Executive Team
Adam Silver (he/him)
President and CEO
Adam joined Jewish Federation of Ottawa in July 2024. Before that, he served as Chief Executive Officer for Calgary Jewish Federation and Calgary Jewish Community Campus Corporation in Alberta, Canada, for almost a decade. Adam’s Jewish communal experience has ranged from “babies to bubbies” having worked in organizations that specialize in children and youth programming right up to older adults and seniors, and he has served as an adjunct professor in Seneca College’s Community Services department, teaching community practice, casework, and social policy.
Adam received his Master of Education (MEd) in Adult Education and Community Development from the University of Toronto (OISE), completed graduate work in philanthropy and development at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, and earned his Doctor of Education (EdD) degree from Western University, specializing in community leadership. A member of the inaugural cohort of the Mandel Nonprofit Institute’s Executive Leadership Program, Adam volunteers on the board of the Organization for the Prevention of Violence and as an advisor with JPro's WellAdvised program for early and mid-career Jewish communal professionals. Adam is passionate about building community and supporting and mentoring others.
Adam and his wife Deborah, have three children – Hannah, Lilah, and Benji – and are excited to immerse themselves in Jewish Ottawa. Outside of work, Adam likes to cook, exercise, drink coffee, and spend time with family and friends. He can be reached at asilver@jewishottawa.com
Pauline Colwin
Vice President, Communications
Pauline joined the Federation in May 2013. She is responsible for the marketing and communication needs of both the Federation and the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation, as well as our social media, and websites. Pauline was integral in launching the Ottawa Jewish E-Bulletin, which she continues to manage. Prior to the Federation, Pauline was an editor at the Ottawa Citizen. She received an Honours Degree in English Literature from Ottawa University and holds a diploma in Journalism.
Away from work, Pauline enjoys camping with her family, writing, listening to audio books and experimenting with mixed media art.
pcolwin@jewishottawa.com
Rena Garshowitz
Vice President, Operations
Rena is thrilled to rejoin the Federation team as VP, Operations, having spent the majority of her career serving the Ottawa Jewish community. For the last five years Rena held the position of Executive Director at Kehillat Beth Israel (KBI), overseeing all areas of the synagogue’s operations. Before joining KBI, Rena spent seven years at Federation, first as Event Planner and Sponsorship Coordinator before moving over to Annual Campaign manager. She previously held positions on Parliament Hill and Queen’s Park and with a foreign embassy.
The oversight areas for Operations include: Campus Management, Security, Governance, and the Ottawa Va'ad HaKashrut.
In her downtime, Rena enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She loves experimenting in the kitchen while listening to show tunes.
Connect with Rena at rgarshowitz@jewishottawa.com
Mark Gruner
Chief Financial Officer, Jewish Federation of Ottawa and Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation
Mark was born in Montreal. He has been working overseas in the nonprofit field for the past 25 years. His focus has been working to help reduce poverty and hunger. Before that, his focus was on helping the people of Bosnia & Hercegovina regain their property rights after the war in the Balkans.
He did his undergrad degree at McGill in Biochemistry and then completed a Graduate Degree in Public Accounting. He did his stage in Montreal with a small firm and then moved to Cooper's & Lybrand. He spends his spare time writing and cooking with his wife Alexandra, who comes from Peru.
He can be reached at mgruner@jewishottawa.com
Anne Read
Vice President Impact, Partnership & Allocations
Anne joined the Federation team in late 2019. Before taking a role with Federation, Anne worked as a consultant to Ontario school boards developing and facilitating equity, diversity and inclusion programs. Prior to that, she was a professor at the University of Waterloo — Anne holds a PhD in Sociology of Religion. Anne started her career as an Assistant Publisher at Ascent Magazine, where she managed a small but mighty team of yogis.
When not at work, Anne is more than likely repainting her dining room, working on her table tennis backhand, or out on her land building bat habitats. Anne has two children, who keep her humble and on her toes.
Anne can be reached at aread@jewishottawa.com
Michael Reznick
Director of Development
Michael joined the Jewish Federation of Ottawa with over 15 years of experience in strategic planning, community engagement, and fundraising, in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. He focuses on initiatives that secure the Federation's financial future while fostering relationships within the community. In his role, Michael oversees donor relations, develops new income streams, and strengthens ties with key partners.
Born and raised in Israel, Michael previously managed a high-tech company and served as a ministerial advisor. Five years ago, he moved to Europe, where he worked as a Director of Development. Michael holds a Master’s degree from the Hebrew University, specializing in Israel-Vatican relations.
Outside of work, Michael loves spending time with his family, whether exploring the outdoors or simply enjoying a quiet evening together.
Connect with Michael at mreznick@jewishottawa.com