Let's Chat

.We offer one-on-one concierge meetings to teens and parents to help you discover amazing programs and opportunities. Schedule an in-person or online meeting at juf.org/meetspringboard.

Meet the Team

Our dedicated staff is here to help you navigate the vibrant landscape of programs available for Chicagoland teens. We connect teens and parents to amazing Jewish education, leadership and community building opportunities. 

For general questions, email Springboard@juf.org

Sarina

Sarina Fogel Gerson

Director

Sarina Fogel Gerson is passionate about building communities and connecting people to meaningful experiences. She is a lifelong supporter of immersive Jewish experiences and deeply appreciates the role those experiences played in shaping her Jewish identify.  Sarina’s primary responsibilities include planning, development, and evaluation of existing and new initiatives that will help more teens find exciting and meaningful ways to get involved in the Chicagoland Jewish community.

Her professional background is in strategic planning and leadership development, and she has a wealth of experience supporting non-profit organizations, businesses, camps and synagogues to develop innovative approaches to engagement. Sarina received her BA from Indiana University and her MBA from the University of Maryland.  She is also a graduate of the M² Senior Educators Cohort. In her free time, Sarina can be found sharing her love of music with her husband and three children, cooking and traveling.

Brittany

Brittany Abramowicz Cahan

Associate Director


Jessica

Jessica Bank

Teen Engagement Specialist

Jessica is passionate about connecting with the local Jewish community and helping teens discover different organizations throughout the Chicagoland area to get involved in. As a teen, Jessica held various leadership positions with BBYO in Buffalo Grove, Illinois during the school year and spent her summers at Beber Camp in Mukwonago, Wisconsin as a camper and counselor.

Jessica earned a Bachelor of Science in Learning and Education Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In college, Jessica was involved in Illini Hillel’s leadership team and served as a board member for Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority. Upon graduation, Jessica worked at the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor as their Outreach & Program Coordinator. During her time in Ann Arbor, Jessica coordinated a student exchange program for 9th and 10th graders through the Partnership2Gether program. She is thrilled to return to community she grew up in and continue to work with teens through Springboard!