Amy Jewell has been named the new Chief Executive Officer of the Jack & Jill Center in Fort Lauderdale. With over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and diverse business, Jewell brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role and is deeply committed to serving the community and building strong, lasting organizations.
“I’m incredibly honored to join the Jack & Jill Center team and contribute to its mission of empowering children and families,” Jewell says. “The Center’s commitment to early childhood education and community support aligns with my values and experience. I look forward to working with the dedicated staff, board and volunteers to build upon the already inspiring legacy and continue to expand its impact into the future.”
For nearly 80 years, the Jack & Jill Center has been committed to empowering children and families. Through innovative education, supportive programs, and community engagement, it strives to support children from high-need working families through early childhood education, elementary education, and family-strengthening programs. In that time, the Jack & Jill Center has positively impacted over 26,000 children and families in South Florida.
Before joining the Jack & Jill Center, Amy Jewell served as the senior vice president of operations for the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. In that role, she oversaw 11 facilities and a team of nine members, leading efforts to increase membership, program enrollment, and community partnerships and developing a capital investment strategy. Prior to this, she was the CEO of Ashore Consulting, LLC, where she facilitated public-private partnerships and addressed community needs. Her past leadership positions include roles at the City of Mount Dora, Central Florida YMCA, the Jewish Community Center in Overland Park, KS, the Joplin Family YMCA, and Cho-Col-Ate Creations.
In her CEO role, Jewell will oversee the organization’s leadership, management, and strategic direction, ensuring that the organization fulfills its mission while maintaining efficient and effective operations. She will also be in charge of executing the Center’s programs within the annual budget and in accordance with the policies set by the board of directors. Her duties will include providing strategic direction, supporting board governance and committee activities, developing and implementing operational and fundraising strategies, mentoring the management team, engaging with the community and events related to early childhood and elementary education, advocating for early childhood and elementary education, and establishing a sustainable economic model.
“We are confident that Amy’s proven leadership skills, collaborative approach and overall vision will propel Jack & Jill Center to new levels,” Board President of Jack & Jill Center Scott MacLaren says. “Her experience in the nonprofit sector, coupled with her passion for the well-being of others, makes her the ideal candidate to guide the Center into its next chapter.”
In 2021, the Madelaine Halmos Academy, an expansion of the Jack & Jill Center’s Early Education Center, revealed its new state-of-the-art elementary school building at its campus located at 1315 West Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. This significant project is designed to serve students from high-need working families in kindergarten through fifth grade and aims to prepare them for successful careers and life. The academy has gained recognition as one of the highest-performing schools in Broward County. The new building has enabled the Madelaine Halmos Academy to greatly expand its offerings, providing a private school that incorporates research-based best practices and offers a safe, academically sound, and socially supportive environment for students. Additionally, NAEYC-Accredited Early Education, serving children from six weeks through VPK-4, is available on campus.
