This is Shalom Orlando

EVERYONE Belongs Here

Our mission is to nurture a unified Jewish community that transcends generations and neighborhoods.

Shalom Orlando is the center of Jewish Life in Central Florida. It's the combination of The Roth Family JCC and the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, creating a vibrant hub for a thriving community. Shalom Orlando brings together friends and families in a safe and supportive space for the good of our community.

More than 1,500 community members enhance their lives at Shalom Orlando’s Maitland campus each and every day! Our programs help everyone strengthen their relationship with Central Florida's Jewish community. From little ones to teens, 20 somethings to singles, empty nesters to seniors, you will all find opportunities to grow together with Shalom Orlando.

Meet Our Team…

Marni Mandell

Chief Executive Officer

Lisa Wayne

ECLC Assistant Director

Sammy Jacobs

Front Desk Staff

Brenda McGrath

Chief Financial Officer

Jodi Alter

ECLC Assistant Director

Dyan Goodman

Development and Event Coordinator

Tony Woods

Front Desk Staff

Tara Harris

Program Director

Zipporah Hruby

Family Engagement Director/PJ Library Professional

Becky Herrick

Accounts Payable and HR Coordinator

Patti Albertson

Personal Trainer

Dr. James Larsen

ECLC Director

Karen Spector

Senior Director of Therapeutic Services and Engagement

Mary Rowland

Accounts Receivable

Ellen Weiss

Executive Director of TOP Jewish Foundation

Carol Feuerman

Director of Development

Jake Silverman

Chief Security Officer

Robin Merkel

Registrar & Welcome Center Supervisor

Sebastian Acosta

Building Manager

Rachel Slavkin

Director of Inclusion/RAISE

Rebeca Baez

Senior Accountant and HR Manager

Lisa Green

Rental Coordinator and Administrator

Sabrina Lustgarten

Chief Operating Officer

Staff Directory

The State of Shalom Orlando – 2025

On September 16, 2025, three Shalom Orlando leaders welcomed the community for an informative panel discussion about the present and future of Jewish life in Central Florida. Watch the entire presentation below from Interim CEO Eric Robbins, ECLC Director Dr. James Larsen, and Board Vice-Chair David Spalter.

Learn About Our Board…

These Are Our Core Values…

Board Members

  • Stan is the Past Chair of Shalom Orlando and also serves as Senior Legal Counsil & VP of External Affairs at Visit Orlando. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a J.D. from Cooley Law School.

    Stan is passionate about strengthening the Jewish future in Central Florida, and he previously served as Treasurer of The Roth Family JCC. Stan and his wife, Stephanie, are raising their two children in the Orlando Jewish community. Ben is a Richard S. Adler ECLC graduate and Camp J attendee, and Mila is a current ECLC student. Both are avid readers of PJ Library books.

  • Julie is an LPGA and PGA certified golf instructor at the Dubsdread Learning Center. Prior to joining Dubsdread, Julie led strategic initiatives in operations, fundraising, partnerships, marketing, and program development at First Tee – Central Florida, a nonprofit youth-development organization that uses golf as a vehicle to promote life skills.

    A former NCAA D2 Champion with Rollins College and three-time Maccabiah Games gold medal–winner, Julie brings a competitive, inclusive, and mission-driven focus to every organization and student she works with. She was a member of the 2024–2025 Bornstein Leadership class of Shalom Orlando and currently lives in College Park with her husband, Jordan, son Jonah, and fur-daughter Luna.

  • Dylan is the Chief Revenue Officer for the Orlando Solar Bears. He resides in Winter Springs with his wife, Stephanie, and their daughters Morgan and Sydney.

  • David is currently the Chair of the Board for Shalom Orlando. Prior to joining the Board in 2024, David served as the Chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Orlando. He previously served on the Boards of the Orlando Chapter of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and the Wekiva Wilderness Trust.

    Professionally, David is a Board Certified attorney who has practiced in the field of labor and employment law since 1992. He is currently the Litigation Partner at Jill S. Schwartz & Associates, P.A., in Winter Park, where he has worked since 2006. David and his wife, Pamela, have resided in Central Florida since 2006. Their children, Ariana and Joshua, attended Gotlib Jewish Academy and graduated in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

  • Mike is a trial lawyer and partner with BakerHostetler with an emphasis on real-estate and intellectual-property law. He has served as lead counsel in more than 60 trials and arbitrations including landmark cases in the aerospace and defense industries.

    Mike is a graduate, with honors, of the University of Florida Levin College of Law and is a member of the Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, and the American Board of Trial Advocates, Central Florida Chapter.

  • Barbara was born and raised in New York City during the Great Depression and World War II. A strong believer in the importance of education to help advance civilization, she dedicated herself to being an educator. Barbara holds a master’s degree in education from Cornell University, and she retired in 2000 after being a classroom teacher for 25 years at Eastbrook Elementary School in Winter Park.

    Barbara has been a job coach for RAISE since its inception and, after having been active on the Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, she has served on the Shalom Orlando Board of Directors since it was formed. She also is a member of the Jewish Community Relations Council. Through the Orange County Library, Barbara administers a book club and enjoys a weekly Mah Jongg game with friends.

  • The most recent recipient of Shalom Orlando's Legacy of Leadership award, Dick is one of the Central Florida Jewish community's most significant leaders and philanthropists. After a successful career with Tupperware, he formed the Dick Appelbaum Company, a promotional products and incentive campaign company which he grew and ran with his wife, Dottie, for more than 30 years.

    Dick is a former Board President of both The Roth Family Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando. He chaired the committee that oversaw the merger of the two organizations to become Shalom Orlando, and he has served on the Shalom Orlando Board of Directors ever since. He and Dottie, namesakes of the Dick and Dottie Appelbaum Infant Toddler Wing at the Richard S. Adler Early Childhood Learning Center, have three daughters and six grandchildren.

  • Loren is the Founder and current Director of Strategy & Development for RAISE, a work and social skills training program for adults with disabilities now in its 12th year. She began her career as a critical care nurse and later spent more than a decade as a legal nurse consultant specializing in medical malpractice.

    After 20 years in healthcare, Loren redirected her focus to planning Jewish programs, philanthropic initiatives, and national music events. Her diverse leadership background – along with Board service across multiple Jewish organizations – helped her turn RAISE into a thriving program that continues to make a meaningful impact in Central Florida and beyond.

  • Daniel Poris is a Vice President at GLE Scrap Metal, responsible for purchasing and sales of nonferrous metals. He has a passion for the Orlando Jewish Community and is an advocate for Israel through Shalom Orlando and chairing Orlando events for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). A graduate of the University of Michigan, Daniel has been a Central Florida resident since 2010. He is married to Dr. Stephenie Poris and they share two children.

  • Debby has lived in Orlando for more than 40 years. She is a graduate of Boston University and began her career in radio sales and marketing. She worked in marketing and operations at RDV Sportsplex for 26 years, and after more than 20 years as the Director of RDV Sportsplex Ice Den/Orlando Ice Den, she recently retired.

    Debby has been a volunteer in the Jewish community since her arrival in Orlando. She has been or is currently involved in BBYO, Women’s American ORT, TOP Jewish Foundation, Congregation Ohev Shalom, and Shalom Orlando. Debby is currently serving as the President of Congregation Ohev Shalom and Secretary of the Shalom Orlando Board of Directors. She and her husband, Larry, are proud parents and grandparents.

  • Ming has been a practicing trial lawyer since 2006, devoting his litigation practice to representing injured patients and their loved ones in medical malpractice litigation, wrongful death, and catastrophic brain injury cases. When not working, Ming enjoys spending time with his wife, Hilary, and their two sons, Archer and Owen.

  • Andrew is an experienced commercial real-estate attorney with Lowndes. An Ohio native, Andrew has lived in Orlando since 2007 and is committed to serving the community that has become his adopted hometown. Andrew was a member of the inaugural Shalom Orlando Board of Directors and previously served on The Roth Family Jewish Community Center Board for eight years, including a term as President.

    Recognized with the Leadership Award by The Roth Family JCC, Andrew's community involvement includes service on the Boards of several other organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida and Jewish National Fund Orlando. Andrew and his wife, Lindsey, have two young girls, both of whom graduated from Shalom Orlando’s Richard S. Adler Early Childhood Learning Center.

  • Beth is the Senior Event Manager at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, where she leads the event team in planning, executing, and managing a wide range of internal events. Her career in the Jewish community began in 2015 when she became a Parent Connector with jBaby Chicago after the birth of her daughter. Beth went on to oversee the jBaby Chicago program until 2020, when she moved to Florida (her home state) to be closer to family.

    Beth holds a Bachelor of Science in Event Management from the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. She has volunteered with Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority for more than a decade and currently lives in Altamonte Springs with her husband, two children, and their dogs.

  • Diane grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, India, and Panama before attending college and graduate school in the U.S., eventually earning a Ph.D. in Bacteriology from Harvard University. She came to Orlando in 1994 to serve as Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies at UCF and successively served as Interim Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology and Chair of the Department of Health Professions. She moved to the College of Medicine in 2008 as a Founding Faculty Member and retired in 2016 as Professor Emerita.

    In addition to her service on the Shalom Orlando Board of Directors, Diane has served on the Boards of the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida, the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, and the Shalom Orlando Task Force.