JF&CS is thrilled to announce Michelle Simon as our 2027 Champion of Inclusion. For more than two decades, Michelle has worked to advance opportunities, resources, and community for individuals with disabilities and their families. It’s only fitting that we will celebrate her on Thursday, May 6, 2027, at the Tasting Experience, JF&CS’ premier fundraiser for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
At the heart of Michelle’s advocacy work is a simple yet powerful belief: inclusion is about more than access; it is about belonging.
A Lifelong Commitment to the IDD Community
A native Atlantan, Michelle’s dedication to special education, advocacy, and strategic leadership has transformed how our community supports individuals of all abilities.
Her hands-on work began with The AMIT Program, a centralized Jewish special education agency where she served as President for five years, providing critical resources for children with learning differences. She later chaired Jewish Federation of Atlanta’s JAccess (formerly Jewish Abilities Atlanta), where she secured funding for and led a comprehensive community-wide disability needs assessment, turning its findings into actionable programs and advocacy.
Michelle’s dedicated commitment to JF&CS and its work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) includes years of service on the IDD Committee and related task forces. She also co-chaired The Tasting Experience in both 2024 and 2025, helping drive the resources necessary for the agency’s IDD programs to thrive.
Advocating for Change Across Georgia
Michelle’s impact extends well beyond committee rooms. She has raised vital funds for Ken’s Krew, supporting competitive job placement, training, and ongoing support for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities. For many years, she has also joined Disability Advocacy Day at the Georgia State Capitol to champion the rights and needs of Georgia’s disability community.
Deep Roots in Communal Leadership
As a first-generation American whose parents survived the Holocaust, Michelle’s connection to Jewish community and continuity is deeply personal. She has volunteered in Atlanta since she was a teenager, bringing the same strategic thinking, leadership, and problem-solving skills that shaped her professional career to her advocacy and communal work.
A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and Columbia Law School, Michelle built a career spanning law, investment banking, and commercial real estate. That breadth of experience has given her a unique ability to understand complex challenges, bring people and resources together, and turn ideas into meaningful action, skills she has devoted to strengthening the community she calls home.
Her extensive communal leadership includes service on the Board of the MJCCA, the Operating Committee of the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, the Development Committee of Creating Connected Communities, and the Birthright Israel Foundation Atlanta Leadership Cabinet, which she and her husband, Gary, previously chaired. Her past board service includes Temple Sinai, The Epstein School, AJC, and the Auxiliary of the William Breman Jewish Home. Michelle is currently a board member of The Jewish Federation of Atlanta and President of Women’s Philanthropy. She and her husband Gary have three adult sons, a daughter-in-law, and a grandchild on the way.
Through every effort, whether identifying unmet needs, raising funds, or advocating at the State Capitol, Michelle has helped build a community where individuals of all abilities can participate, contribute, and truly belong.
Join us Thursday, May 6, 2027, at The Tasting Experience as we celebrate Michelle Simon’s extraordinary legacy of inclusion.