Darsky brings more than two decades of professional experience in the Jewish sector to new position.
(Courtesy of JCC Association of North America) JCC Association of North America has announced the appointment of Carrie Darsky as the organization’s first-ever chief talent officer (CTO) to design and lead a bold new talent agenda for the JCC Movement, the largest employer of Jewish communal professionals on the continent. Darsky brings extensive experience from within and beyond the JCC field, joining JCC Association from Hillel International, where, most recently, she was vice president of talent and leadership development, and previously served as vice president of talent acquisition. She will begin her tenure on October 23.
“We couldn’t be prouder that Carrie Darsky is joining our leadership team as the first chief talent officer in our agency’s history,” said Doron Krakow, president and CEO of JCC Association. “This marks a pivotal moment for our organization and our movement as we make significant investment in the recruitment, retention, training and support of our field’s greatest asset—its 55,000 professionals who make up the North American JCC workforce.”
Several years ago, inspired by Hillel International’s commitment to putting professional development and talent at the center of its overall strategy, JCC Association began a robust study of the current talent and professional development apparatus of the JCC Movement. Since then, JCC Association has evolved and expanded its talent offerings, guided by a comprehensive, multifaceted strategy intended to build, maintain and sustain a strong, qualified pipeline of JCC professionals. JCC Association has been and remains committed to helping JCCs attract, nurture, develop and retain a high-performing and highly motivated workforce, striving to make every JCC a great place to work.
As CTO, Darsky will augment this framework and guide the talent management team to create a long-term strategy that will carry the JCC Movement into the next decade and beyond. Darsky will serve on the senior leadership team at JCC Association, and under her guidance, the more than 170 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps that make up the JCC Movement will be strengthened and enriched through an enhanced array of professional development, training, recruitment and retention services and strategies. The people are the backbone of the JCC Movement and the critical engine of ongoing efforts in pursuit of greater Jewish community and more vibrant Jewish life from coast to coast. Darsky’s charge includes all JCC professionals and the more than 3,000 lay leaders who serve the JCC Movement.
“I’m eager to work with and for our JCCs to ensure they have the resources to create environments where our professionals can be at their best, so they can bring their best,” said Darsky, reflecting on her new role. “Providing opportunities for learning and growth, strengthening our talent pipeline, and ensuring that our JCCs are great places to work will absolutely create communities that thrive. I’ve always believed in the missions of our JCCs, especially having experienced them as a professional, volunteer leader and member. I worked my whole career to prepare for this moment—I’m so grateful for the opportunity to lead our movement at this time.”
Darsky is not new to the JCC Movement. In addition to her time at Hillel International, she spent parts of her career at 92Y in New York and the Mandel JCC in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. A licensed social worker, experiential Jewish educator and nonprofit manager, Darsky has a breadth and depth of experience in professional development—including growth and mentorship, community building, creating talent pipelines, onboarding, and leadership and board development, among other areas—all of which she will bring to bear in her new role. She is a member of the executive committee and board of directors of JPro and the JCC of Central New Jersey in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. Darsky earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree in social work from Yeshiva University.
