Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund Appoints Joy Sisisky As Interim CEO

San Francisco, CA – The Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund (the Federation) has unanimously approved the appointment of Joy Sisisky as Interim CEO, effective December 15. This follows Danny Grossman’s announcement to step down at the end of December. Joy will guide the organization while its lay leadership conducts the search for a permanent CEO.

Joy has served as the Federation’s Chief Philanthropy Officer since 2016, stewarding a total of more than $1 billion in philanthropic capital from the Jewish community to causes that are a force for change in the Bay Area, nationally, and globally.

“In her nearly six years as our Chief Philanthropy Officer, Joy has earned the respect and trust of the staff, the lay leadership, and the broader community,” said Arthur Slepian, Board Chair. “She has married strong management skills with a commitment to innovation and creativity that has enabled our philanthropy work to flourish and grow under her leadership. All of this makes her an ideal candidate for this Interim CEO position.”

Some of the Federation’s notable philanthropic achievements under Joy’s vision and leadership include:

• oversight of the Federation’s fundraising, donor-advised giving, gift planning, and collaborative giving efforts, including $200 million granted annually through donor-advised giving;
• $119 million raised through annual, designated, and emergency campaigns;
• the launch of Federation Philanthropy Partners, the Federation's philanthropy advisory practice;
• the launch and expansion of the community impact lending program;
• successful integration of the Jewish Community Foundation of the East Bay, including $136 million in assets;
• continued success with the Centennial Campaign, totaling $215 million to date;
• establishment of giving circles, such as the Jewish Pride Fund, as a part of the Federation’s philanthropic offerings, the first of any Federation to do so; and
• collaboration with seven other Jewish women to envision, design, and deliver We Commit, the first-ever Bay Area Jewish community-wide convening to address the needs arising out of the #MeToo movement, resulting in a four-day workshop series on creating safe, equitable, and respectful workplaces that was attended by hundreds of Jewish community members.

“I'm grateful for the vote of confidence from our Board and from leadership,” said Joy Sisisky. “I'm both excited and humbled by the opportunity to lead during this time of transition, both within the Federation and in the world. I'm dedicated to a diverse, dynamic Bay Area Jewish community that’s deeply engaged in Jewish life and doing good locally and globally, and I’m committed to making sure that the great work that we do for the community continues to grow and flourish."

Since announcing Danny Grossman’s plan to step down as CEO at the end of 2021, Board Chair Arthur Slepian appointed Michael Jacobs and Susie Sorkin to co-lead a CEO Search Committee. This Committee is comprised of ten members who know the organization well, and who represent the diversity of the Bay Area Jewish community, bring a variety of perspectives and experiences, and are deeply engaged in Bay Area Jewish communal life. The CEO Search Committee has selected Isaacson, Miller, a nationally recognized search firm, and is working with them to lead the search for the Federation’s next CEO.

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The Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund mobilizes innovation, collaboration, and investment to shape diverse and dynamic Bay Area Jewish communities where people find a meaningful connection to Judaism and each other; and where we work together to better lives and communities locally, in Israel, and around the world. Learn more at jewishfed.org.