Volunteers
Chair, Center for Senior Services
Marvin Siflinger, founding chairman of Housing Partners, Inc., has had over 45 years of experience in housing and community development. Beginning at HUD in 1961, Marvin served in the New York and Boston regional offices and then served as area director of the HUD Boston Area Office, administering the full range of housing and community development programs. He was appointed executive director of the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency in 1983, serving there with distinction until the founding of Housing Partners in 1995. Marvin holds a Bachelor of Arts from the City College of New York, and an Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University. He has served as a member of the boards of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, National Housing Trust and Citizens Housing and Planning Association. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the prestigious National Public Service Award from the American Society for Public Administration and the National Academy of Public Administration. Marvin has also served on the adjunct faculty of Northeastern University in Boston for many years.
In addition, Marvin has contributed greatly to the B’nai B’rith International community. He is currently the chair of the Center for Senior Services and has previously served as B’nai B’rith International senior vice president and president of the B’nai B’rith Seniors Citizens Housing Committee. Marvin is president emeritus of B’nai B’rith Housing in Boston, which is the owner corporation for Irving B. Matross Covenant House I, II & III, a B’nai B’rith-sponsored senior housing property in Brighton, Massachusetts. B’nai B’rith Housing in Boston also owns a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) property in Sudbury and previously developed a mixed income condominium development located in Newton, Massachusetts. He was also a critical contributor to B’nai B’rith’s successful efforts using the LIHTC for the recapitalization of the Adelstein Family-Project H.O.P.E. B’nai B’rith House in the Bronx, New York.
In addition, Marvin has contributed greatly to the B’nai B’rith International community. He is currently the chair of the Center for Senior Services and has previously served as B’nai B’rith International senior vice president and president of the B’nai B’rith Seniors Citizens Housing Committee. Marvin is president emeritus of B’nai B’rith Housing in Boston, which is the owner corporation for Irving B. Matross Covenant House I, II & III, a B’nai B’rith-sponsored senior housing property in Brighton, Massachusetts. B’nai B’rith Housing in Boston also owns a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) property in Sudbury and previously developed a mixed income condominium development located in Newton, Massachusetts. He was also a critical contributor to B’nai B’rith’s successful efforts using the LIHTC for the recapitalization of the Adelstein Family-Project H.O.P.E. B’nai B’rith House in the Bronx, New York.
Co-Chairs, B'nai B'rith Housing Committe
Dennis Rice has served as vice president of the board of the B’nai B’rith Apartments of Deerfield Beach Florida for the past nine years. He has chaired two B’nai B’rith conferences on senior housing, in 2009 and 2017. Dennis has been active in B’nai B’rith for over 50 years. He served as executive director of both the Michigan and Greater Detroit councils of B’nai B’rith for five years before becoming executive director of two large temples for almost 25 years. In addition, he has served as president of two B’nai B’rith lodges as well as serving as a member of the young leadership cabinet of B’nai B’rith in the 1970s.
Vice President of the Board of Directors of Covenant House of Tucson Abbie Stone has served as a board member for the past 11 years. She serves as vice chair to B’nai B’rith Senior Services. She is currently a program director with Watermark Retirement Communities and brings years of experience and dedication in fields of gerontology and wellness. She is committed to providing affordable, safe housing and engaging opportunities for individuals to realize their potential intellectually, socially and physically, fostering lifelong independence.
Center for Senior Services Staff
Associate Executive Vice President, B'nai B'rith International
Mark D. Olshan, Ph.D., is associate executive vice president of B'nai B'rith International and director of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services.
As associate executive vice president, he manages B’nai B’rith’s daily administrative functions. As director of the Center for Senior Services, Mark develops, manages and executes B'nai B'rith's affordable housing programs and senior advocacy initiatives.
Mark has been with B'nai B'rith for more than 35 years. He first served as the director of the senior citizens housing program, which he helped to expand from 12 buildings to 38 properties, located in 26 communities throughout the United States.
Mark has been responsible for creating two annual housing training meetings: one for the onsite staff and one for staff and board members that provides the B’nai B’rith housing community with critical programming for the successful operations of their buildings. Additionally, Mark has done extensive advocacy work on Capitol Hill regarding issues affecting the residents. Most notably, he worked on legislation that created the service coordinator program, which has benefited countless B’nai B’rith housing residents.
In addition, Mark pioneered the Resident Leadership Retreat, a week-long program that is held every other summer at the B’nai B’rith Perlman Camp in the Pocono mountains in Pennsylvania. Open to two residents from each building community, the goal is to provide leadership training for the officers of each Residents/Tenants Association.
Mark presently serves on the boards of three B’nai B’rith-sponsored housing properties and was pivotal in using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit to recapitalize the Adelstein Family-Project H.O.P.E. B’nai B’rith House in the Bronx, New York.
He holds a doctorate from the University of South Dakota, a Master of Arts degree from the University of California-Northridge, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
As associate executive vice president, he manages B’nai B’rith’s daily administrative functions. As director of the Center for Senior Services, Mark develops, manages and executes B'nai B'rith's affordable housing programs and senior advocacy initiatives.
Mark has been with B'nai B'rith for more than 35 years. He first served as the director of the senior citizens housing program, which he helped to expand from 12 buildings to 38 properties, located in 26 communities throughout the United States.
Mark has been responsible for creating two annual housing training meetings: one for the onsite staff and one for staff and board members that provides the B’nai B’rith housing community with critical programming for the successful operations of their buildings. Additionally, Mark has done extensive advocacy work on Capitol Hill regarding issues affecting the residents. Most notably, he worked on legislation that created the service coordinator program, which has benefited countless B’nai B’rith housing residents.
In addition, Mark pioneered the Resident Leadership Retreat, a week-long program that is held every other summer at the B’nai B’rith Perlman Camp in the Pocono mountains in Pennsylvania. Open to two residents from each building community, the goal is to provide leadership training for the officers of each Residents/Tenants Association.
Mark presently serves on the boards of three B’nai B’rith-sponsored housing properties and was pivotal in using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit to recapitalize the Adelstein Family-Project H.O.P.E. B’nai B’rith House in the Bronx, New York.
He holds a doctorate from the University of South Dakota, a Master of Arts degree from the University of California-Northridge, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Associate Director, Center for Senior Services
Janel Doughten has worked with the B’nai B’rith Center for Senior Services for over 25 years and is currently the associate director of the Center for Senior Services. Among her major duties, Janel coordinates and is a speaker at an annual three-day training conference in the spring for the network of CSS managers and service coordinators and a four-day training conference in the fall for the managers and boards of directors of the CSS portfolio. Janel also provides training for the residents of the senior housing buildings and participants in the Resident Leadership Retreat, as well as at various national industry conferences: Leading Age, American Association of Service Coordinators, SPM Managers and Maintenance Trainings; and local conferences, such as Leading Age DC and other DC-based HUD-subsidized senior housing buildings. Janel also serves as the president of the board of directors of two HUD-subsidized senior housing buildings. Janel holds a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Old Dominion University.
Legislative Director for Aging Policy
Evan Carmen, Esq., is the legislative director for aging policy at the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services. Since joining B’nai B’rith in February 2017, Evan has advocated on public policy matters including affordable housing, health care and income security, as these issues relate to seniors with limited means. Evan’s advocacy work has encompassed meeting with congressional staff members on Capitol Hill, arranging visits for lawmakers and their staffs to B’nai B’rith-sponsored affordable housing buildings and working to amplify the B’nai B’rith message across our media platforms. Evan holds a B.A. from American University in political science and a J.D. from New York Law School. Prior to joining B’nai B’rith International, he worked in the Office of Presidential Correspondence for the Obama White House, practiced as an attorney at Covington and Burling, LLP, worked as an aide for New York City Council Member Tony Avella and interned for Rep. Gary Ackerman’s office.
Senior Program Associate
Gracie Cohen is the senior program associate at the Center for Senior Services. There, she is the editor of the quarterly Seniority Report, assists with programming and training meetings, and is a part of the CSS advocacy team. Previously, she served in various administrative roles in non-profits throughout DC. She brings her experience teaching ESL to adults through AmeriCorps, as well as researching adult language and cognition. Gracie holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Seattle University and a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Portland State University. She has always had a keen interest in working with seniors, and is eager to contribute to B’nai B’rith International and senior advocacy.
