Marcella “Cookie” Magerer almost wasn’t hired at CJP.
It was the early 1970s. The woman who interviewed her was worried that Magerer would end up missing a lot of work because she had a young child.
Magerer, a true pioneer for working mothers, assured her it wouldn’t be a problem. She was offered the job on the spot.
More than 55 years later, Magerer — who’s now also a grandmother and great-grandmother — is still at CJP.
In January, she was honored for her incredible tenure during CJP’s Milestone Awards ceremony and luncheon, held at the Kraft Family Building.
“I just love CJP, and everything we do,” she says. “I love everyone here. This is my family.”
Building relationships
For 30 years, Magerer worked directly for Barry Shrage, CJP’s president from 1987 to 2017. She managed his calendar and travel, made sure he was prepared for speaking engagements and donor meetings, and coordinated all the behind-the-scenes details and logistics of his busy days.
Through her work, Magerer built deep and lasting relationships — with staff at CJP’s partner agencies, donors, volunteers, and members of the broader community. She always knew just who to call and how to make things happen.
“She was great about creating relationships with every donor — and every donor’s assistant,” Shrage says. “She could always get through and she’s the type of person that people wanted to talk to. At the core of it, Cookie loves this Jewish community and loves being part of this Jewish community. She becomes important to everybody she meets, and she helps everybody she meets.”
In 2018, Magerer tapped into her vast experience building relationships and shifted gears to become a CJP development officer. In this role, Magerer reaches out to a portfolio of CJP donors to encourage them to close their Annual Campaign gifts. She secures nearly $1 million a year.
In addition, she personally reaches out to donors to thank them for their generosity and partners with other CJP frontline fundraisers to assist with donor strategy and solicitations.
“Cookie is funny, caring, and tenacious,” says Nicole Vaughan, CJP’s associate vice president of philanthropy operations and strategy. “She truly embodies the spirit of CJP and is deeply passionate about this community.”
The heart of the organization
Amy Mitman, CJP’s vice president of individual giving and campaign, has worked with Magerer for 27 years.
“I first met Cookie when she was Barry’s assistant, and even then, it was clear she was the heart of the organization,” says Mitman. “I’ve learned so much from her about how to build real, meaningful relationships. Cookie has an extraordinary ability to connect with people — and that gift has shaped CJP for 55 years.”
Larry Tobin, who worked with Magerer at CJP for a decade, describes her as “a walking encyclopedia and the smartest person I know about people in Boston.”
“There’s not a person, a moment of history, a book, an article from the Boston Herald that Cookie doesn’t know,” says Tobin, who’s now director of The Shapiro Foundation. “Countless members of our community from every single walk of life have a beautiful relationship with Cookie. To say I love her would be a major understatement.”
Over the 55 years she’s been at CJP, Magerer has seen it all — and truly given her all, says Shrage.
“She’s been here for 55 years of tears and joy and events and wars and trips to Israel and emergencies that required total commitment,” says Shrage. “Cookie’s commitment has always been total. Everything she does is full of heart and soul.”