Meet Our Directors

Meryl began her tenure at the MJCCA in 2005 as the Camp Central Registrar. Since then, she has been an instrumental part of the MJCCA Day Camps team, serving as Director of Operations and Director of Day Camps. She attended the University of Georgia and graduated with a BS in business administration. As a camper, Meryl spent many summers at Camp Judaea and views her summer overnight camping experiences as the most influential in her life. She and her husband, Lenny, have three wonderful children, Nathan, Zachary, and Emily, and a dog named Murphy.

Abbe has worked in Jewish nonprofits for over 13 years, including four years as a Camp Director at JCC Chicago. Her favorite camp activity is Color War/Maccabi Games, as she loves any excuse to dress up in a tutu! Abbe began her JCC journey as a preschooler at The Sunshine School at Shirley Blumenthal Park. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and studio art from Indiana University. She lives in Dunwoody with her family. Her sons, Landon and Jayson, attend The Weinstein School, bringing her connection to the JCC full circle!

Angela started working at MJCCA Days Camps in 2017 as a camp counselor, then unit head, and most recently served as the unit head supervisor. In 2023, Angela joined MJCCA as the Curriculum Coordinator for Club J. As the Assistant Director of CIA, Angela looks forward to creating programming that fosters campers’ creativity. She grew up in Stone Mountain, GA, and graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor of Music Performance for viola. A fun fact about Angela is she plays viola as a member of the Georgia Philharmonic!

Stephanie has worked with The Lynne & Howard Halpern Drama Camp since 2012. She has a BFA in theater arts from Boston University and studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. As a performer, director, and educator, she has worked professionally in theaters in Atlanta, Boston, Edinburgh, New York, and London. She is dedicated to theater education and tirelessly seeks to challenge, enlighten, and inspire children through the arts.

Elissa is The Weber School’s Director of Theatrical Education & Community Programming. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Theatre Education from The University of South Florida and a Masters of Education in Interdisciplinary Arts from Nova Southeastern University. She has worked at DeKalb School of the Arts, The Galloway School, Woodland High School, and Pope John Paul II High School. She was actively involved in Florida State Thespians and the South Florida Cappies Program, was awarded the Teacher’s Creative Innovation Award in 2018, and was recognized with Critics Choice Thespian Honors.

Erin has been the MJCCA’s Director of Dance since 2007. She graduated from the University of Buffalo with a BFA in dance. Erin has danced with Zodiaque Dance Company and Buffalo Contemporary Dance Company. She was on the United States tap team and won World Medals in the Tap Dance World Championships. Erin was assistant director of administration for the New York Education Department’s Summer School of Dance and owned Empire School of the Arts dance studio.

MK is a dedicated camp director for all things Theme, Teen, Tech, and Travel. Since 2020, MK has been a proud member of the MJCCA team, contributing to the Club J After-School Program, Kid Zone, curating birthday parties, and leading art and acting classes for our members. No matter the program, she enjoys creating memorable experiences, and fostering a creative spirit. Born and raised in Columbus, GA, MK holds a bachelor’s degree in acting from Pace University NYC and brings a touch of creativity and wonder to every day. Outside of work, MK loves acting for film and TV, spending time with her friends and family, and enjoying the great outdoors.

Lisa has been leading cooking theme camps for MJCCA Day Camps since 2019. She has worked at educational nonprofits with culinary arts programs to develop opportunities for culinary outreach and workforce development. She attended the University of West Georgia, where she studied international business and French and The Art Institute of Atlanta, where she studied culinary arts management. Lisa loves sharing her passion for cooking with new campers each year!

Jammie has been with the MJCCA since 2004, holding various roles throughout that time including Membership Manager and Registration Team Leader. The Snellville native’s love of sports brought him to the world of travel baseball at a young age and he continued to play competitively through high school. In his free time, he enjoys playing and coaching pickleball, hiking, and dominating the MJCCA staff Fantasy Football league!

When he’s not a camp director, Daniel works as the Assistant Director of the MJCCA Athletics Department. He has worked for the MJCCA for over three years, has coached soccer for close to 20 years, and holds a National D Soccer License. Daniel grew up in California but has lived in Georgia for the last 18 years. He is a Florida Gators fan, a Jar Jar Binks enthusiast, and occasional author. He loves spending his free time with his wife, two kids, and far too many animals.

Misha is the MJCCA’s Sports Coordinator and Director of Basketball and is thrilled about her second summer with MJCCA Day Camps. Her admiration and passion for sports started when she was only 7 years old. Since then, Misha’s knowledge and experience has allowed her to travel across the world playing basketball, coaching, and training. She also adds Personal Fitness Training to her list of skills. Misha was born in Iowa and grew up in Virginia Beach, VA. In her free time, she enjoys working out, drawing/painting, shopping, and watching movies. She looks forward to helping campers excel in all their athletic endeavors.

Linda has a 30+ year background coaching gymnastics through Level 10, and has coached numerous Texas State, Regional, and National Champions. She joined the JCC and Perimeter Gymnastics last summer as the Gymnastics Manger. Previously, she has been the director of LSU’s youth gymnastics program and coached competitive teams at the highly successful Houston JCC gymnastics program. Linda is a certified USAG judge and travels around to judge meets and competitions.

Courtnay is an experienced team coach who has been with Perimeter Gymnastics for five years. She began coaching as junior staff at her home gym and progressed into coaching recreational classes and team practices. For 18 years, she has coached teams through USAG Level 2–6 and Xcel Bronze through Platinum. A Level 8 gymnast, she was also an All-American cheerleader and dancer, which contribute to the excellent choreography she creates for floor and beam routines.

Adam began working at the MJCCA in 2013. He is USPTA and USPTR certified, a gold member of the Wilson Advisory Staff, and a member of the GPTA. He was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. He was a high ranking junior tennis player before winning the North Carolina State High School Doubles Championship. He played Division 1 Tennis at North Carolina State University. He enjoys playing competitive tennis and going to the movies.

Rob has been teaching tennis for over 35 years, is a member of USPTA and USRSA, and has been on the Volkl National Tennis Sponsorship Team. He was born in Omaha, NE (he’s a big Husker fan), but spent many of his formative years in Maine. He moved to Georgia to attend North Georgia College, where he played soccer and tennis and earned a degree in physical education. When not on the courts, Rob enjoys spending time with his two boys.

After graduating from Dunwoody High School, Rusal began his storied tenure at the Marcus JCC of Atlanta, starting as a trolley driver at Camp Isidore Alterman. Over the years, Rusal found himself in a variety of roles and departments including security, membership, fitness and coaching, Club J After-School Program, and customer service. Throughout all his time at the MJCCA, pickleball was a constant. He fell in love with the game and spread the joys of pickleball to all members he worked with. We are thrilled to have him share his pickleball experience with campers this summer!

Sarah began working at MJCCA Day Camps in 2014, holding several positions including Special Needs Teen Camp Coordinator and Inclusion Director. Now, as the Director of the Blonder Family Department for Special Needs, she oversees the Camper Success & Inclusions Teams. Sarah is a native of Atlanta and attended preschool at The Weinstein School. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016 with a degree in human development and disability studies. After graduation, she was a neurological development teacher at Jacob’s Ladder School in Roswell. Sarah lives in Dunwoody with her husband, Danny, daughters Maddie and Harper, and dog, Cocoa.

Bobby grew up attending, and then working at, Camp Barney Medintz, where he was a counselor and unit head for campers with special needs. After receiving his BA in Psychology and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies from New York University, Bobby returned to Atlanta. During the year, Bobby is the Adult Programming Manager for the Blonder Family Department for Special Needs, where he runs recreational programs for adults with varying disabilities. Bobby has been involved with MJCCA Day Camps since he was a camper at age 11 and is so excited for another summer working with the Camper Success Team!

Tiffany joined the MJCCA Day Camps team in 2021. She is a graduate of The School of Theatre and Dance at East Carolina University and an award-winning, classically trained actor, director, and producer in Atlanta’s live theater scene. She has worked as an education associate for the largest regional theater in the Southeast, as co-founder and board member of a female-centric theater company, and as a consultant. She lives in the historic district of Poncey-Highland with her turtle named Tuck.