Mandell Jewish Community Center Names Wellness Director

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The Mandell Jewish Community Center announced Tuesday that Sharon O'Brien, who founded the Center for Integrative Medicine at Saint Francis Hospital, has been named Community Wellness Director.

O’Brien, who has worked in the field of health promotion and wellness since 1988 – teaching prevention and intervention classes, coordinating health screenings, and promoting wellness practices – will be responsible for all wellness programming at the J, as well as community wellness initiatives and partnerships between the JCC and local businesses, agencies, municipalities and services, including JCC community healthcare partner Trinity Health of New England.

"I am incredibly honored to join an organization that is dedicated to improving the quality of life and health in our community," O’Brien said. "The JCC is one of the truly great nonprofit organizations in Connecticut, and as a trusted source for wellness education and engagement, the JCC will be a key referral source for medical practices and healthcare institutions whose patients need fitness, holistic options, stress management, pain management and whole body wellness. We will also work with companies that need additional wellness programs and opportunities to round out their employee benefits."

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, keeping the community "healthy" is "our most important contribution," said Annie Keith, the chief operating officer for the Mandell JCC.

Keith continued, "And health and wellness is now an essential service. Through our partnership with Trinity Health of New England, we have worked with Sharon over the years on many programs and events, and with her extensive background and experience as a wellness industry leader, she will help us expand our market footprint quickly. In addition, Sharon’s connection with our members has been so positive, that it was clear to us that she was the right fit to manage our community wellness initiatives."

"We would like to congratulate Sharon O’Brien on her new position as Community Wellness Director at the Mandell JCC," said Thomas Burke, president of Saint Francis Hospital. "We look forward to working closely with Sharon to enhance the partnership between Saint Francis and the Mandell JCC. The Missions behind both of our organizations align to support the well-being of our surrounding community and we are committed to serving people of all backgrounds, ages, and cultural identities."

In addition to being the director and founder of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Saint Francis Hospital, O’Brien also worked as the Assistant Director of the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center. After more than 20 years at Trinity Health of New England, engaging the staff and the community in health promotion practices, O’Brien partnered with her colleagues to open Holistic Health Options, LLC at the Mandell JCC in October 2020.

Holistic Health Options serves the Greater Hartford community with a variety of wellness options, including acupuncture, massage, hypnosis, nutrition consultations, health and life coaching and sound and energy therapy.

O’Brien, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Fitness from Springfield College, is certified in health and life coaching, mind-body medicine, M-technique, Ayurvedic massage, Reiki, weight management, mindfulness, and stress management.

"Wellness is not just the absence of disease," O’Brien said. “It is the quality of being in good health and ultimately taking responsibility for your health and happiness – physically, emotionally, mentally and socially. As we begin to inch out of the COVID restrictions, it is the perfect time to take stock in how we are caring for ourselves."