The JCC Mid-Westchester (JCCMW) has announced that local community leaders Michael Colen, Kate Eichel, Joanna Liebman, and Gina Waldman have joined its Board of Directors, further supporting the organization’s efforts to strengthen the community and inspire joyous lives.

“As board president, I am thrilled to welcome Michael Colen, Kate Eichel, Joanna Liebman, and Gina Waldman to the JCCMW Board of Directors. Their diverse expertise and deep commitment to community service will undoubtedly enhance our mission and impact. We look forward to their contributions in fostering a vibrant and inclusive community,” said Rachel Moseley, Board President. “I am also grateful that Debbie Yankwitt has agreed to serve as Board Vice President. With the explosive growth the JCCMW is experiencing and our board expanding, her leadership and support will be invaluable in navigating this exciting period of development. It is incredibly inspiring for our board to support our extraordinary JCCMW leadership team during this dynamic time.” 

Michael Colen was raised in NYC and is currently a managing director, member of the firm’s Global Operating Committee, and Global COO of the Private Debt business of BlackRock, one of the world’s leading providers of investment, advisory, and risk management solutions. Michael attended Horace Mann High School, received his BA from Haverford College, and has worked at BlackRock for more than 20 years with assignments based in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and London. Michael resides in Rye with his wife, Danielle, a professional chef, author, and frequent JCCMW program host and speaker, and two young daughters who participate in youth programming at the JCCMW.

 Kate Eichel is a lifelong volunteer. She is currently a member of the UJA-Federation of NY Board of Directors and has been on the UJA Scarsdale women’s board for many years, including three as board chair. Kate was a founding member of UJA’s Bonim Atid venture philanthropy fund and is a proud alumna of JFNA’s National Young Leadership cabinet. She served as PTA president at Heathcote Elementary School. Kate worked as a writer and producer of on-air promotions in New York for the VH1 cable channel. She received her BS in Economics from The Wharton School and is a co-chair of the Westchester County Penn Alumni Interview Program. Kate lives in Scarsdale with her three children. 

Joanna Liebman is an interior designer and owner of a residential design firm. Before her career switch, she was an attorney at two firms in Manhattan and a VP in compliance at Goldman Sachs. Joanna attended the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Law School. She is a trustee at Westchester Jewish Center in Mamaroneck, where she also recently served as the co-chair of the synagogue’s Strategic Planning Committee. Joanna was previously on the board of Impact100 Westchester for five years. Joanna attended gymnastics classes at the JCCMW in the early 1980s and is so happy to have been reintroduced to the JCC through the JCC trip to Israel last summer. Joanna helped organize this year’s Women’s Health Summit and lives in Larchmont with her husband, Jared, and their two children. 

Gina Waldman is a real estate salesperson with Compass and an indoor cycle instructor at Equinox. Gina is an ambassador for Gilda’s Club Westchester and the founder of the Westchester Warriors, a Cycle for Survival Team that has raised over $150,000 to fund rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Gina serves on the Philanthropy Committee of the newly formed New York Chapter of the Young Men’s Service League and has been active in the Scarsdale community, serving as a past PTA president of Heathcote Elementary School and long-time parent manager for Scarsdale Youth Soccer. Having grown up as a member of the Stamford JCC, Gina was connected to the JCCMW through the JCC trip to Israel last summer and has been active in the programming ever since. Gina and her husband, Brian, have two boys and live in Scarsdale.

 In addition to the new board members, Deborah Yankwitt has been appointed to the Vice President position. Deborah earned her BA from Brandeis and her medical degree from UMDNJ-SOM. She worked for almost 20 years as a pediatrician, has served on the Temple Israel Center Board for many years, and is currently a consultant at Yankwitt LLP. Prior to medical school, Deborah was an assistant teacher at the League School for Special Needs Children in Walpole, MA. She and her husband, Russell, have been happily married for more than a quarter of a century and are the proud parents of Aden and Shayna. They have been involved in various programs at the JCCMW since 2007 and have lived in White Plains for more than 20 years. 

“We are honored to add to our esteemed board these highly respected and accomplished individuals who are generously dedicating their time and energy to JCCMW’s community-building mission,” said Elise Dowell, CEO of the JCCMW. “With shared values and a passion for the work we champion daily, they are poised to help make our flourishing organization even stronger.” The JCC Mid-Westchester is a nonprofit organization that supports the community by offering outstanding cultural, educational, and human services programming to all people regardless of age, background, religion, gender identification, or sexual orientation. Programs are grounded in Jewish values and are open to all! 

The JCCMW enriches families, connects friends, strengthens community, and helps people lead joyful lives. Visit www.jccmw.org  to learn more about the JCCWM.