At the JCC, Mark oversees Fitness, Sports and Recreation, Aquatics, and Tennis. They are in the midst of a capital project that has recently opened tennis courts and a new pool and will soon bring a new building that will include all fitness offerings, community areas, a café, and more. As they prepare, it is Mark’s goal to work with each of the department directors to create amazing programs to bring the community to these new spaces. Day-to-day, Mark works collaboratively with various teams to ensure that they are all able to offer the best services to the community.

Mark shares how his degree from HUC helped him reach this point: “My Zschool degree provided me with the foundational skills to grow as a Jewish professional. It gave me the confidence to challenge the status quo and lean into my beliefs and share them. I learned hands-on leadership skills, gained a better understanding of the Jewish landscape and make-up of Jewish institutions, and worked collaboratively with exceptional colleagues who helped to fuel my fire. It provided me with the specific skills to excel in the Jewish nonprofit world and each class was applicable to the work I do every day. The leadership team and professors were role models and experts in the field. All of them had or are having success in Jewish nonprofit work. I felt very fortunate to be able to learn with and from them.”

He adds: “The way the classes are structured and the professors that the Zschool brings in are very applicable to what you do on a daily basis and what you will be doing down the road in your profession. For me, it really laid the foundation. The MSOLI program looked at the Jewish nonprofit world from many different angles – boards, financials, leadership, and more. It tied it all together in a unique way. It gave me the confidence to want to grow and positioned me to grow in the field.”

Pictured: Mark (center) with Merage JCC of Orange County Staff; Mark with a group at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh