About JFS

Serving the Richmond Community

Our Mission

We transform the lives of individuals and families and strengthen our community by providing the best options in care, counseling and adoption.

Our Vision

To be recognized as the most trusted and compassionate resource in Richmond for innovative, quality services that empower people through every stage of life.

Our Values

  We maintain high ethical standards, treating our clients with respect, dignity and kindness.

  We value and appreciate the contributions of our staff, board, trustees, donors and partners.

  We strive to meet the ever-changing needs of our community.

  We practice the Jewish tradition, Tikkun Olam, striving to create a better world through dedicated service.

Our History

Established in 1849, JFS began as the Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Association. Today, we provide the highest quality, comprehensive services to everyone in the Greater Richmond area. Take a look at our timeline below to see how far we’ve come.

JFS Richmond Timeline


Rabbi Maximillian Michelbacher

1849

Rabbi Maximillian Michelbacher inspires female congregants to form the Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Association to help those less fortunate.

1860s

Ladies of the LHBA tend to soldiers in the Civil War, often turning their own homes into hospitals to care for the wounded. After the war, the ladies cared for widows and orphans.

Zipporah Cohen

1900s

Led by President Zipporah Cohen from 1904 through 1937, the Ladies make in-home visits to assist families struggling with desertion, delinquent youth, elder infirmities, and tuberculosis.

1930s – 1940s

LHBA responds to the Great Depression with support for growing numbers of the sick and unemployed. The LHBA also works to find sponsors for Jews who are able to escape Nazi Germany.

JFS Adoption parents

1950s

JFS establishes its Adoption program and places its first baby in a loving home.

On the other end of the aging spectrum, JFS recognizes that the elderly population is increasing, and introduces services like HomeCare to serve them.

1960s

With a new name and a revised charter, LHBA becomes Jewish Family Services. It expands Family Counseling, allows men to join the Board of Directors, and hires its first professional social worker.

The JFS Rap Center for troubled youth

1970s

JFS opens the Rap Center in the Fan District to serve troubled and runaway youth. The Rap Center later becomes the Daily Planet, now an independent agency serving Richmond’s homeless population.

Russian immigrants sponsored by JFS

1980s

JFS helps to resettle a new wave of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union.

Today

Today’s JFS provides the highest quality, comprehensive services to children, teens, adults, couples, and the elderly.

Programs include Adoption, Counseling, Elderly Care Management, Personal Care, Guardianships, and Volunteers.

Board of Directors

Officers

dr. mandel

Dr. Michael Mandel

President • JFS Board

Bon Secours

Sara Griebel, JFS Jewish Family Services, Richmond Virginia

Sara Griebel

Vice President • JFS Board

Capitol One

Martin Miller, JFS Jewish Family Services, Richmond Virginia

Martin Miller

Treasurer • JFS Board

RBC Wealth Management

cindy

Cindy Boswell

Secretary • JFS Board

Retired, Altria

eric

Eric Shoenfeld

Immediate Past President • JFS Board

Prime Capital Investment Advisors

Board Members


Rabbi Dovid Asher, Congregation Keneseth Beth Israel

Tiffany Ford JD, Virginia Department of Health

Dr. David Galpern, Inter-Trauma Consulting

Ken Golden, Golden McNair Group

Dan Jackson, Williams Mullen, Retired

Ryan Mitchell, Garden Grove Brewing & Urban Winery

John Myers, Thalhimer Inc.

Ashley Noell RN, AT Home Care & Hospice

Rachel Safren, Board Member

Rosemary Seltzer, Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services

Chris Way JD, Way Law PLLC

Cheri Yochelson, Dominion Energy

Trustees


Scott Belleman, Capital Cities Investments

Richard Birnbaum, RSB Group

Mike Eisenman, Norwick Corporation

Benita Felmus, Community Volunteer

Neil Kessler, Troutman Pepper

Jerry Samford, Troutman Pepper

Staff

Directors & Supervisors

Wendy Kreuter, JFS Richmond CEO

Wendy Kreuter

Chief Executive Officer

Photo Coming Soon

Teresa Baldwin, SHRM-CP

Chief Operating Officer

Photo Coming Soon

L. William Shirey, CPA, CGMA

Chief Financial Officer

Becki Mann Director of Philanthropy Jewish Family Services JFS Richmond Virginia VA

Becki Mann

Chief Impact Officer

Andrea Wharam Director of Home Care JFS Richmond Virginia VA Jewish Family Services

Andrea Wharam

Chief Program Officer

Sydney Fleischer, JFS Jewish Family Services Richmond Virginia

Sydney Fleischer, Ph.D., LCSW

Director of Clinical Services

frank fox

Franklin Fox, MSW

Care Services Director

Teresa Birchett, JFS Adoption Supervisor Jewish Family Services Richmond Virginia

Teresa Birchett, LCSW Clinician

Adoption Supervisor

Care


Penny Amos, RN, Nursing Supervisor and PCA School Instructor
(804) 929-5483
pamos@jfsrichmond.org

Andrea Banks, JM, Public Guardianship Director
(804) 282-5644 ext. 245
abanks@jfsrichmond.org

Melissa Clay, Care Services Administrative Assistant
(804) 282-5644
mclay@jfsrichmond.org

Dana Conrad, Home Care Services Supervisor
(804) 282-5402
dconrad@jfsrichmond.org

Kyle Davidson, Financial Programs Manager
(804) 282-5644, ext. 259
kdavidson@jfsrichmond.org

Franklin Fox, MSW, Care Services Director
(804) 282-5644, ext. 254
ffox@jfsrichmond.org

Ebony Johnson, BSBA, Home Care Services Supervisor
(804) 282-5644 ext. 230
ejohnson@jfsrichmond.org

Belinda Hensley, RN, BSN, Director of Nursing
(804) 282-5402
bhensley@jfsrichmond.org

Maria Mast, Care Manager
(804) 282-5644 ext. 271
mmast@jfsrichmond.org

Emily Stickford, Care Manager
(804) 282-5644, ext. 267
estickford@jfsrichmond.org

Monika Trevillian, Financial Program Specialist
(804) 282-5644, ext. 225
mtrevillian@jfsrichmond.org

Jeanne Tyson, BS, CMC, Senior Care Manager
(804) 282-5644, ext. 269
jtyson@jfsrichmond.org

Andrea Wharam, Chief Program Officer
(804) 282-5644, ext. 262
awharam@jfsrichmond.org

Counseling


Lisa Colegrove Asiamah, LCSW, LICSW Clinician
(804) 282-5644, ext. 224
lcolegrove@jfsrichmond.org

Tammy Cottman, Counseling Office Manager
(804) 282-5644, ext. 239
tcottman@jfsrichmond.org

Kristen Emerson, LCSW, Clinician
(804) 282-5644, ext 234
kemerson@jfsrichmond.org

Olivia Faries, LCSW, Clinician
(804) 282-5644, ext. 234
ofaries@jfsrichmond.org

Sydney Fleischer, Ph.D., LCSW, Director of Clinical Services
(804) 282-5644, ext. 235
sfleischer@jfsrichmond.org

Sonya "Sonni" Gittelman, LCSW, Clinician
(804) 282-5644, ext. 279
sgittelman@jfsrichmond.org

Ben Katz, LCSW, Supervisor of Clinical Services
(804) 282-5644, ext. 234
bkatz@jfsrichmond.org

Philip Koehncke, BSQMHPA, Clinician
pkoehncke@jfsrichmond.org

Phyllis McCafferty, LCSW, Senior Clinician
(804) 282-5644, ext. 253
pmccafferty@jfsrichmond.org

Rose Miola, LCSW, MSW, MTS, Clinician
(804) 282-5644, ext. 274
rmiola@jfsrichmond.org

Jennifer M. Morgan, PsyD, Clinical Psychologist
(804) 282-5644 ext. 234
jfscounselingandneuro@jfsrichmond.org

Lynn Mosby, LCSW, Clinician
(804) 282-5644, ext. 234
pmccafferty@jfsrichmond.org

Chris Nufer, LPC, Clinician
(804) 282-5644 ext. 291
cnufer@jfsrichmond.org

Joy O'Grady, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
(804) 282-5644 ext. 234
jfscounselingandneuro@jfsrichmond.org

Alex Whitehead, Counseling Office Administrator
(804) 282-5644 ext. 234
jfscounselingandneuro@jfsrichmond.org

Adoption and Connecting Hearts


Teresa Birchett, MSW, LCSW, Adoption Supervisor
(804) 282-5644, ext. 223
tbirchett@jfsrichmond.org

Jackie Cowan, JFS Connecting Hearts Family Alliance Coordinator
jcowan@jfsrichmond.org

 

Mariah Montague, BSPsy, Adoption Case Worker
(804) 282-5644 ext. 255
mmontague@jfsrichmond.org

Denise Wise-David, Connecting Hearts Program Manager
(804) 282-5644, ext. 280
dwise-david@jfsrichmond.org

Administration


Robin Abbott, Chief Administrative Officer
(804) 282-5644, ext. 261
rabbott@jfsrichmond.org

Teresa Baldwin, SHRM-CP, Chief Operating Officer
(804) 282-5644, ext. 265
tbaldwin@jfsrichmond.org

Gianetta Borgio, Administrative Assistant
(804) 282-5644, ext. 222
gborgio@jfsrichmond.org

Cindy Brooks, Program Services Coordinator
(804) 349-0790
cbrooks@jfsrichmond.org

Christine Demaioribus, Finance Administrator
(804) 282-5644, ext 270
cdemaioribus@jfsrichmond.org

Thom Dreher, Accountant
(804) 282-5644, ext. 240
tdreher@jfsrichmond.org

Sydney Fleischer, Ph.D., LCSW, Director of Clinical Services
(804) 282-5644, ext. 235
sfleischer@jfsrichmond.org

 

Montrece Hill, Development & Social Media Assistant
(804) 282-5644, ext. 256
mhill@jfsrichmond.org

Wendy Kreuter, Chief Executive Officer
(804) 282-5644, ext. 236
wkreuter@jfsrichmond.org

Becki Mann, Chief Impact Officer
(804) 282-5644, ext. 277
bmann@jfsrichmond.org

L. William Shirey, CPA, CGMA, Chief Financial Officer
(804) 282-5644, ext. 238
bshirey@jfsrichmond.org

Andrea Wharam, Chief Program Officer
(804) 282-5644, ext. 262
awharam@jfsrichmond.org

Denise Wise-David, Connecting Hearts Program Manager
(804) 282-5644, ext. 280
dwise-david@jfsrichmond.org