Barbara Milsk, Manager, Volunteer Services
Barbara Milsk is the Manager of CJE SeniorLife’s Volunteer Services. She has been at CJE since 2005, and she values her many years of working at CJE. She considers the work of our volunteers extremely essential to CJE SeniorLife’s mission, and that it is her team’s responsibility to help make volunteering the best experience possible for everyone. Barb has served in a variety of positions at CJE, including Project Manager for the Virtual Senior Center and leader of several other Innovative Programs. Barbara has a business background that includes high-level positions in Human Resources and in Management Consulting in New York and Chicago. She received a BA from American University and an MA from New York University. Barb enjoys volunteering in her neighborhood community and synagogue leadership.
Marla Goldberg, Volunteer Services Supervisor
Marla Goldberg joined the CJE SeniorLife Volunteer Services Team in 2019. In this position, she arranges meaningful matches between our volunteers and the various volunteer opportunities at CJE. She does this by engaging with volunteers, coordinators, and CJE SeniorLife departments and locations to form collaborative relationships that produce synergistic results. She is considered the “boots on the ground” for Volunteer Services, meeting volunteers on site and continually striving to make them feel valued.
Serving as a life-long volunteer herself, Marla’s leadership and experience in outreach, networking, and event planning helps her to coordinate creative projects and programs for volunteers. She most recently received her Volunteer Impact Leadership certification.
Marla is a Registered Pharmacist and has a BS in Pharmacy from Drake University, an MSW from Aurora University, and an MA in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute (with a concentration in non-profit management). In her spare time, she enjoys family, Jazzercize, and scrapbooking.
Julie Han, Program Support Specialist
Julie Han is a Program Support Specialist at CJE SeniorLife in the Volunteer Services Department. She joined CJE in 2020 and has played an active role in organizing and supporting volunteer initiatives. She is dedicated to improving the lives of older adults in the community and believes strongly in the enriching and fulfilling aspects of volunteering. Julie earned a BS in Elementary Education from DePaul University and her background includes work in non-profit development, volunteer coordination, administrative support, and event planning. In her spare time, Julie enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and cooking.
Manager's Message
Like the light through a prism, we have all had to bend to the times that we now face. Not only have we bent, but we have stretched on a personal and professional level to challenge ourselves to create, innovate, and reassess volunteer opportunities at CJE SeniorLife.
In collaborative efforts with other departments, many of our volunteers have been able to adapt their presentations into online offerings. Others have tapped into their creativity and talents to give back to our older adults in new ways, such as teaching Yiddish or narrating a video about a different country. This means volunteers are accessible to more clients and residents than they ever were before. Together, we are broadening our reach into the community.
The biggest shift was made by Home-Delivered Meals drivers who are volunteers. They took on extra work by also becoming friendly callers. The drivers were asked to call the same clients on their route, furthering their relationships. In addition, one of the bright spots to occur during this pandemic has been that several new groups have contacted us to see how they could help CJE provide support to vulnerable seniors. This came in the form of nursing students making friendly calls, individuals making over 400 masks, and young students creating handmade greetings to send messages of joy and hope to every resident.
As a team, the staff in Volunteer Services has adapted and stretched as professionals. Each of us can also share personal stories of growth. This time has allowed us to discover our ability to pivot and be extraordinarily creative, an essential skill for now and the future. We’ve talked about re-visioning the role of volunteers rather than dwelling on what used to be. We’ve likened this to the light going into the prism: It may not produce the results we expected, but what does come out on the other side is often more compelling and beautiful than we might have imagined.
As always, our volunteers continue to be a vibrant resource throughout our multi-faceted organization. With a diverse set of talents, and abundant dedication, they are vital to furthering the mission of CJE.
With sincere thanks,
Barbara Milsk
Manager, Volunteer Services