Shane Rock joined the JCA team as Chief Executive Officer in January of 2021. He succeeded CEO-emeritus David Gamse, who retired after three decades.
Shane brings to JCA many years of experience at social service non-profit organizations. He most recently was the CEO of Interfaith Works in Rockville. He previously led non-profits in Seattle, WA., including that area’s largest food bank, and directed refugee and immigrant services for Jewish Family Services of Seattle.
Rock lives in Gaithersburg with his wife, Karen Rothschild, a fifth-generation Washingtonian and public health attorney with a passion for human rights.
Tim Larkin joined JCA on July 1, 2021, and has worked in the accounting, financial planning, and administrative departments for various companies and industries for the past 37 years. He has been living in the Washington DC metropolitan area since 1987 and, for the past three years, has been associated with non-profit agencies in Montgomery County, Maryland. Tim received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of South Carolina and has earned a Certified Public Accountants (CPA) license, which is currently inactive.
Lisa Winjum comes to JCA from the National Network to End Domestic Violence where she held the position of Director of Development and Communications. She was the Executive Director of NAMI Connecticut and a Vice President at Joyful Heart Foundation and Planned Parenthood in Hawthorne, NY. She has two decades of experience serving on the leadership teams at regional, statewide, and national nonprofit organizations and has a depth of fundraising, strategic communications, team leadership, and board relations experience. Lisa earned her JD, manga cum laude from Quinnipiac University School of Law, Hamden, CT where she was associate editor of the Law Review and received the National Association of Women Lawyers Award for the Outstanding Woman Law Graduate.
Gerard has worked as a consultant for the majority of his career, first as a mechanical engineer and later as a management consultant for both small and large companies in the private sector, focusing on intrapreneurship, innovation, and improving customer relationships. He found his passion, however, to be in mission-driven work. Prior to joining JCA, he was Director of the Vocational Services Program at Interfaith Works, a program for which he was dedicated volunteer for 7 years. Gerard has a degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA from the University of Maryland, College Park. He and his wife are avid soccer fans, and live in Silver Spring with their dog, Doug.
Dana Hirsch, Senor Director of the Heyman Interages Center, has been with JCA since 2008. During her time at JCA, Dana has managed SeniorTech, Mobility Management for Gainful Employment, Better Living through Medication Management, the Escorted Transportation Program, and the Senior Helpline. Dana has an MSW and a Master’s Degree in Jewish Communal Service. She is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® and a Certified Community Resource Specialist for Aging/Disability.
Rafael Espinoza, Director of SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), has been working in Health Care administration for more than 30 years. Rafael came to JCA in 2017 from an agency that secured Medicaid coverage for self-paid hospital patients. He saw how everyone benefitted from this service – patients were able to get the care they needed, and hospitals got paid for the services they provided. With this background in government-funded healthcare programs, Rafael was able to easily navigate the complexities of Medicare. Now, as SHIP’s director, Rafael presents workshops on the ins and outs of the various Medicare options and oversees a team of volunteers who work one-on-one with those seeking to choose the coverage that is best for them.
Moti Galil, Director of JCA’s Transportation Center, and JCA’s longest serving employee, has been at JCA since September of 1981. “JCA was created as a way to provide transportation,” he remembers. Moti had been working in a warehouse when he saw an open position at JCA. He began his career at JCA as a driver and, over time, stepped up to make the transportation process smoother and more efficient. Now he oversees the department, keeps the drivers happy, and makes sure the buses are operating properly.
Colleen Kemp is the director of the Samuel Gorlitz Kensington Clubs (KC). In March 2024, Colleen will celebrate 12 years with JCA. Before coming to JCA, she was a recreational therapist at the Hebrew Home and an activity director at Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington, DC, where she developed a sensory stimulation program for those with end-stage dementia. Colleen’s educational background is in Recreational Therapy, and she has worked in physical therapy and occupational therapy rehab, restoring independence for her clients.
Cathy Nestoriak, Director of Senior Employment Services (SCSEP), has always been interested in the human side of the employment process. While working at EDS, she realized she could help people beyond signing them up for training. Over time, she had the opportunity to delve into all types of employment programs. For several years Cathy ran her own agency for job placement which provided moms and others a chance to work. After that, she returned to the world of workforce development by way of her position in HR as a recruiter and an HR generalist. Cathy has run classes, training sessions, taught and coached using her corporate recruiting experience. Her current position as Director of SCSEP provides on-the-job training for low-income seniors. SCSEP participants gain important skills and build their resumes while working for nonprofits and government agencies.
Jodie Rasch, Manager of the Career Gateway and 50+ Employment Expos, began her career in employment law. After eight years working with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and some time as a full-time mom, Jodie was looking to re-enter the workforce. An item on a listserv led her to JCA’s Career Gateway. Little did she know that this would be a life-altering decision! The Career Gateway gave Jodie the confidence she needed to pursue her next career move. It just so happened that around the time that she was completing the program, the director was retiring, and the Career Gateway had an opening for new leadership. Jodie was a perfect fit and became the director of the program three weeks after graduating. She has seen other graduates go on to secure good jobs, with several being hired at JCA like she was.
