DECEMBER 28, 2017 – When Harvey Lowell steps down after 21 years as president and CEO of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston, he will pass the baton to Kimberlee Schumacher, who brings strong vision and 20 years of executive experience, including as vice president of strategy and development of the organization.

“The fact that Kimberlee has been leading our strategic planning process for the last 18 months, and helping us create a vision for our future, will ensure a smooth transition into her new role,” David Franklin, chairman of the board of trustees, said in a Dec. 12 statement announcing Schumacher’s appointment.

Schumacher, a Swampscott native who now lives in Arlington, will bring a blend of innovation and respect for past practices to her new position. “I am incredibly honored and humbled to be in the position of implementing the new strategic plan,” she said.

One aspect of Lowell’s legacy Schumacher plans to maintain is a deep commitment to the mission of JBBBS: reaching out to the most vulnerable children and adults in the community.
She was selected following a national search conducted by Commongood Careers, a leading executive search firm specializing in nonprofits.

Founded in 1919 as the Jewish Big Brother Association, the JBBBS is New England’s oldest youth mentoring organization. Today, with financial support from Combined Jewish Philanthropies, The United Way, and other foundations and grants, the Newton-based organization matches over 250 Jewish and non-Jewish children from over 90 towns in eastern Massachusetts with adult mentors.

In 1992, JBBBS inaugurated Friend 2 Friend, the first program of its kind to pair adults with mild to moderate disabilities with a mentor. The program currently serves 175 adults who benefit from the social interactions it provides.

One of the biggest challenges the organization faces is finding and keeping volunteers. “We are always looking for new volunteers,” Schumacher said, noting the current waiting list of around 80 kids and adults with disabilities. “I’d like to encourage anyone who is interested to consider volunteering. It’s truly an incredible experience and our community needs you.”

Schumacher credits her parents for instilling such a strong love of Judaism. “They taught me the value of committing to and being part of the Jewish community,” she said. Growing up, she belonged to Temple Emanu-El in Marblehead and Congregation Shirat Hayam in Swampscott.

As a teenager, her involvement in the Temple Emanu-El SMARTY youth group provided a platform to develop leadership skills at a young age. She became its president while a Swampscott High School junior and worked as a SMARTY adviser while an undergraduate at Brandeis University.

Schumacher believes her experiences as a teen leader fueled her passion to continue working in the community at CJP, the Jewish Federation of the North Shore, and now at JBBBS. “I am extremely grateful for the mentoring relationships I formed in high school. The wonderful people I worked with then remain my mentors today,” she said.

She is also grateful to be at the helm of JBBBS. “I believe strongly in giving back to the community, and working in the nonprofit world allows me to live my life according to the values I was raised with,” she said.