Our Team
Serving our community with a smile
Meet Our People
Our professional and volunteer leaders bring a wealth of experience and expertise, reflecting the unparalleled diversity and dynamism of Eastern Connecticut’s Jewish community. They work side by side with our professional staff to address today’s most pressing problems and plan for tomorrow.
Our Leadership
2020-2021 Board of Directors
Meet Gabe
President
Gabe Stern became President of JFEC in June 2021 having served in various capacities as a JFEC board member and officer for thirty years. Gabe is employed as a Director at CMEEC, serves on the Board of the southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region (seCTer), is President of Technology for Connecticut (TECHCONN) and is an officer for Thames Yacht Club. Gabe and his wife Kathleen are members of Congregation Beth El and Beth Jacob synagogues and reside in Gales Ferry.
Executive Committee
Scott F. Wolfe
Dan Bendor
Helen Elperina
Rosa Goldblatt
Barbara Sahagan
Directors at Large
Term Ending June 2023
Carol Curland
Jo-el Fernandez
Evert Gawendo
Allison Glickman
Judith Glickstein
Elyse Landesberg
Erica McCaffrey
Sarah Rogovin
Cindy Weiner
Term Ending June 2022
Steven Daren
Roslyn Etra
Ron Leeser
Caren Linden
Martin Rutchik
Sema Stein
Term Ending June 2021
Leonard Cohen
Ellen DeLeon
Maier Fein
Les Kershnar
Helen Sapozhnikov
Jerome Schwell
Our Staff
Meet Carin
Executive Director
A native of New York City, Carin Savel is the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut. Selected from a national pool of professionals, she began her service in May 2019.
Carin came to New London from Raleigh, NC, where she served as the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary, leading all fundraising and programs for the Federation, JCC, Jewish Family Services, Jewish Community Relations Council and David R. Kahn Jewish Campus. She is the former Senior Vice President of Resource Development & Strategic Communications for the United Way of Pioneer Valley, in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she led a $4 million annual campaign.
For twelve years, Carin was president and senior managing partner of CSpotRun, LLC, a national political consulting firm, where she oversaw fundraising and election strategies for judicial, state, national, and presidential campaigns. A specialist in caucus communications, Carin spent eight years as chief of staff and policy advisor in the NC House of Representatives.
Carin has served on the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts Board of Trustees and chaired their JCRC. She has actively served on the boards of trustees of LIFEBeat: the Music Industry Fights AIDS, Bend the Arc, Phoenix House, Habitat For Humanity, Boys & Girls Club, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Jewish Council for Policy Affairs. Carin is a lifetime member of Hadassah and a proud Lion of Judah.
Carin graduated from Syracuse University with a BS in Drama. She is the ridiculously proud mom of Oliver, a financial services manager who lives in Florida.