Meredith Jacobs

Meredith Jacobs, JWI’s CEO, is an award-winning journalist and former editor-in-chief of Washington Jewish Week. She is the author of The Modern Jewish Mom’s Guide to Shabbat (HarperCollins) and co-author, with her daughter Sofie, of the bestselling series of interactive journals, Just Between Us (Chronicle Books). Prior to joining JWI, she founded ModernJewishMom.com, the first Jewish parenting website (now part of Kveller), and was the host of the WYPR radio show, Connecting Family and The Jewish Channel television holiday specials, Modern Jewish Mom.

Since assuming the role of CEO in 2020, Jacobs has shepherded the development of numerous JWI initiatives, including the National Center on Domestic & Sexual Violence in the Jewish Community; the Women’s Financial Empowerment Institute; the Jewish Communal Women’s Leadership Project; Men As Allies: Leading Equitable Workplaces; and the international expansion of Young Women’s Leadership Network. She works closely with JWI’s philanthropic partners, Sigma Delta Tau national sorority and Zeta Beta Tau national fraternity, developing initiatives like Green Light, Go! that was awarded a Laurel Wreath for outstanding programming in the fraternal world. 

A sought-after speaker, moderator, and writer, her opinion pieces appear frequently in outlets such as JTA, eJewishPhilanthropy, and the Forward. She was named one of the 50 Most Influential Jews of 2020 by The Jerusalem Post.

Jacobs earned an MSB from Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School and a BA from Haverford College.