Mary Bell: Assistant Director - Member & Guest Services, OM Sales Office
Join us as we give a warm welcome to Mary Bell, our new Assistant Director of Member & Guest Services at the OM Sales Office. Her encounter with Lynne Kness outside of the JCC led her to this position and we are thrilled that their paths crossed. Mary’s passion for community service within the health & fitness realm in addition to her values of growth and diversity make her a perfect fit for the J.
Q: Why are you excited to be at the JCC?
A: People, Community, Diversity & Growth. I came to The JCC organically after Lynne Kness & I connected outside of our workplaces at a second job I have, where she was a...
Join us as we give a warm welcome to Jessica Faircloth-Flamer, our new Member & Guest Sales Coordinator at the Rosenbloom Owings Mills JCC. A familiar face around the J, Jessica, along with her husband and children, have been active members of our programs and facilities for years. Her recent position was serving as a lifeguard for our OM Aquatics department, highlighting her relationship skills and displaying her knowledge of the JCC. Get to know more about Jessica in her interview.
The 21st Maccabiah Games are currently being held in Netanya, Israel. Jeff Rubin, a local business owner, JCC member and husband of our very own Chief Advancement Officer, Esther Greenberg, is proudly representing the US team and competing in the 65+ tennis competition. He is one of approximately 12,000 Jewish athletes competing in the games, that are often referred to as the ‘Jewish Olympics’. The first Maccabiah games were held in Tel Aviv in 1932.
Join us as we give a warm welcome to Desharn Fowlkes, the J Finance team's new Finance Associate. Before joining the JCC, Desharn was a Payroll Analyst with Laureate Education, Inc. where he spent 3 years of his professional career. Fun Fact: Desharn has a Criminal Justice, Homeland Security degree.
Join us as we give a warm welcome to the newest member of our marketing team, Stacey Needle. She is excited about taking on her new position as the J’s Assistant Marketing Director for the Center for Youth & Families. Stacey's role includes working with Baby & Me, Stoler Early Learning Center, E.B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center, J Kids (including youth arts), J Camps, Jewish Family Engagement, Teens and 4Front as well as helping with our Public Relations. Fun facts: Stacey worked at the JCC for several years teaching Baby & Me classes and has showcased her theatrical performance skills at our JCC locations.
Join us as we give a warm welcome to the newest member of our Finance team, Elena Mengazova. Elena started her new role as the J’s Accounting Manager at Park Heights in early April. Before joining our team, she was the Senior Cost Accountant with Conveyor and Automation Technologies where she spent the past six years of her professional career. Fun Facts: besides English, Elena is also fluent in Russian and her daughter is currently attending our Owings Mills Preschool program.
Join us as we give a warm welcome to Or Caduri, 4Front’s new Relational Engagement Senior Associate. As the Baltimore Jewish community’s comprehensive teen initiative, 4Front serves as a hub for Jewish teens to explore their Jewish identity guided by the program’s four pillars–advocate, innovate, educate, and collaborate. Or will be running four teen programs: Peer Leadership Fellows, Social Innovation Fellowship, Teen Board Observers and J Camps CIT. Originally from Israel, his interests have enabled him to visit and live in various countries before moving to the U.S. in 2018. When he was in North Carolina Or led youth programs and sites in public schools. Currently, he resides...
Join us as we give a warm welcome to the newest member of the JCC’s finance team, Polina Braginsky. She is our new Payroll and Accounts Payable Associate. Polina was previously an Early Learning Center teacher and is excited to return to the JCC in this new position where she can incorporate her accounting and payroll skills. Fun Fact: Born in Russia, Polina emigrated to Israel as a child when she was eight years old and would, later on, spend three years in the Israel Defense Force. In addition to English, she is fluent in Russian and Hebrew! 
Here at the JCC of Greater Baltimore, our members form our community and our staff is an extension of our family. One staff member, in particular, has grown personally and professionally with the JCC from a young age. You may know her as the Senior Director of J Camps, but recently, Emily Stern has been promoted to the executive team as Chief Program Officer. With her dedication to the JCC and its mission, passion and enthusiasm for our programs, and a selfless attitude towards helping others, it goes without saying that this milestone is well deserved. 
Join us as we give a warm welcome to Evan Taub, our new Middle School and Teen Services Coordinator. Growing up, Evan was a camper for seven years at URJ–Union for Reform Judaism’s Camp Coleman in Georgia and spent two summers as a staff member while being on their leadership team. He graduated with a bachelor’s in education from Syracuse University and relocated to Jacksonville, FL to take on the role of youth director/CLASP Fellow (Camp Leader And Synagogue Professional) for Congregation Ahavath Chesed. We are thrilled to have Evan on our team and get to wish him a happy birthday as he turns 26 in April. We know that he will make lasting...