Renee Kutner has been named president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta after a nationwide search.

The search ended in the Federation’s own backyard.

Kutner becomes the first woman to hold the title of CEO since the Federation began more than 100 years ago.

An Atlanta native, Kutner was selected from a field of more than 70 applicants. In 2015, Kutner joined the Federation as its vice president of marketing and several years later was named COO, focusing on its strategic direction, leadership development, community planning, internal operations and governance.

“As an internal hire, this says a lot about the strength of our Jewish community,” said Dov Wilker, regional director of the American Jewish Committee. “(Kutner) has a tremendous relationship throughout the denominational spectrum. I couldn’t be more exited to work with her in her new role.”

Kutner received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and her master’s in business administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.

The Federation has been described as the “philanthropic heart and soul “ of the Jewish community. According to its website, its mission is to connect, care for and strengthen the Jewish community throughout greater Atlanta, Israel and globally.

In 2023, the Federation generated more than $23 million in philanthropy.

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