Foundation for Jewish Camp Announces Jamie Simon as CEO
Will bring two decades of Jewish camping leadership experience at pivotal moment for Jewish camp movement
NEW YORK — Foundation for Jewish Camp’s (FJC) Board of Directors announced today that Jamie Simon, who has led the organization in an interim capacity since March 2025 and previously served as chief program and strategy officer, will take the helm as the organization’s next chief executive officer beginning July 15th. Simon was unanimously selected by FJC’s Board after a highly competitive, nationwide search. She will be the first woman to serve as CEO in the organization’s 27-year history.
“Jamie is an exceptionally skilled, visionary, and inspiring leader who is deeply grounded in the values and mission of Jewish camp,” said Foundation for Jewish Camp Board Chair Jim Heeger. “After our extensive search with many qualified candidates, it was clear that Jamie is the best leader to steward the organization’s next chapter. She has already demonstrated extraordinary leadership within the organization’s ranks, developed strong relationships with partners, and has lived and breathed the mission and values of Jewish camp throughout her decades-long professional career.”
With more than 20 years of experience in Jewish camping, Jamie is uniquely prepared to shape the organization’s next chapter with vision, care, and proven leadership. Simon joined FJC in 2023 as its first chief program and strategy officer. She had previously spent 17 years at the Tawonga Jewish Community Corporation in California, including six years as its CEO.
At FJC, Simon has played instrumental roles in securing major, seven-figure gifts; leading FJC’s ongoing strategic planning process; and overseeing last year’s Leaders Assembly in Chicago that saw the largest turnout in the organization’s history, with nearly 950 camp professionals and field leaders in attendance.
In her role as interim CEO, Jamie was integral in helping Jewish camps across North America navigate their preparations for this summer’s camp season, and spearheaded the organization’s recent rapid response efforts to provide financial and staffing support for camps impacted by the Israel-Iran war, including raising over $2 million in emergency funding for camps who have had to change their travel itineraries.
“I am profoundly grateful to the Board for this opportunity to serve as Foundation for Jewish Camp’s next CEO. I’ve seen the power of Jewish camp at every stage of my life: as a camper, as a camp counselor, as a camp director, as a parent, and as a passionate advocate in the broader Jewish camp movement,” said Simon. “With nearly 200,000 young people expected to attend this summer, enrollment at Jewish camp is higher than ever. My priority is to ensure that every young Jew that wants to experience the transformative impact of camp has the opportunity to do so, and that every camp has the resources they need to succeed.”
“This is an exciting — and critical — moment for Jewish camp, and we’re thrilled that FJC and the field as a whole will be in Jamie’s capable hands,” said Jeffrey M. Solomon, Search Committee Chair and FJC’s Board Chair-elect. “Jamie’s blend of executive acumen, personal passion, and deep field expertise, make her the ideal leader to guide Jewish camp into the future together with our camps, donors, board, and staff.”
About Foundation for Jewish Camp
Prior to the creation of Foundation for Jewish Camp by Elisa Spungen Bildner and Robert Bildner in 1998, there was no organization dedicated solely to expanding the reach of Jewish camp and deepening its impact. Today, FJC remains the only nonprofit whose singular mission is to grow, support and strengthen the Jewish camp movement, leveraging more than $15 million of philanthropic giving annually to scale programs and resources that benefit more than 300 Jewish day and overnight camps across North America. jewishcamp.org
