Larry Rein
President
Larry is currently the Senior Development Executive for Yachad, the Orthodox Union’s National Jewish Council for Disabilities, where he plays a strategic role in major gifts fundraising.
Prior to joining Yachad, Larry assumed executive positions in the corporate sector, leveraging his expertise in IT and marketing. Larry served as CIO of AT&T’s Global Consumer Department, CIO of Global Crossing’s Metro Networks, and Senior Vice President of Program Management at IDT.
Larry’s transition to the non-profit sector was seamless, due to his deep involvement in the MetroWest NJ Jewish community, in which he has held many leadership positions including Chair of the JCC MetroWest, President of Congregation AABJ&D (West Orange), and President of the Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life, a project of Jewish Federation of MetroWest NJ.
Larry currently serves as the President for Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled (JSDD). He is also the co-founder of Kulanu MetroWest, a unique afternoon Judaic studies program for Jewish children attending secular schools. Additionally, Larry serves on the boards of JCC Metrowest, Jewish Family Services of MetroWest, the West Orange Mikvah, the Keren Ness Foundation, Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy, and New York Medical College.
Larry provides a tremendous value-add on each Board in the areas of strategic planning, marketing, and fundraising. He has mentored and trained many new board members and has a passion for helping organizations achieve their goals. Larry has been recognized in the MetroWest NJ Jewish community, with numerous accolades and awards for his philanthropic work.
Larry received an MBA in Marketing from Pace University, and a Bachelor degree in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh.
Linda Press
Executive Director
Ms. Press has an MA degree from George Washington University in Early Childhood Special Education and is a certified teacher in the State of NJ. She has been working providing services to individuals with special needs for nearly 40 years, first as a teacher of children with severe and profound disabilities and then as a Coordinator of an Early Intervention Program and Preschool.
Her experiences also include Behaviorist for ARC of Essex, Family Support Coordinator for The Spina Bifida Association of NJ and Special Needs Director of JCC MetroWest prior to assuming the position of Executive Director of JSDD in 2001.
Harry Klein
Director, WAE Center
Harry earned his BFA with honors through New York University. He later went on to study with Larry Singer at the Michael Howard Studios. Harry’s passion for servicing others in their personal journeys has often led him to jobs that are person-centered; his first job was working with United Cerebral Palsy at age 15 in a neighborhood residential facility and an onsite day program. For many years, Harry worked as a peer educator for Mt. Sinai Hospital’s Adolescent Health Center. After working as an educator for 4 years, Harry was offered the opportunity to develop and oversee a new outreach program, geared at empowering young people to make healthy decisions around sexuality, personal identity, and self-expression.
Harry was thrilled to be offered the position of Art Studio Manager at the JSDD WAE Center in April of 2012. He worked with staff to encourage them to come from a neutral point of view while working with the members; allowing participants to discover their own opinions and giving them the ability to express those ideas with confidence. The thrust of his programming for the Art Studio was geared toward offering the members every opportunity to uncover their own abilities and develop their self-esteem. When covid struck, Harry worked tirelessly to construct and co-run the WAE Center virtual learning program. This was the only way that the WAE Center was able to remain in contact with the members; providing learning opportunities and more importantly, much needed social interaction. Not long after, Harry was asked to step into the job of Senior Manager of Program and Personnel Development for the WAE Center. Harry was ready to take the managerial skills he had developed during his years to the whole of the WAE Center. Harry worked on team building and bringing the staff together to further advance the programming offered at the WAE Center.
In March of 2022, Harry was offered the position of Director for the JSDD WAE Center; he is thrilled to take on this new challenge. Harry’s primary focus is to continue to provide a safe and fun learning environment for staff and members to uncover and develop their unique greatness. To foster a space of unconditional acceptance and safety for people to feel free to risk and test themselves. To offer a setting where everyone’s voice is cheered and deserves to be heard. With a focus on expansion and growth, Harry is determined to build a community at the WAE Center where everyone can thrive and live as their authentic selves.
Harry feels that it is a rare and special gift to be able to “come to work every day, not knowing what is in store, and have your soul filled in a meaningful and provocative way.”
Letticia Waymer
Director, Residential Services & Operations
Letticia Waymer has been drawn to work with people as a natural expression of her empathic, family oriented and hopeful demeanor. She began her career as a job coach and family liaison at the Urban League of Hudson County in 1999. In 2003, Letticia came to JSDD as the Group Home Manager in Millburn working with six wonderful individuals. In this role, Letticia feels fortunate to have flourished with the mentorship of the Director of Residential Services. This work experience was empowering, and Lettitia was eager to continue to learn and grow within the agency.
In 2007, Letticia was promoted to Residential Coordinator for the agency’s ten homes. This position required oversight of programs in multiple locations, coordinating activities, and engaging with residents, management, residents’ family members, and day programs.
Appointed Director of Residential Services and Operations in 2013 brought with it a new series of responsibilities. Working alongside the Director of Quality Assurance, Letticia took on a leadership role in promoting agency quality standards, developing policies and procedures, managing the overall daily operations of the residences in addition to training and development of new homes. She feels strongly about her work at JSDD and the many successes that have been achieved over the years.
Letticia believes in the power of taking the high road in life and remaining positive. She empowers her staff to do the same, focusing on building skills and working through problems as they occur. She likes to say: “Every day is not going to be your best day but tomorrow holds hope for a better day.”