Passionate about the possible, Jo-Ellen Unger has a great excitement for building on the solid foundation the JCA is known for and looks forward to working with our community to fulfill the JCA Mission and Vision. 

Jo-Ellen served as the founding Director of the URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy, a summer camp dedicated to skill-building at the intersection of the Arts and Judaism. She developed her own skills in voice, theatre and dance at the Performing and Visual Arts Center (now New World School of the Arts) in Miami, Florida, the Fine Arts program at Florida State University and the National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York City. 

Jo-Ellen earned her Master of Arts in Religious Education at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion with her Capstone Project on Structure and Agency. Jo-Ellen has held positions in camp and youth services as well as a formal and informal education director in South Florida, Jacksonville and in Baltimore, Maryland. Additionally, Jo-Ellen worked as the remote Jewish Educator at the University of Central Florida Hillel, and had the privilege of speaking at academic and professional conferences on a variety of topics.

Jo-Ellen shares two adult sons, Jacob and Micah, with her husband, Adam Unger who is a chef.