Jennifer Phillips has been named Chief Program Officer of Keshet.

Jen most recently served as the Director of Recreation at Keshet, and will now be the first person to hold the position of Chief Program Officer in the organization’s 36-year history. In this role, she will oversee operations for Keshet’s core service areas, including education, recreation, vocational and residential programs.

Jen began her career with Keshet in 1994 as a one-on-one summer camp counselor. This experience motivated her to become a special education teacher and she spent seven years teaching in the Deerfield Public Schools. In 2005, she returned to Keshet as a high school teacher, a position she held for 11 years.

As the Director of Recreation, Jen was responsible for 340% growth in enrollment in Keshet’s camp and recreation programs over the past four years. Under her leadership, Keshet added a host of programs to its already robust recreation offerings, including parents’ night out, after-school activities and buddy basketball. Jen also established a partnership with Greater Midwest Region of BBYO, ensuring that the Chicago-area youth group chapters are inclusive of teens with disabilities.

Her leadership contributed to Keshet’s model of inclusive summer camps with JCC Chicago to be recognized as an industry best practice. Jen is regularly called upon by other camps and community centers for consultations and to lead trainings about inclusion.

In sharing the news with the Keshet community, Abbie Weisberg shared, “Jennifer exemplifies Keshet’s mission to do whatever is necessary to allow individuals with disabilities to achieve their potential. Whether in the classroom, at camp or on the baseball diamond, Jen believes in the power of inclusion and works tirelessly to ensure that people with disabilities have meaningful lives in our community.”

Please join us in congratulating Jen on this promotion.