The Jewish Tuition Organization (JTO) announces the retirement of Executive Director Linda Zell at the end of July. Linda started with the JTO in 2003 while it was a program within the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix. Under her leadership, the JTO grew to be an independent non-profit organization that raises more than $4 million annually. Each year, over 90 percent of donations received go back into the community as scholarships for more than 700 children attending six Jewish day schools. “Linda’s management and fundraising accomplishments have been remarkable. Her efforts will live on in the lives of the children whose Jewish education she facilitated, and in the organization she developed.” said JTO Board President Fred Wabnik. When asked what she plans to do with all her time Linda responded with a smile, “It has been my pleasure to serve our Jewish day school community and now I am ready to spend more time with my family and travel.” Filling the Executive Director role will be Janet Silva who has been with the JTO over a year, serving as the organization’s bookkeeper and administrative assistant.
Prior to and while working for the JTO, Janet was at Bolt Accounting Solutions as CEO and owner, where she NOTICE: A school tuition organization cannot award, restrict or reserve scholarships solely on the basis of donor recommendation. A taxpayer may not claim a tax credit if the taxpayer agrees to swap donations with another taxpayer to benefit either taxpayer’s own dependent. Consult your tax advisor for specific tax advice. worked with a variety of small to mid-sized businesses and individuals handling their bookkeeping and tax needs. Janet brings over 25 years of managerial and business experience to the JTO. “I want to see more students receiving a Jewish education and my goal is to make sure paying for tuition is not a factor keeping families from receiving the education best suited for their children,” states Janet. She moved to the Valley from New York six years ago with her daughters, Jocelyn and Jillian. The JTO is a school tuition organization (STO) that raises funds from individuals and corporations through Arizona’s dollar-for-dollar private school tax credit to provide scholarships for children attending six Jewish day schools throughout the Valley. For more information or to support the JTO visit jtophoenix.org or call 480-634-4926. #
