Michael Balaban
President & CEO
Michael brings more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit management to his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Michael previously served as the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Broward County, Chief Development Officer for the Atlanta Jewish Federation, and before that, as Director of Development for Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Michael believes that the Jewish Federation should both enchant and captivate members of the community when they are looking to access the richness and diversity of the Jewish experience. Contact Michael at ceo@jewishphilly.org. Read more about Michael here.
livI DICARO
Senior Chief, Finance & Operations
Livi DiCaro, CPA, leads the Jewish Federation’s finance, accounting, treasury, physical facilities, information technology, software systems, donor services, and data systems teams. Previously, Livi was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer at the Please Touch Museum. She has held senior positions at the American Friends Service Committee, Treatment Research Institute, The University of Pennsylvania and was a general partner and managing director in several late state venture capital funds that invested in over sixty transactions. Livi has more than twenty-five years of private industry experience to complement her over twenty years of public sector executive experience. She is a published author of twenty-three novels and is currently writing her next two novels.
Melissa Gabillon
Chief Human Resources Officer
Melissa Gabillon leads the Jewish Federation’s Human Resources department, responsible for Talent Acquisition, Compensation & Benefits, Employee Relations, Training & Development and Wage and Hour Compliance. Previously, Melissa worked for the Sofitel Philadelphia hotel (Accor Hotels & Resorts), where she held the role of Director of Human Resources for over 22 years. In this role, Melissa oversaw the Human Resources function for 200 employees, as well as earned additional responsibility working closely with the company’s regional corporate office in Toronto, Canada and worldwide corporate office in Paris, France. As part of Accor, the 6th largest hotel company in the world, Melissa was appointed as the Regional Leader for the company’s Diversity & Inclusion initiative leading the effort for North America, Central America and Mexico. Melissa was also selected as a Regional Trainer, responsible for the training of all hotel-based trainers for the Northeast Region. Melissa is a graduate of Penn State University and has earned her Senior Certified Professional designation from SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management) as well as the Senior Professional in Human Resources designation from HRCI (Human Resources Certification Institute).
Jeffrey Lasday
Senior Chief of External Affairs
Jeffrey Lasday leads the Jewish Federation’s strategic planning and policy execution, ensuring that strategic goals are met and organizational initiatives are implemented in effective and efficient ways. Bringing more than 30 years of Jewish communal leadership experience, Jeffrey most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit. Prior to his role at the JCC, Jeffrey worked as the Director of the Alliance for Jewish Education and Senior Director for Community Development at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. Jeffrey’s professional journey and accomplishments include serving as National Executive Director for the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), Executive Vice President of St. Louis’ Central Agency for Jewish Education and Founding Director of the Columbus Commission on Jewish Education.
DR. Kelly Romirowsky
Chief Strategy & Impact Officer
Dr. Kelly Romirowsky leads the Jewish Federation’s efforts on strategic thinking, planning, and measurable results with a goal of ensuring that community grant-making and resource development are driven by a solutions-oriented mindset. Kelly oversees ongoing research plans, the grant-making process, and bringing community partners together to address community issues on a larger scale. Over the years, Kelly has been the driving force behind many important initiatives at the Jewish Federation, having established the first evaluation and research department across the Federation system in 2006. She also oversaw the 2019 Jewish Community Portrait population study of Greater Philadelphia and fostered a data-driven approach to strategy across the organization. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology with a specialization in organizational and leadership development, school psychology, and health psychology. Before coming to the Jewish Federation, Kelly worked as a lead consultant at the Center for Leadership and Organizational Development and of course, as a mental health clinician with a wide range of populations.
Jennifer M. Brier, Esq.
Chief Planned Giving Officer
Jennifer M. Brier, Esq. joined the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community Foundation in December 2006 and was promoted to Chief Planned Giving Officer in 2024. Prior to joining Jewish Federation, she worked for ten years in private practice with a large law firm, specializing in trusts and estates law. Jen was also awarded an Independence Foundation public interest law fellowship, which she served at the Senior Law Center, helping address abuse and financial exploitation of vulnerable seniors. Jen earned her law degree at Georgetown University Law Center and received a B.A. in psychology from Emory University.
Sarah Bernstein Solomon
Chief Development Officer
Sarah Bernstein Solomon has worked at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia for over a decade, serving in many leadership roles during this time. An avid relationship builder with deep experience in non-profit fundraising and managing volunteer leadership, she has built a strong portfolio of loyal donors who have seen the global impact of their generosity and have continued to increase their support to both the annual and endowment campaigns. Sarah is trained in multi-generational giving and advising second and third generations on the transfer of wealth and philanthropy. She has utilized these skills in her oversight of The Kestenbaum Legacy Philanthropy Program which creates a cohort-based learning and education forum focused on family giving dynamics. A lifelong Philadelphian, Sarah grew up in Lower Merion and attended the University of Massachusetts. Sarah is deeply devoted to her volunteer efforts -both with URJ Camp Harlam and Albert M. Greenfield Elementary School. Sarah and her husband Scott live in Center City with their children, Jerry and Jordan.
rebecca etter
Chief Marketing Officer
Rebecca Etter joins the organization as our Chief Marketing Officer with 20 years of experience in the for-profit space, working in Consumer Product Goods, Food Service, Global Brand Consulting, and Publishing.
She has led art departments, creative studios, and Global Innovation and Marketing teams in multinational organizations and pre-revenue startups. Her industry experience includes but is not limited to: Condé Nast Publications, Landor, Interbrand, Procter & Gamble, Diageo, The Hershey Company, and Grupo Bimbo.
Utilizing a mission-based lens in the commercial space, Rebecca has been passionate about enhancing the health and well-being of her consumers in each category she worked in – being an advocate for access to better-for-you foods for all, defining Global Sustainability strategies and goals, and incorporating charitable partnerships on both the product launch and corporate levels.
Rebecca is a member of CHIEF, an executive network focused on connecting and supporting women leaders. She has a Master of Professional Studies in Branding from the School of the Visual Arts in New York, where she was an adjunct professor in a course centered around the psychology of branding called The Meaning of Branded Objects.
Additionally, Rebecca is active in the local business community, speaking about Marketing and Innovation for organizations like Arts + Business Council and the Philly Ad Club, and forming partnerships with organizations like the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce. She is a published author and has written about Branding.