5 minute read
Temple Israel Welcomes Brooke Amo as Executive Director
March 2024
Temple Israel (TI) is excited to announce the hiring of its new executive director, Brooke Amo. Brooke joins us from the Charlotte Jewish Preschool (CJP), where she served as the executive director for the past nine years (13 years in total), achieving remarkable success in various key areas and initiatives. Throughout her tenure at CJP, Brooke demonstrated an unwavering commitment to organizational growth, staff recruitment/ retention (overseeing more than 60 staff members), board development, capital improvements, curriculum/programmatic development, financial strength, and strategic planning.
Brooke will bring to Temple Israel her strong leadership, coaching skills, operational acumen, knowledge of human capital, experience in increasing enrollment, and a proven ability to work in concert with a board of directors on strategic initiatives and long-term planning. She also has cultivated strong relationships with Shalom Park leadership and, most importantly, a deep passion for Jewish learning, life, and community. We feel confident that Brooke will undoubtedly contribute significantly to our congregation’s continued growth and vibrancy.
In addition to her nine years of executive leadership experience, Brooke holds a master’s degree in education, a bachelor’s degree in education/multiculturalism, and a certificate in nonprofit leadership and management from Duke University. She is also near completion of her certificate in executive coaching from the Center for Creative Leadership.
Amy Udoff, Temple Israel president, sat down to ask her a few questions.
Amy Udoff: Hi, Brooke! We are thrilled you are joining the TI team! What aspects of the Temple Israel community are you most excited about?
Brooke Amo: As the newly appointed executive director of Temple Israel (TI), I am thrilled to be part of such a strong Jewish community and honored to be among talented staff members. The strong sense of loyalty, unity, and commitment among the Temple Israel stakeholders excites me the most as I get to know everyone. This became apparent to me as I worked through the interview process. I remember thinking how lucky I was (if I was chosen) to be a part of a place that has a rich and deep-rooted history in Shalom Park and the greater Charlotte community. I look forward to working with all of TI’s team to maintain the rich traditions and history and couple it with dynamic and innovative ways to reach our congregation’s evolving needs. Temple Israel and many religious organizations, for that matter, are in a pivotal time. It is exciting to listen to what people seek in their spiritual journey, their membership experience, and how they engage in Jewish life today. The spectrum is big, and the opportunities are even bigger. I truly believe the Temple leadership and staff are excited for a bright future, and they should be!
AU: In what ways do you plan to connect with and get to know the members of the congregation?
BA: Getting to know the congregants and what makes them happy to be a part of the TI community. I have learned in my short time at TI that our Temple means many things to many people. I want to learn more about why it is special to our congregants and staff members.
My plan is to (once I am settled) actively engage with the members in different ways. I will attend various services, programs, and events to interact with our congregants. I will seek one-on-one or small group chats to get to know our members. Also, I would like to host informal gatherings such as coffee chats, where members can share their thoughts and aspirations for Temple. I know as you read this you must think I’m asking for it, but building these personal connections will be crucial in understanding the diverse needs and perspectives within our Temple community, thus helping to pave the way forward.
AU: How do you envision working together with the members and leadership to strengthen the temple’s mission?
BA: Collaboration is key! I envision working closely with members, leadership, and staff to strengthen our vision and shared initiatives. By fostering open and thoughtful communication, transparency, and mutual respect, we can work together to celebrate our success while identifying areas for improvement, innovation, and growth. We have a strong team, a beautiful building, and determined leadership. In my role, I help leverage our strengths to tackle our priorities to ensure we continue to be an incredible place to worship, educate, and come together as a community.
AU: Are there any upcoming events or projects you’re particularly looking forward to?
BA: As we approach strategic planning season, I am excited to hear more about the past of TI, learn more about how we currently operate, and, of course, how we can grow and meet the needs of our current TI community and potential new congregants. The strategic plan will include many discussions about topics including building updates, marketing, security, financial health, future programming, etc. Those discussions are all very important and exciting to be a part of. As an executive director, the strategic plan is a road map to responding to the many needs of your constituents. It provides clarity, intention, and an exciting path forward. Most importantly, strategic planning sessions typically have great food, company, and conversation. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Brooke looks forward to forging new relationships in our TI community and maintaining the many relationships she has built throughout Shalom Park during her time at CJP. We look forward to formally celebrating Brooke at our Annual Welcome Home Shabbat on August 23, 2024.
