HFLA Introduces Its Newest Board Members
Anne Corn has been in Austin for 26 years, with a 16 year departure in the middle. We are so glad she came back home!
Anne had to stop working in her 50s due to a medical condition and was so thankful that she was able to take care of herself financially. From then, she discovered her passion for teaching basic financial literacy and helping with interest-free loans within the Jewish community.
Anne is a professor emerita from the Departments of Special Education, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Vanderbilt University. She currently serves as a Research Professor (Volunteer Track) with the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati. She also enjoys working with families seeking appropriate special education services for their children with disabilities, AND she volunteers with the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH).
In the past, Anne has served on other non-profit boards as well as on the Board of Temple Beth Shalom and on the Governing Board of Trustees for the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
As a professor, she had managed many research and training grants and hope the skills I gained can assist me with my work with HFLA. My area of expertise is with a population of people who are disabled; this may assist me in working with loan applicants who are facing both general financial and disability-specific financial stresses. In addition, my research skills may be helpful when gathering data for future development of the organization.
Says Anne, “In my free time I enjoy travel, photography, hiking, and baking. I am trying to teach myself to play the piano; thus far the lessons are mostly teaching me to be humble!” With Hebrew Free Loan of Austin, she reports that she is most looking forward to “working with a vibrant group of people who are donating their time, resources and effort to help the Jewish community with financial needs. As a retiree I’ve been “re-treading the tire”. I’m always up for a new adventure.”
Jill Balagur-Conn comes to us as she transitions to retirement. She says she wants to have fun and a continuing sense of purpose to make a difference in people’s lives. When she graduated school in the 80’s, Jill was a recipient of a small HFLA loan in Pittsburgh, PA. She is now proud to give back, specifically to the Jewish community.
Jill brings her people skills to Hebrew Free Loan of Austin, including engaging, interviewing, assessing, and networking in addition to her knowledge of social services. Jill comes with those “soft” skills, along with some financial acumen gained when she was president of a federal credit union and doing bookkeeping for small businesses.
As a widow for 20 years, Jill moved to Austin from Pittsburgh, PA in 2004 to be close to her daughter who is an attorney for State of TX. Prior to Austin, Jill spent 38 years in Pittsburgh, PA, where she went to college. (She is a native New Yorker.) Jill completed her Masters in Social Work, specializing in industrial social work with EAP roles at large corporations.
In 2004, she retired from teaching at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work Masters Program and closed her private practice to move to Austin. She currently lives in Cedar Park with her Golden Doodle, Ahava.
Jill says, “I am known to speak my mind and be assertively diplomatic. {I am most looking forward to} getting to know more people in the Jewish community in Austin while making a contribution that aligns with my values. I enjoy new challenges and hope to keep learning.”
Anne Corn has been in Austin for 26 years, with a 16 year departure in the middle. We are so glad she came back home!
Anne had to stop working in her 50s due to a medical condition and was so thankful that she was able to take care of herself financially. From then, she discovered her passion for teaching basic financial literacy and helping with interest-free loans within the Jewish community.
Anne is a professor emerita from the Departments of Special Education, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Vanderbilt University. She currently serves as a Research Professor (Volunteer Track) with the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati. She also enjoys working with families seeking appropriate special education services for their children with disabilities, AND she volunteers with the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH).
In the past, Anne has served on other non-profit boards as well as on the Board of Temple Beth Shalom and on the Governing Board of Trustees for the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
As a professor, she had managed many research and training grants and hope the skills I gained can assist me with my work with HFLA. My area of expertise is with a population of people who are disabled; this may assist me in working with loan applicants who are facing both general financial and disability-specific financial stresses. In addition, my research skills may be helpful when gathering data for future development of the organization.
Says Anne, “In my free time I enjoy travel, photography, hiking, and baking. I am trying to teach myself to play the piano; thus far the lessons are mostly teaching me to be humble!” With Hebrew Free Loan of Austin, she reports that she is most looking forward to “working with a vibrant group of people who are donating their time, resources and effort to help the Jewish community with financial needs. As a retiree I’ve been “re-treading the tire”. I’m always up for a new adventure.”
Jill Balagur-Conn comes to us as she transitions to retirement. She says she wants to have fun and a continuing sense of purpose to make a difference in people’s lives. When she graduated school in the 80’s, Jill was a recipient of a small HFLA loan in Pittsburgh, PA. She is now proud to give back, specifically to the Jewish community.
Jill brings her people skills to Hebrew Free Loan of Austin, including engaging, interviewing, assessing, and networking in addition to her knowledge of social services. Jill comes with those “soft” skills, along with some financial acumen gained when she was president of a federal credit union and doing bookkeeping for small businesses.
As a widow for 20 years, Jill moved to Austin from Pittsburgh, PA in 2004 to be close to her daughter who is an attorney for State of TX. Prior to Austin, Jill spent 38 years in Pittsburgh, PA, where she went to college. (She is a native New Yorker.) Jill completed her Masters in Social Work, specializing in industrial social work with EAP roles at large corporations.
In 2004, she retired from teaching at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work Masters Program and closed her private practice to move to Austin. She currently lives in Cedar Park with her Golden Doodle, Ahava.
Jill says, “I am known to speak my mind and be assertively diplomatic. {I am most looking forward to} getting to know more people in the Jewish community in Austin while making a contribution that aligns with my values. I enjoy new challenges and hope to keep learning.”