Jewish Family Service of Utah has a new executive director.
Melissa Zimmerman will begin her work on March 25, assuming the post five months after Ellen Silver, who served as the nonprofit’s executive director for a decade and a half, retired last autumn.
“This means the world to me,” Zimmerman said. “It’s a dream job. I just feel very honored.”
The nonprofit’s board of directors conducted a national search and found the “right person,” said
Darcy Amiel, search committee chair and past board president, offered in a statement.
“We believe Melissa’s unique combination of skills and shared values will not only elevate JFS, but will also inspire our wonderful staff, the board, donors and community partners,” she said.
Jewish Family Service Board President David Dowsett also issued a statement about Zimmerman.
“She is a compassionate advocate for underserved communities, while also being a strategic, data-driven visionary and leader, who is ideally suited to be the face of our organization,” he said.
Zimmerman feels her experiences working in the nonprofit sector for the past 15 years has prepared her for her new job.
“I have worked in diverse settings with diverse populations, where I was able to hone my leadership skills,” she said.
Zimerman most recently served as the chief behavioral health officer for Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Southern Arizona in Tucson.
“I’ve spent the last five-and-a-half years working for a similar Jewish family service agency, and I think one of the things I loved about it most were the values that underlie the agency and mission,” she said. “So, it was really important for me to work for an organization with similar values.”
Zimmerman cites her parents for instilling her drive for “tikkun olam,” which means “repairing the world” in Hebrew.
“I was raised that it wasn’t something you did for fun,” she said. “It’s an obligation to help other people, and we’re all responsible. So, that set me on this path to make things better, and without that, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Those values led her to Jewish Family Service, which recently celebrated 150 years of nondenominational humanitarian work in Salt Lake City and Park City.
“I think it’s rare to find an organization that has been around for so long that lives up to its values while adjusting and adapting,” she said. “And this feels like a natural next step for me, and one that I’m extremely grateful for.”
Zimmerman’s interest in working in the nonprofit sector stems from being president of the service-oriented Key Club while a senior in high school.
She went on to graduate with a bachelor’s of arts degree in psychology from the University of Arizona in Tucson.
“I knew I wanted to do something in the mental health field, and I realized also that I could fit the need of wanting to work with vulnerable populations and do my part in repairing the world,” she said. “That’s where I jumped in to work in the behavioral health nonprofit world.”
Zimmerman’s first assignments were in direct care, working with children and adolescents with severe behavioral-health issues.
“I would come home almost daily from work with some sort of bruise or bite mark, and my husband David, whom I was dating at the time, would ask, ‘Are you sure this is what you went to school for and what you want to do?’ on a frequent basis,” she said. “I kept saying yes because I felt like this was an area I was effective in. I felt like I could make a difference and impact.”
Zimmerman, who also holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver, found her love of working with humanitarian nonprofits opened up different opportunities.
“I was able to move from direct-care to supervising different teams,” she said. “I supervised a therapeutic day program and an intensive in-home program.”
Zimmerman also led a few residential centers as well as outpatient services.
“That allowed me to oversee the clinical department with the last agency I was at, which led me to where I am today,” she said.
One of the things that Zimmerman likes about Jewish Family Service is that the programs serve the entire community.
“They care for all Utahns, and I love that,” she said. “I also love that the focus of the services is on accessibility and reducing barriers of access to care. That’s something that is important to me.”
Zimmerman also likes the nonprofit’s diverse programming.
“They go from a food pantry to clinical counseling to programs for older adults and caregivers and emergency financial assistance,” she said. “The list goes on, because we’re not just tackling one need. I still have a lot to learn, but the more I read about each of the programs, the more excited I get.”
Zimmerman, who arrived in Utah a few days ago, awaits the arrival of her husband David and their two rescue pitbulls — Rupert and Ollie.
“Our furry kids’ exact ages are, I would guess, between 7 and 9,” she said. “They are our kids, and they have unique needs. And so far, Park City and Salt Lake City seem like very dog-friendly places. So, I’m very excited about that.”