By Elina D. Babadzhanova, AIF®
As I prepared to step into the CEO role at the JRB, I came across an email I had sent nearly 20 years ago to Mitch Smilowitz. At the time, I was just starting out in the retirement plan world, and Mitch was beginning his own new chapter at the JRB. What felt like a small exchange became the start of a relationship with this organization that has shaped my career ever since.
My career in retirement plans began in 2005 at Charles W. Cammack Associates, a boutique benefits firm, where Mitch and I briefly worked together before he joined the JRB.
From the start, my work has centered on mission-driven institutions in higher education, healthcare, cultural organizations and other nonprofits. At that time, many organizations were shifting away from traditional defined benefit (DB) pension plans toward defined contribution (DC) plans such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans. While these plans weren’t new, employees needed to understand how they worked, how they differed from DB plans, and how to take full advantage of their features. I traveled across the country, meeting with employees in both group and one-on-one settings, to help them understand their retirement benefits and feel confident in their futures. It was during this work that I learned the importance of listening closely to participants and truly understanding their needs.
As my career progressed, I began partnering with plan sponsors, investment committees and boards – shaping plan design, investment menus and governance processes to better align with participant needs and goals. Whether introducing automatic enrollment, adding Roth features, reducing fees or developing targeted retirement education, my goal was to provide participants with the tools they needed for long-term security and retirement with dignity.
Having spent nearly 15 years supporting the JRB as an advisor through my work with Cammack and later CAPTRUST, stepping into the CEO role is both humbling and deeply meaningful. It feels like returning not only to familiar work, but to a community I have grown with and care about deeply. The JRB is not just an organization, it is a family, warm and inviting, where people give their time and talents selflessly to serve others.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with dedicated JRB Board leaders, including our current chair Rabbi Michael B. Greenbaum. Their insight, dedication and unwavering mission have been instrumental in making the JRB what it is today.
I also want to acknowledge Mitch, who led the JRB with steadiness, heart, and purpose for 20 years. He cared deeply for participants and was always generous with his time and knowledge—just as he was with me when I began my career. Mitch will continue to be a presence at the JRB as CEO Emeritus. I am fortunate to work alongside a talented and dedicated team: Doug Spangler, Andrew Jabar, Fasia Jabar and Carmen Aviles. Together, they embody the professionalism and warmth that make the JRB special.
On a personal note, I have a strong, lifelong connection with Judaism. I was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where my brothers and I were raised by a physics professor and a piano teacher. As a young adult, I volunteered as a madricha with Taglit Birthright – Ezra division, where I met my husband, a former IDF soldier. Together we led trips for young people to Israel, Poland, Argentina and across Europe, experiences that deepened my connection to community, heritage and service. I’m proud to have brought families together through those journeys. Today, my husband and I live in Woodmere, NY, where we are raising two boys in a home and community that support both Jewish education and active involvement in Jewish life.
As I begin this new chapter, my focus is on building upon the strong foundation already in place while guiding the organization to evolve. Over my career serving mission-based institutions, I have worked to strengthen retirement programs. That experience shaped not just what I know, but how I lead. My vision is to enhance what makes the JRB special.
I am excited for what lies ahead. Our world and communities will continue to change, but the JRB is grounded in mission, guided by eternal values and surrounded by people who care. Just as that first email to Mitch was a small beginning that grew into a full-circle moment, I know the relationships we build today will carry this organization forward for decades to come.
Thank you for your trust. I am honored to serve in this role and look forward to the work we will do together.
September 2025