The Jewish Community Foundation’s (JCF) Jewish Leadership, Education, Action and Development (J-LEAD) program has a new co-chair, Thaddeus Diamond.

Diamond joins co-chair Bradley Friedman in leading J-LEAD, a giving circle for young adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. By pooling together resources and collectively making grant decisions, J-LEAD members are able to make a greater effect than any one member could alone. Members may join for a $500 charitable contribution, and for a limited time, new members may join for only $250. Since the program began in 2005, J-LEAD has granted nearly half a million dollars to nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving the Jewish community.

Diamond is new to the leadership role, joining Friedman, who co-chaired the program last year. Diamond is a native New Yorker who has adopted Kansas City as his new home. He and his wife, Kelsey, have three young children and enjoy being part of the local Jewish community.

“We send our children to the Jewish Community Center for preschool, enroll in Barney Goodman for summer camp festivities, and pray and learn at Beth Shalom synagogue,” Diamond said. “The people and programs that make up our community have provided us with more than just a home away from home; they’ve given us a sense of meaning and community in such a short time in a city that neither my wife nor I grew up in. That inclusion is the driving reason I have gotten so involved in giving back.”

Diamond graduated from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and began his career as a software engineer. He was one of the founding engineers on Amazon’s virtual assistant Alexa. For the past several years, Diamond has worked in multiple corporate director roles for publicly traded healthcare companies.

“I am so excited to be the co-chair of J-LEAD this year,” Diamond said. “Helping organize our young professionals to be able to give back, while at the same time getting to know new people and have fun volunteering and hosting events is amazing. I truly cannot wait to serve and give back to the Kansas City community that is our home.”

In addition to increasing the impact of their philanthropy, J-LEAD allows members to forge connections within the Jewish community. Through collective decision-making and volunteer and social activities, J-LEAD members engage with peers who share their passion for making a difference. The program also offers educational resources and opportunities for members to deepen their understanding of philanthropy, Jewish values and community needs. By educating and empowering members, J-LEAD aims to equip them to make informed decisions about their charitable giving and become more effective philanthropists. J-LEAD also offers opportunities for leadership development and is a platform for networking and mentorship.

More information about J-LEAD is available by contacting Suzanne Galblum Dicken at or (913) 327-8286.