Meet the Speakers for Classes and Seminars...

Getting to know the Jewish Family Service speakers and seminar leaders:

Ann Sutton Burke, MPA

Ann Sutton Burke is the Director of Aging and Caregiver Services at Jewish Family Service. She has over 25 years experience working in the field of aging. Her background includes program planning and organization in senior centers, care management, home health, adult day services, corporate elder care, and caregiver services. In 2006 she had the privilege to represent Jewish Family Service by giving testimony at a United States Senate hearing on Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities. Ann also serves on the Board of the Association of Professionals in Aging, the Planning Committee for the Forum on Aging, and the Southwest Ohio Caregivers Coalition. She has an undergraduate degree in Sociology with a concentration in Gerontology from Miami University and a Masters in Public Administration from Xavier University.

Jackie Drake, MSW, LISW

Jackie Drake joined the Jewish Family Service staff of Family Life Education and the Alan R. Mack Parents Center as Education Coordinator. She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with 25 years of experience working with children and families in a variety of settings. Jackie was previously a Parent Enrichment Coordinator and Family Life Educator for Beech Acres. In addition to leading parenting classes, Jackie is facilitating a step-parenting group and new educational support groups for children.

Linda Kean, MA, CFLE

Linda Kean, a certified Family Life Educator, is Director of the Family Life Education at Jewish Family Service and has worked in Jewish education since 1996. She is responsible for the development and implementation of education programs for parents and children including parenting, teen dating violence prevention, and domestic violence prevention. She also worked for 10 years as a development director in various arts organizations. Linda is a former modern dancer and has led in-service trainings for schoolteachers to help them incorporate the arts into everyday curriculum. She has a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from the College Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Indiana University.

Cherie McCarthy, MSW, LISW-S

Cherie McCarthy, a Certified Ohio Adoption Assessor, has worked in the field of adoption since 1995. She is a member of the Professional Advisory Committee of the International Adoption Clinic at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and she has been a committee member and speaker for the annual Tri-State adoption conference. Cherie is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers. Cherie previously worked at Jewish Family Service’s Adoption Connection program from 1998 – 2004. Before she returned to Jewish Family Service, she was the Co-coordinator of International Adoption Services at Graceworks Lutheran Services from 2004 until 2009. Her experience in adoption includes preparing domestic and international home studies, birthparent assessment and counseling, post adoption support services, search and re-union and facilitating pre-adoption education and training. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Wright State University and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Erin McNew, MSW, LSW

Erin McNew, a mother of three, is an Educator and Educational Coordinator in the Family Life Education department of Jewish Family Service. Over the past 20 years she has worked with children, adolescents and parents in school, hospital and community settings. Most recently she has worked on curriculum development and teaching of Teen Dating Violence Prevention. Erin has taught many parent education groups during her years as a contractor and employee of Jewish Family Service.

Beth Schwartz, MSW, LSW

Beth Schwartz is the Executive Director of Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati, Ohio. Beth began her professional career as a geriatric social worker in 1988. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a concentration in Health and Human Services from DePaul University in Chicago. Her Master’s Degree in Social Work was awarded from the University of Cincinnati. She is the 2002 recipient of the Harris K and Alice F Weston Avodah Award for outstanding professional service, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. Beth has been involved with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) in Washington DC since 1999 and currently serves as Chair of The National Interfaith Coalition on Aging (NICA), an affinity group of NCOA, and is also a member of the NCOA Leadership Council.

Gail Gepsman Ziegler, MSW, LISW

Gail Gepsman Ziegler (formerly Mermelstein) has served as Program Director of the Center for Holocaust Survivors at Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati (JFS) since 2003. Prior to joining Jewish Family Service, Ms. Ziegler served as Project Manager of Mapping Our Tears, a permanent Holocaust exhibit at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). She recorded close to 20 videotaped interviews for the Shoah Visual History Foundation. She helped establish the Teachers' Holocaust Workshop at HUC-JIR, now administered by the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education (CHHE). Gail, who is the daughter of Holocaust survivors, served as president of the Combined Generations of the Holocaust of Greater Cincinnati. She received her Masters in Social Work degree from the University of Cincinnati and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker.