Jewish Family Service is proud to announce Meredith Davis as the new Center for Holocaust Survivors Director. In this role, she will supervise care management staff, administer all grant funding for the center, and direct social and educational group programming. 

The Center for Holocaust Survivors supports nearly 200 survivors in the Greater Cincinnati area with care management, home visits, restitution assistance, supportive counseling and referral, social therapeutic activities, free hearing tests, and safety/adaptive equipment. Davis replaces Gail Gepsman Ziegler in the role, who retired in February after 17 years with Jewish Family Service. 

“We are very excited to have Meredith join us as our Center for Holocaust Survivors Director,” said Ann Sutton Burke, Vice President, Client Services. “We had a strong group of candidates, but what stood out with Meredith was her experience in working with vulnerable populations that have experienced trauma. 

“Meredith was with us just one day before we closed the office due to the pandemic. Yet she jumped in and helped her team pivot so they could both meet our clients’ ongoing needs and also provide additional support during this challenging time of COVID-19 and social isolation.” 

Davis comes to Jewish Family Service with ten years of experience in program administration for older adults, with a specific focus on supporting at-risk seniors. Most recently, she served as Elder Victim Advocate Program Manager for LifeSpan, Inc., where she supervised a team of professional and volunteer trainers, and managed relationships with local law enforcement agencies and community organizations. She also led both program development and marketing for the Center for At-Risk Elders in Indianapolis. 

"We are very excited to have Meredith join us as our Center for Holocaust Survivors Director. We had a strong group of candidates, but what stood out with Meredith was her experience in working with vulnerable populations that have experienced trauma." 

— Ann Sutton Burke, Vice President, Client Services

In addition to her professional expertise, Davis has an extensive record of volunteerism, both in Cincinnati and Indianapolis. She volunteered at Jewish Family Service before her hire, and she continues to work with the Center for Independent Living Ohio, Cincinnati Gives Back, and Keep Covington Beautiful. Previously, she volunteered with Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, Partners in Housing, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. 

She holds a Masters of Art in Social Services Administration from the University of Illinois Springfield and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia. 

“When I moved to Cincinnati, I wanted to find a way to connect with the local Jewish community,” Davis said. “My first volunteer experience was delivering Passover boxes with Jewish Family Service in 2019. After that, I worked with Barbash Family Vital Support Center, helping cook meals for a support group. In fact, I made my first pot of matzo ball soup there!

“I know that I am in the right place at Jewish Family Service. Starting a new job during a global health crisis has reinforced the relevance of our mission to strengthen lives in times of need. I have seen the Center for Holocaust Survivors rise to the challenge of providing remote services to the most vulnerable members of our community and have seen my colleagues think creatively about how to reach out to community members that may not have needed our services before. I’m excited to work with an organization that has the strength to pivot quickly to meet the needs of Cincinnati’s Jewish community.”