Jane Schiff named Southwest Florida Nonprofit Board Leader of the Year

Jane Schiff, Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Board Chairperson, was recognized as Nonprofit Board Leader of the Year at Collier Community Foundation’s ENPY (Excellence in Nonprofit Performance Yearly) awards Oct. 18.

She was selected from a record number of nominations for the Community Foundation’s annual awards, which have been recognizing nonprofi ts and nonprofit leaders throughout Southwest Florida for six years. A panel of impartial, non-local judges selected three finalists and winners in 12 categories from the nominees.

For our members and peers who have worked with her, this well-deserved honor comes as no surprise. In fact, the recognition of her by the community beyond the Federation was long overdue.

“Throughout her life, Jane has been involved in local and national Jewish communities as a donor, participant and volunteer wherever she has lived,” said Jeffrey Feld, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. “Since joining our Federation, Jane has excelled as a board leader by engaging different groups to work together for the community and provide activities and services that people want to be a part of, creating a sense of belonging.”

Professionally, Schiff owned successful beauty supply businesses, one of which was purchased by a national company. She invented and patented an artificial nail tip, then manufactured it. Following a family tragedy in 2001, she focused all her energies on nonprofit endeavors.

From 1994 to 2013, before moving to Naples from Atlanta, she volunteered in many ways for many organizations, including the American Jewish Committee, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, Temple Emanu-El, the William Breman Jewish Museum and Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

Throughout her nonprofit service, she has proven to be an effective fundraiser, including raising approximately $3 million for renovations at her synagogue in Atlanta. Schiff also served on the Executive Committee of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, after having served as a community representative board member, vice chair and treasurer and, most recently, vice chair and fundraising chair. The council is a national community relations network hub of Jewish councils and agencies to advocate for a just and pluralistic American society, Israel’s quest for peace and security, and human rights around the world. She is on the board of Jewish Federations of North America, which is among the top 10 charities in the world, supporting social welfare, social services and educational needs.

Schiff became involved with our Federation after moving to Naples, becoming a board member in 2014, serving as vice chair from 2016-2017 and serving as the board chairperson since 2017. She is a member of Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council, with a mission to promote and enhance the relationships between the Jewish community and the general community of Greater Naples, particularly through activities that promote religious freedom, separation of church and state, and social justice issues.

During her tenure, Schiff helped lead the planning and construction of the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center, which began in 2017 with a needs assessment study through Brandeis University. Site location, design and permitting took several years, with construction beginning in late 2021. Through the entire process, she was involved in all major decisions and, while she is not involved in the day-today process of the center’s construction, you can find Schiff onsite two to three times a week.

In addition to securing lead gifts and other funding for the $10.5 million center, with a $4.5 million endowment, she has helped Federation increase its annual community campaign to meet the needs continued on page 2 of Jewish people and the community with more than 200 donors added each year for the past three years. Schiff has also served as a volunteer on the annual community campaign cabinet, helping to shepherd and thank donors.

What makes Schiff an impactful leader is that she understands that, in Jewish communal service, as in religion, there is comfort in standing on the shoulders of those who came before us. She embraces the idea that she also has a responsibility to those who come after her to create a good foundation upon which they can continue to grow and change.