Executive Director
Alison B. Gilreath, BA, MSW

Alison has had a 30+ year career in start-up and other organizations in Connecticut, Boston, Los Angeles, and since 1992, here in Asheville, NC. In 1999, after 20 years of work in management in the private sector, Alison founded the WNC Jewish Council On Aging (COA) and created the Elder Day Club group respite program at the Asheville Jewish Community Center (JCC). As JCOA Director she administered a variety of programs for older adults and their families. In 2007, she implemented the transformation of JCOA into Jewish Family Services of WNC (JFS), a program of the JCC. As JFS Director, she expanded services to meet the needs of families and individuals of all ages.

Alison grew up in suburban Connecticut, and spent a post-high school year in Israel at a Youth Leadership Institute that included studies in Jerusalem and part of the year living and working on a kibbutz. From there she attended and graduated from Boston University with a B.A. in Sociology. In 2010 she achieved a life-long goal when she received her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Alison has been an active participant and supporter of Jewish organizations as well as involved in community and cultural activities. She is happily married and lives with her husband Frank and their Wheaten Terrier Cosmo. She also is a proud mother of three adult children and grandmother of one grandbaby and two step-grandchildren.

Jennifer Gay, BSW
JFS Social Worker/Case Manager; Elder Day Club Coordinator

Jennifer was born and raised in Decatur, GA, outside of Atlanta.  She moved to Asheville, North Carolina in 2007, to attend Warren Wilson College.  While at Warren Wilson she volunteered at OURVOICE, Asheville’s rape crisis center where she was an advocate for survivors of sexual violence in the Asheville community. Jennifer was also a member of the RISE (Resistance, Intervention, Safety, Empowerment) project for two years at Warren Wilson where she was an advocate for survivors of sexual violence on campus.  She was an advocate, educator, support group leader, and a volunteer coordinator while working for the RISE project. Jennifer did her undergraduate internship for her Social Work major at The Council on Aging of Buncombe County.  While at the Council on Aging she practiced case management, community based advocacy, and learned about the aging population in Western North Carolina. Jennifer graduated from Warren Wilson College with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2011. Jennifer states that “I am passionate about working with people, especially older adults, and working to build and strengthen communities.”