Staff

This group of thoughtful, committed individuals are uplifting and empowering the Greater Harrisburg Community.

Executive Team

Steve Schauder, MSW, CFRE

Chief Executive Officer

Steve is responsible for mobilizing the financial, leadership and volunteer resources necessary to implement the mission and vision for JFS. His focus is on helping those in need in Greater Harrisburg and increasing the scope and visibility of JFS throughout the community.

Prior to coming to JFS, Steve served as the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Durham-Chapel Hill, where he oversaw the community JFS, and as the Executive  Director of Gratitude House, a treatment center for low-income women struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues. He also served as the Director of Development for SunServe, a LGBTQ social and human service agency in South Florida. His early career was spent as a youth and camp director in the JCC movement in New York and New Jersey.

In his 30+ professional career, Steve is proud to have built and sustained financially sound, mission driven organizations that have positively impacted the lives of countless children, families and adults.

Rachel Kuhr, MSW, LCSW

Director, Adoption and Foster Care Services

Rachel Kuhr is the Director of Adoption and Foster Care Services, a role she accepted in 2005.  She oversees all services to children in foster and pre-adoptive homes approved by JFS and  provides private home study services.  Rachel  also coordinates and supervises services provided by program staff to children through the Statewide Adoption Network (SWAN).  This includes coordination with county providers and other foster care agencies as well as work with the state contract agency on policy and planning for these services.   She supervises services in the Post Permanency support program, for families after adoption or guardianship.  Rachel was instrumental in developing the Family Based Mental Health program at JFS.

Prior to joining JFS in 2003, Rachel worked in an Intensive Family Preservation program locally, as well as in a Child Welfare agency in California.  She was an outpatient therapist from 2000-2016. Rachel holds a LCSW from the School of Social Work at the University of California, Berkeley.

Jessica Fox, MA, NCC, LPC

Director of Family Based Mental Health

Jess is responsible for directing the Family Based Mental Health Services program at JFS. She started as a family based mental health professional in 2020 and took over as director in 2022. Jess and the Family Based teams are committed to helping families that have children/adolescents who are at risk of out of home placement (such as in-patient hospitalization, residential treatment facilities, or foster care) due to emotional/behavioral struggles.

Jess has a master’s degree in counseling with a specialization in marriage, family, and couples counseling from Kutztown University.

Wendy Halperin, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Director

Wendy is the Clinical Director and over sees all agency mental health programs including budgetary oversight, personnel policies, clinical supervision, and the overall management of the programs.

Wendy has been with JFS since January 2020 and has served as Director of Family Based Mental Health Services, Director of Mynd Works and is now the Clinical Director. Wendy has over twenty-five years’ experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Union College in Schenectady, New York and a Master of Social Work from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Hazem Algebraeel

Director of resettlement

Hazem serves as the Director of Refugee Services for JFS and has spent more than 10 years working in the resettlement field. In his most recent position, he served as the Resettlement Educator for the largest Private Sponsorship Agreement Holder in Canada, where he educated and trained the public on the refugee private sponsorship program in Canada and where he helped resettle more than 500 refugees. Hazem has also worked in Amman, Jordan for a number of international not-for-profit organizations, where he helped refugees from different backgrounds and nationalities.

Donna Butler

Director of Finance and Operations

Adoption/Foster Care

Rachel Kuhr, MSW, LCSW

Director, Adoption and Foster Care Services

Kimberly Kupfer, MS

Post Permanency Coordinator

Bryna Sherr, MSW, LCSW, ACSW

Permanency Coordinator and Therapist

Joseph Studivant

Permanency Coordinator

Kathleen Swain

Permanency Coordinator

Crystal Smith, BSW

Resource Family Coordinator

Heidi Storey

Resource Family Coordinator

Kelly Christ

Administrative Assistant, Foster Care

Family Based Mental Health

Jessica Fox, MA, NCC, LPC

Director of Family Based Mental Health

Iris Berio, BS

Family Based Mental Health Therapist

Stella Laffey

Family Based Mental Health Therapist

Stephanie Wenger

Family Based Mental Health Therapist

Kayla Whittington

Family Based Mental Health Therapist

Front Office/Administrative

Donna Butler

Director of Finance and Operations

Kat Monnier

Executive assistant

Luz Martir

Office Administrator

Mynd Works

Wendy Halperin, MSW, LCSW

Clinical Director

Amanda Cleveland, LCSW, CCTP

Outpatient Therapist

Marjorie Koch,
MSW, LCSW GCM

Outpatient Therapist

Dustin Copenhefer, LPC, LMHC, RPT-S

Outpatient Therapist

Mary Tarbell, LPC, RPT-S

Licensed Professional Counselor

Refugee Services

Hazem Algebraeel

Director of resettlement

Fethullah (Feti) Karakoc

Senior Refugee Case Manager

Polina Teslenko

Ukrainian Refugee Case Manager

Maksym Prykhodko

Ukrainian Refugee Case Manager

Food and Financial Security

Elaine Strokoff

Director of Financial and Food Security

Senior Services

John Jantos

Coordinator of Kosher Meals on Wheels
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