Ellen Shindelman Kowitt is President of the JGS of Colorado. She is responsible for representing the group and conducting meetings of the Society. Ellen also serves as webmaster and teaches the Jewish Family Tree Initiative: Workshop and Mentoring Series. Ellen was editor of the Society newsletter, Chai From Colorado, and she has participated in Society indexing projects.
Ms. Kowitt joined JGS of Colorado in 2002, having previously been a member and president of the JGS of Greater Washington, DC. She led group trips to shtetls in Ukraine, organized the translation of two Yizkor memorial books, created JewishGen Shtetlinks websites for Lyubar and Polonnoye, published articles in Avotaynu: The International Journal on Jewish Genealogy, served three years on the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Board of Directors, and held leadership roles in many of the annual international conferences on Jewish genealogy. Currently, she is contracted to write nine chapters of a reference book on Jewish genealogical resources in North America including material about records in Colorado.
Ms. Kowitt received her B.A. in political science, with a minor in business administration, from Alfred University. Raised in New York, she worked professionally in marketing management on the east coast for 12 years and now operates as a freelance contractor. Married with two daughters, Ellen also enjoys outdoor activities, interior design and spin class. Her roots were grown in Ukraine, East Prussia, the Carpathian Mountains of Hungary, Poland, England and other parts of Western Europe.
Jen Lowe is Secretary for the JGS of Colorado. She is responsible for recording and distributing board meeting minutes, as well as corresponding on behalf of the Society.
Jen first started doing genealogy at the age of 16 when her great uncle handed her a family tree void of women. In 1973, her father purchased the Texaco station in Cotopaxi, Colorado and that has led to Jen's current research project - the Cotopaxi Jewish Immigrant Colony. She joined the JGS of Colorado in 2009. Her roots are in Germany, Switzerland, England and places still unknown.
Jen received a BS in business from Colorado State University, Pueblo, and an MBA from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. She is married and has two sons.
Retired since 2002, Jen worked 33 years as a civil servant and in business management. She’s quite happy to have time to pursue her real love – mixed media art. Her projects have been published 154 times in books and magazines around the world.