Ellyn Lefko

Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, Jewish Federation of Cleveland

Ellyn Lefko has been a member of the finance leadership team at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland for over 6 years. She oversees the Federation’s internal controls, audit and financial reporting, and recently led the team through their financial software systems conversion.  

Prior to joining the Federation, Ellyn spent over 15 years in public accounting with national and large regional firms in New York City and Cleveland providing assurance and consulting services to a variety of clients in the for-profit and nonprofit spaces. She has extensive experience working with a variety of nonprofit organizations including charitable/fundraising, arts, and membership organizations, as well as private foundations and schools. She has expertise in many areas relevant to nonprofit organizations including split-interest agreements, endowments, donor-advised funds, investment pools, alternative investments, and revenue recognition issues. Her for-profit experience includes working with clients in a variety of industries including manufacturing, professional services, real estate, cellular communications, technology and software, and medical device start-ups. 

Ellyn has a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University. She is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in both New York and Ohio.