Lessons in Leadership and Community Building with Audra Berg

Audra Berg, President and CEO, Jewish Federation of Broward County

I’ve known Audra for a long time.

We worked together for almost 15 years at Jewish United Fund in Chicago, and if you ever had the chance to be in her orbit, you know the deal: she’s smart, direct, authentic, and a master relationship builder.

When we hopped on a call recently, it felt like the perfect time to catch up on life, leadership, what it’s like to run one of the largest Jewish federations in the country, and how she doubled their annual fundraising in four short years.

Coming home… but to a very different community

Audra grew up in Broward County, and now she’s leading the Jewish Federation of Broward County. If you’ve ever “come home” after years away, you know the feeling: familiar streets… and a completely different ecosystem.

One of the most interesting things she shared is that Broward doesn’t operate like Chicago.

Audra commented, “In Chicago, Jewish life is institutional and deeply generational. People grow up in a tight web of synagogues, agencies, schools, and networks. There’s a clear center of gravity. The system is the system.”

Broward is different.

It’s geographically massive. It’s diverse. And people often find Jewish community through their personal networks not necessarily through institutions. There’s a large Israeli community, a large Latin Jewish community, and Jewish life can feel present everywhere, even if you’re not regularly plugged into a synagogue or JCC.

It’s also more fluid. People might live in one area and drive an hour-plus to work. That reality changes how a federation earns relevance and builds relationships.

Translation: you don’t lead this community by assuming the old playbook will work.

“The job becomes a way of life.”

When I asked Audra about the day-to-day role, and balance, she laughed.“Ron, I’m always working. I have boundaries, but this job doesn’t really end.”

In typical, honest fashion, she added:“The mental weight of being a Federation CEO is heavy. I spent years working with Steve (former CEO of Chicago JUF) and sort of got it, but you can’t fully understand it until you’re living it.”

Knowing Audra has a husband, two sons, and I can’t leave out the dog, she’s been intentional about limits.

Audra said, “I don’t say yes to everything. I protect family time. I can’t make every event, but I attend as many as I can.”

She sets that example for her team, too.  Commenting, “The office will survive if someone else attends an event. I trust my staff, and that makes it easier.”

That may sound obvious. It isn’t.

Plenty of leaders say they value boundaries. Far fewer practice them when pressure shows up.

The best part of the CEO role: “I get the ball every time.”

This is where Audra lit up.

At JUF in Chicago, she was elite at governance, leadership engagement, and volunteer development. She understood her lane, and that she wouldn’t always be in every room.

In Broward, it’s different.

As CEO, she’s in it all: community relationships, partner agencies, security, investment strategy, the annual campaign, even legacy conversations. Not as the technical expert in every lane, but as the person who connects dots, makes decisions, and moves things forward.

She summed it up perfectly, “I get the ball every time.”

And if you've ever felt capable of more than your role allowed, you know exactly how liberating that feeling is.

“We have a great staff,” she added. “Sometimes I can pass. Other times I need to make the call. I’ve always been decisive, and leaders appreciate that. And yes, sometimes we’ll make a mistake, but we learn and move on.”

Culture, hiring, and values

Another thing that stood out: culture.

Audra talked about building an organization where values aren’t just posters on a wall.

“If someone behaves badly or isn’t pulling their weight, we don’t tolerate it just because ‘that’s how it’s always been.’”

They hire, evaluate, and act based on values, and that clarity becomes a competitive advantage.

That’s not easy in any community organization, especially one with a long history and big personalities. But it’s one reason strong leaders are drawn to environments like this: good people want to stay.

Fundraising growth

We talked about fundraising, of course.

When Audra arrived, the annual campaign was around $4.5M. This year, they’re closing in on $9M.

Pretty remarkable. With her team, they doubled fundraising in four years.

Her “how” wasn’t hype. It was leadership:

• Confidence with substance. Clear credentials and clarity about what was possible.

• Tell the truth. She showed the board where Broward stood compared to peer communities—dead last in donor penetration—and didn’t sugarcoat it.

• Own mistakes immediately. No spinning. No blame.

• Identify the right champions. Trusted leaders with real credibility.

• Build a pipeline. Strong volunteers and staff create growth opportunities.

• No surprises. Direct communication and clear expectations.

  
  

She said something every fundraiser needs to hear:“Once you’re in the CEO seat, you’re usually talking to people who are already invested. It’s a privilege. And it’s often easier to raise $100K than $10K from that seat.”

When I mentioned seeing her coworkers at a conference I led a few years ago, and that Broward had the largest group by far, she smiled.

“We travel well. I encourage colleagues to attend conferences, go on missions, and get out there.”

South Florida as the future of Jewish life

One of Audra’s bigger statements, backed by real observations, “South Florida is growing. Young families are moving in. Day schools are full. Jewish communal life is active and culturally diverse. And compared to many other places, it feels more openly pro-Jewish and pro-Israel. It feels safe to be visibly Jewish.”

The takeaway is clear: demographics are shifting. Communities that understand how to engage will attract more donors and raise more dollars.

What she misses—and what fuels her

One of the most human moments came when Audra talked about what she misses, “I’ve always enjoyed working closely with younger staff. Professionals who are early in their careers that are hungry, learning, and growing.”

In a CEO role, you’re often working with senior leaders at the top of their careers. The mentorship moments are fewer. And she misses that.

But what she gains is impact at scale.

“I don’t want to just maintain a system,” she said. “We’re transforming a community. And even when imposter syndrome flickers—and it does for every leader—I know what I’m building.”

Why this matters

If you’re reading this as a nonprofit leader, board member, or fundraiser, here’s what I take from Audra’s story:

• Communities are changing. Your strategy has to change with them.

• Leadership is heavy. Protect your time anyway.

• Culture isn’t what you say, it’s what you tolerate.

• Fundraising growth comes from truth, confidence, and the right partners.

• The best leaders aren’t perfect, they’re clear, direct, and willing to move.

  
  

Audra has always been that way.

And it’s been pretty incredible to watch her take everything she’s learned over 25 years and use it to build something bold in Broward.

To see how that vision in action, visit jewishbroward.org