Leadership Development, An Investment with Unlimited Returns

Some investments have a finite reach; others continue to generate value long after they are made. Leadership development is a clear example of the latter. Typically, the impact of a leadership program is measured in numbers: How many people participated? How many graduates completed a program? How many organizations were impacted?

For example, last year alone, Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA) Jewish Talent Initiative, supported in part by the Mandel Foundation, served more than 2,300 participants across 141 organizations throughout the US and Canada. Those are impressive numbers, especially considering the extended reach of Jewish Federations whose mission is to support a wide network of partner organizations. But is it possible for a set of numbers to adequately convey the far reaching impact of a strategic investment in high-quality leadership?

One reason the impact is difficult to measure is because it doesn't stay with one person or place. A professional develops new skills, takes on greater responsibility, and shares what they have learned with colleagues and partner organizations. Sometimes they advance within their Federation. Sometimes they move into senior leadership roles elsewhere in the Jewish community. Either way, the investment continues to multiply.

JFNA’s talent strategy begins with a simple premise: flourishing Jewish communities require strong leadership across the entire community. As Liz Fisher, JFNA’s Chief Talent Officer, explains, “Federations can only be strong when every professional in the community is strong.”

Investing in leadership is not about strengthening a single organization. It is about strengthening the professional ecosystem of Jewish communal life. That belief helps explain why JFNA views talent development differently than many organizations. The goal is not simply to retain talent within a single institution. It is to strengthen leadership throughout the Jewish community.

Through the Mandel Center for Leadership Excellence, established in 2005, the Mandel Foundation has supported professional development initiatives reaching all corners of the Jewish communal ecosystem, including management and supervision training, fundraising education, executive search services, and leadership pipeline development. In 2024, this support expanded to include early-career professionals and executive leadership training through the Jewish Talent Strategy Initiative. Encouraged by its early successes, the Foundation approved a three-year $11.5 million grant to continue and expand the Jewish Talent Initiative in 2026.

One example is the Executive Accelerator, developed to prepare high-potential Federation professionals for senior leadership roles. The program has already served 83 participants and produced 61 alumni. Among completed cohorts, 72% of alumni have been promoted since entering the program, including 25% moving into a first-time C-suite role.

Among those alumni is Florina Newcomb, who recently became CEO of the Birmingham Jewish Federation. Newcomb credits the Executive Accelerator with helping bridge the gap between her years of experience and the challenges of executive leadership.

"The Executive Accelerator was invaluable in preparing me for executive leadership," Newcomb said. "It gave me practical tools, mentorship, and a much broader understanding of the Federation system and what it means to lead within it. Now, a year into my role as CEO, I can see how much I continue to draw on that experience. Just as importantly, it gave me a cohort of colleagues I still learn from, lean on, and call when I need perspective."

Newcomb's experience reflects a broader pattern among participants. Alumni frequently describe gaining not only leadership skills, but also a deeper understanding of their role within a larger Jewish communal ecosystem. As Executive Accelerator alumna Kari Blumenthal, now Chief Financial Officer of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, explained, "This experience has made me a more well-rounded Jewish professional, equipped to contribute not only within my immediate responsibilities but also to the broader mission of strengthening Jewish communal life."

That broader perspective is intentional. JFNA encourages Jewish communal leaders to view career growth not as a loss for one organization or a gain for another, but as an opportunity to strengthen Jewish communal life wherever talented leaders choose to serve.

Fisher sees evidence of that impact throughout the Jewish community. Federation professionals regularly share what they learn with colleagues, synagogues, schools, JCCs, and other partner organizations, extending the reach of professional development programs far beyond their original participants. JFNA also continues to invest in alumni engagement and professional networks, recognizing that effective leadership does not happen in isolation. As knowledge, relationships, and leadership capacity continue to spread throughout the Jewish community, the impact of that investment continues to grow.