TOP appoints new executive director

TOP Jewish Foundation has announced that Ellen Weiss was selected to fulfill the role of executive director effective May 2.

The leadership transition is relatively seamless as Weiss has been on the TOP staff since the beginning of 2016 and, most recently, served as the Foundation's associate executive director working alongside Emilie Socash, TOP's former executive director.

"Ellen is assuming the role of executive director at a critical point in our growth. We are confident in her ability to tap on her experience and talent to propel us to the next stage in our organization's evolution," remarked Jeffrey Herman, TOP's president of the Board.

"I'm thrilled to step into the executive director position at such an exciting time and am honored to work closely with donors and organizations that care so deeply about the future of our Jewish community," noted Weiss. Her primary focus will be stewarding existing donors, continuing to build the legacy program and expanding the organization geographically to provide the services of a Jewish Foundation in communities where one doesn't exist.

Weiss has had significant success at TOP in forging new relationships, notably expanding TOP's territory to include the Naples Jewish community. Weiss brings 20 years of leadership experience in nonprofit management and corporate marketing. Before joining TOP, she spearheaded the countrywide expansion of the Children's Heart Foundation, creating the only national nonprofit that exclusively funds congenital heart defect research. She is an executive committee member, as well as a past president, of Temple Ahavat Shalom. She holds an MBA from New York University and a BA from Brandeis University.

Weiss follows Socash, whose six-year leadership propelled the Foundation from $35m assets under management to close to $50m. Socash brought the Life & Legacy program to TOP, which secured close to 500 legacy gifts with an estimated future value of $15m. Now, Socash will focus on her role as the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Pinellas and Pasco Counties.

With a portfolio of over 600 donor-advised, endowment and institutional funds, TOP Jewish Foundation serves hundreds of individuals, families and organizations. TOP was founded with the original intention of serving the Jewish community in central Florida. More recently, the Foundation recognized the need for its unique services well beyond the three-community region and now works closely with donors and organizations throughout Florida and a handful of other states. TOP's unique anti-terror and pro-Israel investment policy as well as its focus on providing white-glove philanthropic consulting service resonates with donors who collectively aim to ensure the financial strength of our Jewish communities.

For more information on TOP Jewish Foundation, please visit http://www.topjewishfoundation.org or call 813-961-9090.