Keshet's heart and soul

Jennifer Phillips is an experienced special educator who has dedicated her career to building inclusive communities. Jennifer began at Keshet in 1994 as a one-to-one summer camp counselor, which inspired her to become a special education teacher. Since then, she has risen from being a teacher in Keshet’s High School to the Director of Recreation and then as the organization’s first Chief Program Officer. Her leadership in program development and community partnership building has been an unparalleled success for the organization. Jennifer has established Keshet as a national leader in inclusion, particularly inclusive summer camps, and is regularly called upon to speak at conferences and trainings. Jennifer received a B.S. in Elementary Education and Special Education from National Louis University.

Michelle joined Keshet as its Chief Financial Officer in 2012 after working in the public accounting sector for eight years. Prior to joining Keshet, Michelle served as Keshet’s external auditor for four years. At Keshet, Michelle spends her time planning for Keshet’s financial sustainability and ensures that the organization is fiscally secure. Michelle is a Certified Public Account and holds both a Bachelor and Master in Accounting Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Jamie’s commitment to creating inclusive communities began from her experiences as a higher education administrator and summer camp professional for over 20 years, including as a director at Camp Chi. From there, she found her way into the world of marketing, communications and non-profit management. Now she oversees development and fundraising at Keshet, where she feels inspired every day. Jamie has an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration and J.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Lauren Berndt is a graduate of Ithaca College with a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation. She began her career in recreation working with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. After several years in the field, she was introduced to fundraising and has been in philanthropy ever since. Prior to joining Keshet, Lauren was the Director of Major Gifts at Per Scholas, a workforce development program which advances economic equity through rigorous training for tech careers. She believes that philanthropy has become an important way for people to express their identity and feels privileged to have the opportunity to match donors with meaningful investments.

Robin Anderson is an experienced non-profit leader who is deeply committed to strengthening the future of the Jewish community. Prior to Keshet, she was a full time Jewish camp professional at Camp Young Judaea Midwest for nearly 20 years, most recently as Executive Director, where she focused on building relationships to create a safe and inclusive community. Robin graduated from Indiana University and received a master’s at Brandeis University’s Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program.

Lisa has dedicated her 30+ year career to working with and advocating for people with disabilities. She began her time at Keshet as the Director of Adult Day Services and has since transitioned into a new position as Keshet’s first Director of Quality Assurance. In this role, Lisa ensures that programs are compliant with accreditations/licensures, the organization’s operations meet quality, integrity, and efficiency standards and she develops systems to sustain optimal delivery of services. Lisa holds a Masters in Social Work and was recently accepted into the Illinois CQI Mentorship Program.

Robert comes to Keshet after six years as the principal of The Winston Knolls School.  He has a deep understanding of non-profit therapeutic day schools and a history of building relationships with students, families, staff and community partners. He is a skillful special educator and behavior intervention specialist with 19 years of experience at therapeutic day schools. Robert holds a dual master’s degree in special education and educational leadership from Northeastern Illinois University. We look forward to seeing how his collaborative approach to education elevates the instruction and the culture of Keshet’s schools from kindergarten through transition.

Joelle was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. From a young age, she was passionate about giving back and making a difference in the world. Her career has been spent working in the Jewish community starting at the JCC in Northern Virginia where she was the School Age Services Director. Most recently, Joelle spent six years at Camp Chi as the Associate Director. In this role, she worked alongside Keshet to develop Camp Chi’s approach to camper care. Joelle holds a Master of Social Work from Columbia University and Master of Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.

Traci has dedicated her career to supporting individuals in the community while focusing on their abilities and helping to support their independence. She has worked in nonprofits for many years, including, most recently, at Clearbrook as the Coordinator of Community Employment Services. Prior to that, Traci managed Anixter Center’s ACT program and spent years working at Christopher House and the Leyden Family Services and Mental Health Center. Traci resides in Buffalo Grove with her husband Dave, teenage son Max, and her two lovable rescue dogs Toby and Murphy. Traci is looking forward to helping our adults live meaningful lives.

Lauren returned to Keshet in 2019 as a house manager in Keshet’s MY Life Residential Program. Since then, MY Life has developed into a close, connected community. Lauren has over 15 years of experience working with individuals with disabilities and their families. She holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in special education, and prides herself on being a values-based, forward thinking leader. Lauren is dedicated to sustaining and growing Keshet’s MY Life Residential program for adults to live meaningful days and extraordinary lives with just the right amount of support.