and education effort following 9/11 which brought trauma informed crisis intervention services and a range of educational offerings to children, parents, teachers and community professionals. She also served as the founder and co-director of the Children’s Bereavement Project, which provided bereavement counseling to over 1,200 NYC adolescents and led to a longitudinal study and published findings to document outcomes for providing bereavement services to an underserved population. During that time, she co-authored two books, (2002) Courage After a Crisis: Family and Community Activities for Healing. Chicago: Family Support America and (2005) Grieving, Sharing, and Healing: A Guide for Facilitating Early Adolescent Bereavement Groups. Champaign, Illinois: Research Press.
Lisa received her MSW from Yeshiva University and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. Lisa also earned a certificate in executive leadership from the Columbia University Institute of NonProfit Management.
BASHA SILVERMAN
Vice President, Strategy & Partnerships
BSilverman@networkjhsa.org | 215.240.7627
Basha Silverman is the Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships at the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies.
In this role, Basha will drive the overall strategic initiatives of the Network and will cultivate and implement efforts resulting from meaningful partnerships with a wide range of external stakeholders, including those drawn from the corporate, non-profit, government, academic and philanthropic sectors. Central to Basha’s role will be her oversight, leadership of and continued development of the Network’s Center for Innovation and Research to drive value for the Network and its member agencies.
Basha has an exemplary career of over 20 years in non-profit leadership and Jewish communal service. Prior to joining the Network, Basha served as the CEO of JFS Delaware, where she led that agency to a merger with another Delaware non-profit, Cancer Care Connection, and also established several new revenue-producing client service offerings. Previously, Basha held a series of leadership positions at JFCS of Greater Philadelphia and at Brandywine Counseling and Community Services in Delaware. She is the founder of Delaware’s first coalition aimed at designing a gender-specific, health-focused response to victims of trauma, and has developed programs for HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and mental health in Delaware and Pennsylvania. She was named 2013 Power Woman of the Year by Main Line Magazine, one of Delaware Today’s 2019 Women in Business, and most recently awarded Delaware’s mid-size non-profit CEO of the Year by the Delaware Business Times.
Basha also serves as a board member for Of Substance, an innovative nonprofit that creates premium, entertaining short films to overcome the shame, blame, and stigma of addiction for all those touched by substance misuse. Basha received her Masters of Social Services from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She and her husband Jesse live in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania with their two daughters, Noa and Mira.
TRICIA STERN
Vice President, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services
TStern@networkjhsa.org | 201.940.7401
Tricia Stern, LCSW, MPH is the Vice President of Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services at the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA).
In this role, Tricia directs NJHSA’s engagement in a partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America and its Jewish Education and Engagement Teen Funder Collaborative to meet the increasing mental health needs of youth, young adults and parents through intervention and prevention. This initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of NJHSA member agencies as vital resources to provide mental health and related support services for children, adolescents and parents and supports Jewish education and engagement organizations to better address the mental health needs of youth and parents in these settings. Tricia also represents NJHSA on a newly established planning body, the Resiliency Roundtable, that brings together the Jewish clinical and engagement worlds to create cross-sector collaboration.
Tricia Stern LCSW, MPH is a psychotherapist with specialization in working with children, adolescents, parents and families. She has also served as a consultant to nonprofit and government agencies, including local and national Jewish organizations, to implement best practices for these populations. She is the founder and former Director of the Family PEACE Trauma Treatment Center at New York Presbyterian Hospital, an innovative program in New York City for traumatized children, adolescents and parents. Tricia served as Coordinator of the Child and Adolescent Services Department at Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, NJ, where she initiated new treatment programs and expanded community partnerships and collaborations. She was also a recent participant in Jewish Women International’s first Jewish Communal Women’s Leadership Project national cohort.
Tricia received a dual masters degree in Social Work and Public Health from Columbia University and a certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy from New York University and in Child Parent Psychotherapy through the University of California San Francisco. She is trained in many different clinical interventions and wellbeing approaches including being a Trained Teacher in Mindful Self Compassion and Self Compassion for Kids.
SARAH WELCH
Vice President, Workforce Development Services
SWelch@networkjhsa.org | 215.240.7624
Sarah Welch is the Vice President of Workforce Development Services at the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies.
In this role, Sarah serves as the lead staff for NJHSA sponsored initiatives, trainings, advocacy efforts and other program offerings related to the workforce development service portfolio of NJHSA member agencies. Sarah also oversees Project EM: Empowering and Employing our Community, a program of 19 NJHSA member agencies designed to meet the needs of unemployed and underemployed job seekers across the U.S. Through Project EM, job seekers have access to free individualized career counseling, workshops, financial literacy, training, and other supports.
Prior to NJHSA, Sarah was Director of the Career Development Center at JFCS Pittsburgh. At There, Sarah oversaw a dynamic workforce development center, assisting over thousands of job seekers and working with regional employers to develop talent pipelines. Before moving to Pittsburgh, Sarah worked as an Associate Director at the University of Oklahoma and in human resources in the oil and gas industry. Sarah received her Masters of Human Relations with an emphasis in Organizational Human Resources and Bachelors in English Literature and Cultural Studies from the University of Oklahoma.
LIZZIE M. HARRINGTON
Director of Workforce Programs
Lharrrington@networkjhsa.org | 201.940.7400
Lizzie Harrington is the Director of Workforce Programs at the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies.
In this role, Lizzie will provide direct support for NJHSA workforce programming, primarily working with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment & Training (E&T) National Partnership Grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. This national partnership will provide NJHSA network member or affiliates training, and other technical assistance needed, so that they may become third-party SNAP E&T Providers.
Lizzie brings over 12 years of direct workforce development programming experience to NJHSA. Her background ranges from working within HR/staffing, non-profit and community-based organizations, college-level career placement centers and county government. Over her career, Lizzie has successfully managed multiple employment programs, in which she was directly responsible for the overall implementation, coordination, evaluation, and performance-based outcomes.
Lizzie holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Human Resource Management, from Walden University, she also actively serves as a board member for Rucker Academy, a non-profit, community-based organization founded by Rucker Holdings that provides essential programs and services to Youth and their families. Lizzie is a long-standing member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professional (NAWDP), she holds current memberships with the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), and the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). Lizzie is also a professional Notary Public for the State of Georgia where she resides with her son Rodney, who is a freshman in college.
KAREN ROSEN
Director of Membership Services
krosen@networkjhsa.org | 201.977.2614
Karen Rosen is the Director of Membership Services for the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. She manages more than 140-member agencies including professional development and special events.
Prior to joining NJHSA Karen served as the Manager of Event Planning & Member Relations at the International Association for Jewish Vocational Services (IAJVS). Previously, Karen served as Director of Fulfillment at DMW where she managed a direct mail production plant with billings over $2,000,000/year. She worked as a Marketing Manager at The Franklin Mint developing marketing programs through direct mail and print media for their collectibles and worked as Senior Account Executive and Fulfillment Manager at The McClure Group managing direct marketing programs and overseeing direct mail production for ten major health insurance companies across the country. Ms. Rosen is a past board member and past chair of the social action committee at Beth David Reform Congregation. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication from The American University in Washington D.C.
MEGAN MANELLI
Director of Marketing & Communications
mmanelli@networkjhsa.org | 201.977.2483
Megan Manelli is the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA). Megan currently manages all internal and external agency communications.
Prior to joining NJHSA, Megan was the Director of Communications, Membership and Events at Association of Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies (AJFCA). In this role Megan oversaw the membership of more than 120-member agencies, several affinity groups and partner agency relations. Megan attended Elon University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Communications with a minor in Human Services. She has professional experience within both the for profit and nonprofit sectors, including professional writing, and project management and sales.
Jay Tepp
Director of Finance
jtepp@networkjhsa.org | 201.940.7099
Jay Tepp is the Director of Finance and manages the agency’s accounting, budget development and monitoring, payroll administration, grant reporting, auditing processes, tax filing compliance, investment management and banking relationships. Additionally, Jay provides supervisory oversight of the organization’s human resource, information technology, business insurance, vendor management and purchasing functions.
Most recently, Jay served as the Accounting Manager for the NY Structural Biology Center in New York City. Previously, he provided consulting and contract services for a variety of companies and non-profit organizations, including the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS) in New York City. He served as the Controller of the Jewish Federation of Greater Clifton/Passaic, New Jersey and subsequently spent four years as the Treasurer of his synagogue.
Jay earned a masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an MBA in Accounting from the Stern School of Business at NYU. Jay has also been certified as a CPA. Jay lives with his wife, Laurie, in Fair Lawn, NJ. They have two recently married children.
“The Network is excited to have Jay join the staff team. The steady growth over the Network’s first five years have resulted in the need for dedicated staffing to address the range of the organization’s financial management needs. Jay’s expertise, combined with his personal passion for the Jewish human service sector, will surely help to further professionalize Network operations”, said Reuben Rotman, NJHSA President & CEO.
LINDA BLUMBERG
Grants Manager
lblumberg@networkjhsa.org | 201.977.2379
Linda Blumberg is the Grants Manager for the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. In this role, Linda manages grants received by the Network including monitoring, reporting, and working with the agency recipients. She researches, writes and prepares grant submissions and provides staffing support for the Grants and Opportunities Committee.
Just prior to joining the Network, Linda served as the Senior Planning Advisor for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, transitioning from her full-time position as the Director of Planning and Agency Relations from February 2005 until December 2017. Her previous position at the Federation was the Director of the Commission on Jewish Eldercare Services.
Prior to coming to the Federation in 1996, Linda was a Manager in the Social Work and Discharge Planning Department of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and prior to moving to Detroit in 1994, she was the Director of Social Services at the Council for Jewish Elderly’s Lieberman Geriatric Health Centre in Skokie, IL for seven years. She also worked in home health care social work in direct service, supervisory and administrative positions in St. Louis and Chicago.
Linda received a Master of Social Work and a Master of Arts in history from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Her undergraduate degree was in education and history.
ELISA J. HIRSCH
Director of Data & Technology
ehirsch@networkjhsa.org | 201.977.4056
Elisa J. Hirsch is the Director of Digital Technology & Operations for the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies. Elisa ensures the smooth day-to-day functioning of Network operations, managing data systems, surveys, webinars and other special projects. She has recently become a Zoom guru and has helped the Network pivot its offerings to the virtual space. Elisa comes to the Network having served most recently as the Manager of Community Outreach and Engagement and as a Planning & Allocations Associate with the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. Previously, Elisa has held positions in Education both public and private, the food industry and on Wall Street. Elisa received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Media from Rutgers University and has done extensive graduate work in Digital Publishing. She lives in northern New Jersey with her husband and three daughters, son-in-law, and most recently, her Covid puppy, Barley. She is also your FairyMahjMother, as she is Northern New Jersey’s Mah Jongg instructor extraordinaire.
DARCY HIRSH
Washington Representative
dhirsh@networkjhsa.org
Darcy Hirsh is Managing Director, Public Affairs at the Jewish Federations of North America. She also serves as Washington Representative to NJHSA.
Darcy was most recently the Director of Virginia and D.C. Government and Community Relations at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. In this role, she advocated before local, state, and federal government officials on issues of importance to the Jewish community including support for social services, maintaining the separation of church and state, and combating anti-Semitism and other forms of bias. Darcy previously served as the Associate Director of the Anti-Defamation League Washington, D.C. Regional office and prior to that, as Director of Day School Advocacy at UJA-Federation of New York. She holds a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, an MTS from Harvard Divinity School, and a BA in Religious Studies from Barnard College.
Darcy is a proud Buffalo native. After living in New York City for many years, she and her husband now reside in Chevy Chase, D.C. with their son and daughter.
JESSICA FOROUTAN
Executive Assistant
jforoutan@networkjhsa.org | 201-977-2540
Jessica Foroutan is the Executive Assistant for the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA). Jessica manages the daily functions of the NJHSA office, serves as the board liaison and provides direct support to Reuben Rotman.
Jessica has 10 years of experience working in the Jewish non-profit sector. Her background includes working in development supporting fundraising goals for Jewish organizations, managed the development of live programs and events, coordinated logistics and trainings for learning cohorts, and acted as board liaison.
Prior to joining NJHSA, Jessica’s most recent position was at the JCC Association of North America as Talent Management and Professional Development Associate. Prior to that she held positions at American Technion Society and UJA-Federation of New York.
Jessica, a New Jersey native, received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University and resides in Northern New Jersey.
