Federation welcomes new Director of Gift Planning and EITC

Last month, Julia Umansky joined the Jewish Federation staff team as the new Director of Gift Planning and EITC for the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation. Umansky served most recently in the non-profit world of animal welfare and adoption. In addition to creating and running exciting volunteer programs, she has experience in fundraising and grant-writing. Her skill set includes: team leadership, relationship building, volunteer management, customer service, project development and implementation, public speaking and presentations. Umansky will be responsible for working with the Endowment and Investment Committees and for administering and enhancing the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. She will also be included as part of the annual community campaign team.

Umansky earned a B.A. in Biology from Boston University with a focus on animal behavior and vertebrate zoology. Originally from Cleveland, she comes from a family deeply involved in their local Jewish community — her grandmother was the president of her sisterhood and her grandfather was the president of their temple. It feels natural, therefore, for her to become involved in the Lehigh Valley community now that she and her husband, Jonathan Markson, have moved from Brooklyn to his hometown of Allentown. They are big animal lovers, having a dog and three cats of their own, and are happy to be putting down roots in the Valley. Umansky is also an artist, working with acrylic and resin work, and is interested in Jewish mysticism. 

Umansky is looking forward to sharing her experience and developing endowment opportunities within the Lehigh Valley Jewish Foundation.

“I am so excited to be here,” shared Umansky. “Coming from such a large and well known Jewish community, I am very excited to have a way to fold myself into the Jewish community here and to start to build relationships.”