Steven Perlin, CRM & Research Specialist, Data Management & Research, Jewish Federation of Cleveland

What was your first job?

In high school I worked at the local park as a recreation assistant and worked in the office, refereed basketball, coached a few teams, and worked as a camp counselor at their sports camp.

What’s your favorite thing about what you do or where you work?

I love that my supervisors are exceedingly intelligent, solutions-focused, and good at their jobs. They also give me a huge amount of autonomy while simultaneously expecting results. 

What is your favorite dessert?

Campfire Smores ice cream from Mitchells. Imagine a smore. Now imagine it in ice cream. Ribbons of marshmallow, chunks of chocolate, and pieces of graham cracker. Hungry yet?

If you were so wealthy you didn’t need to work, what would you do with your time?

Two things, both of which are VERY cliche: fixing things around my house and philanthropy. I would fix things around my house because it’s generally enjoyable and challenging, but also saves a lot of money. And I would do philanthropy so I could make a measurable difference in the communities that I care about, without having to do all of the hard work.