Meet the Staff
Ellen Carmell joined the Jewish Women's Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago (JWF) as its Executive Director in January 2015, bringing to her role over two decades of leadership in the non-profit sector and a strong commitment to the Jewish community.
Prior to JWF, Ellen was Director of the Bridging America Project at AJC (American Jewish Committee) a national initiative, supported by the Ford Foundation, to strengthen Latino-Jewish relations and advance immigration reform.
Ellen began her career as a museum educator and after many years as a museum professional and active lay leader, she decided to launch her "Encore Career" by putting her passions to work for the greater good - devoting the second act of her professional life to social change within a Jewish context.
Ellen has been involved with Facing History and Ourselves for over 25 years and currently serves on its Board of Directors, Committee on Governance, and Chicago Advisory Board as a past Chair. She also served in numerous lay leader positions at Temple Beth-El in Northbrook.
Ellen and her husband David live in Chicago; they have two children and two grandchildren.
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Amy joined JWF as its Program Officer in April 2017. Amy brings a valuable skill set and fresh perspective to her position, including a wide range of knowledge about the Jewish non-profit sector in Chicago and Israel. Amy's work on grants administration for supporting foundations housed at the Jewish Federation involved reviewing grant applications and organizational budgets; synthesizing and analyzing information for foundation boards; communicating with grantees; conducting site visits; and performing due diligence on new organizations.
Prior to JUF/Jewish Federation, Amy served as an AmeriCorps member in Columbus, Ohio at I Know I Can, a college access non-profit that strives to make higher education a reality for all students.
Amy hails from Cleveland, Ohio and is a proud alumna of Ohio State University where she received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education. She is an avid reader, sports fan, marathon runner, and volunteer at PAWS Chicago. In addition, she serves on the leadership board for TBD Minyan, a lay-led Jewish community in Chicago.
Rachel joined the JWF team in September 2017. She is responsible for coordinating and administering the day-to-day operations and communications of the Foundation. Prior to JWF, Rachel served as the Curatorial Intern at Spertus Institute and as a Patron Services Assistant at VenueSix10.
Rachel is a proud alumna of Michigan State University where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in the Arts and Humanities and a Minor degree in Arts and Cultural Management. While a student at MSU, Rachel served as the Educational Outreach Intern for the Lansing Art Gallery.
Rachel looks to create a society built on inclusion and acceptance, and to improve the lives of as many people as possible. She is thrilled to be working towards these lifelong goals through her work with Jewish Women’s Foundation.
