Staff Spotlight Profile

Heather Greenblum, RN, Upper School Nurse, was born in Lexington, MA, and knew at an early age that her future would include working with children. At 17 years old, she felt connected to the technical side of medicine and nursing and set her sights on becoming a pediatric nurse.

Heather attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. After graduating from nursing school, Heather moved to New York City, where she began work at New York Presbyterian Hospital in the pediatric unit. “I loved working in that unit,” Heather said. “I saw a large variety of cases in the hospital, and got to work with families from all over the world who came to New York City for medical care.”

In her first year at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Heather began graduate work at Columbia University to become a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP). After working at the hospital for four years, Heather took a nursing position at a pediatric practice while studying for her PNP Exam. Heather would marry her college sweetheart, Benjamin Greenblum ‘97, during this period of time, and ultimately passed her PNP Exam when she was 38 weeks pregnant with her oldest daughter, Dalia.

Heather and family then moved back to Maryland, where Heather would take some time off to raise her daughters, Dalia (Grade 9), Maya (Grade 7), and Tova (Grade 4). Heather then took a nursing position at a local pediatric office before her ultimate transition to JDS. Though Heather has been at staff member at JDS since 2018, it’s important to her to remember she was a JDS parent first. “I feel very connected to the community as a parent, as a staff member, and through my husband who graduated from JDS in 1997,” Heather said.

At CESJDS, Heather enjoys combining family, nursing, and community. “I love working at JDS,” Heather said. “I feel absolutely aligned with the values of the School, and I am lucky to know so many.” Heather also enjoys working within the Jewish calendar, which allows her to balance work and school scheduling with her family’s values.

Heather finds her work at JDS to be extremely rewarding. “It’s amazing to be a health professional in the school setting because we really are looked to for advice. It’s great to feel the appreciation we get in return from co-workers and families,” Heather said.

For Heather, it all comes back to working with the students, and ensuring her office is a safe space. “I have always found that our students have wonderful manners and are extremely appreciative of what we do for them.”

In this unprecedented year, Heather has been working closely with our Head Nurse, Natasha Oksenhendler, and school leadership to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our students. “Things may look different in the Health Room this year but we are still here for our students, and we are constantly looking for ways to improve safety standards.”