In this section:
About the Program
Organizations that serve the Jewish community operate in a rapidly changing social, cultural and political landscape. The Executive Leadership Program is an 18-month fellowship designed to prepare outstanding mid-career professionals for senior leadership roles. Fellows analyze the changing communal landscape, sharpen their guiding visions of Jewish life, and expand their leadership and management skills.
Program Overview
The program includes four in-person seminars, skills-focused short courses and peer-led practice groups. Three seminars are taught by the program’s multidisciplinary faculty and held at the Mandel Institute’s space in Brookline, MA. One seminar is held in Israel and features joint learning with fellows of Mandel’s Israel-based programs. All program costs and most travel expenses are covered by the Mandel Institute. The curriculum is organized around three strands:
Social Analysis
Fellows analyze trends in North American Jewish communities and Israeli society, and deliberate together about salient opportunities and challenges.
Ideas and Contexts
Fellows examine ideas that animate contemporary Jewish life in diverse settings, and sharpen their own visions of the Jewish future.
Nonprofit Management
Fellows develop their leadership signatures and stories, and learn ways to catalyze organizations to achieve vision-guided change.
Alongside cohort-based learning, fellows meet monthly with an advisor . All program advisors are current or past leaders of Jewish organizations. The advising program is tailored to each fellow’s current workplace challenges, unique leadership profile and future career pathways.
Seminar Dates
Cohort V (2024-2025)
Seminar One: Boston – January 7-11, 2024
Seminar Two: Israel – May 28-June 4, 2024
Seminar Three: Boston – October 27-31, 2024
Seminar Four: Boston – June 8-12, 2025
Cohort VI (2025-2026)
Seminar One: Boston – January 12-16, 2025
Seminar Two: Israel – May 20-May 27, 2025
Seminar Three: Boston – November 9-13, 2025
Seminar Four: Boston – May 3-7, 2026
About the Fellows
Fellows of the program are mid-career Jewish communal professionals who aspire to and are on track for executive leadership positions. Executive leadership positions include CEO roles in organizations of any size and senior leadership (C-Suite) roles in large organizations.
The Executive Leadership Program is coordinated with Jewish Federations of North America and Jewish Community Centers Association of North America. Cohort VI will include a mix of federation and JCC professionals, alongside professionals who work in other Jewish nonprofit settings. We strive to recruit cohorts that reflect the diversity of the Jewish community.
Fellows & Graduates
Alixandra Liiv Caplan
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Brauna Doidge
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Lindsay Hirsch
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Juliana Kalish
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Lindsay Kopecky
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Jacob Leibowitz
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Sonia Marie Leikam
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Aaron Levitt
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Ariel Moritz
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Deirdre Munley
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Rob Nagus
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Jesse Paikin
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Ashley Pressman
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Willie Recht
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Margo Hughes-Robinson
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Naomi Shapiro
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Karen Silverman
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Katy Strulson
Executive Cohort VI 2025-2026
Maayan Blum
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Allie Conn Kanter
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Brandon Fish
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Rebecca Gerbert
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Leah Greenblum
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Evan Hochberg
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Dena Klein
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Rachel Lappen
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Luba Palant
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Leah Palestrant
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Josh Pernick
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Anna Saul
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Nadav Shachmon
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Laura Shaw Frank
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Cynthia Weinger
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Shani Winton
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Ari Witkin
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Holly Wolfson
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Mark S. Young
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Jackie Zais
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Sam Aboudara
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Matt Abrams Gerber
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Marni Allen
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Steven Baker
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Michal E. Becker
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
David L. Cohen
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Isabel de Koninck
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Stacey Aviva Flint
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Derek Gale
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Evan Goldman
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Adam Kolett
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Naomi Lamb
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Lisa Long
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Amy Marks
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Judith Moses Dworkin
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Rori Picker Neiss
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Betsy Polk Joseph
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Alexandra Roth-Kahn
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Richard Walter
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Judy Alperin
CEO of the Jewish Federation, Foundation & JCC of Greater New Haven
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Lisa Armony
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Ronnie Conn
Chief Operating Officer of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Abbey Feinberg
Annual Campaign Director at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Brad Finkel
Chief Operating Officer for JCC Chicago
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Abbey Frank
Former Senior Director for Program Operations and Planning at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Meggie Fredman
AJC’s Director of the Alexander Young Leadership Department
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Dan Goldwin
Chief of Public Affairs Officer for the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Chicago
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Stephanie Hausner
Chief Program Officer of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Matt Kernkraut
Chief Development Officer for Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Naomi Knopf
Chief of Staff at Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Ashley Lasher
Executive Director of the Asheville Jewish Community Center
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Allie Lipner Rosenblum
Director of Development Operations at AJC
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Liv Mendelsohn
Director of Accessibility and Inclusion at the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre and Artistic Director of the ReelAbilities Film Festival Toronto
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Maxima Patashnik
Director of the JCRC and Government Affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle where
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Shelley Rood Wernick
Managing Director of the Center on Aging and Trauma at The Jewish Federations of North America
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Darren Schwartz
Chief Planning and Strategy Officer for the Jewish Federation of San Diego
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Karen Sher
Vice President of Community Leadership and Engagement for Jewish Federation of St. Louis
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Stefanie Tuzman
President & CEO of Jewish Nevada
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Martín Yafé
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Zach Briton
Chief Development Officer of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Jessica Brown Smith
Senior Director of Development of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Roxanne Cohen
Former Managing Director of Community Impact, Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund in San Francisco
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Sam Cohen
Vice President, JCC Maccabi at JCC Association of North America
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Andrew Cushnir
Executive Vice President, Donor Relations at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Anita Denes-Meador
Chief Program Officer for JCC Chicago
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Karen Elam
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Sally Flinchbaugh
Chief Operating Officer at the Oshman Family JCC
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Mindee Fredman
Vice President of Community Impact at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Hana Gruenberg
Managing Director of the Jewish Life department at UJA-Federation of NY
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Chavie N. Kahn
Director of School Strategy and Policy at UJA-Federation of New York
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Jason Kunzman
Chief Program Officer for the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
David Kurzmann
Senior Director, Community and Donor Relations, at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Eric Lightman
Executive Director of the JCC of the Lehigh Valley in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Naomi Rosenfeld
Executive Director of the Atlantic Jewish Council, the Jewish Federation of the eastern Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Rachel Rubenstein
Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County, NY (JFGOC)
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Sami Sinclair
Former Vice President of Development for JCC Greater Boston
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Dani Weinstein
Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ (CJP) Associate Vice President of Women’s Philanthropy and Young Adult Philanthropy
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Nataly Yusim
Chief Operating Officer at Galbut Family Miami Beach JCC on the Simkins Family Campus (MBJCC) in Miami Beach, FL
Executive Cohort II 2020-2022
Sarah Beutel
President of the Soloway Jewish Community Center in Ottawa, Canada
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Tova Birnbaum
Director of Jewish Content at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Elisa Deener-Agus
Chief of Staff of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington in Washington, D.C.
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Adina Frydman
CEO of Young Judea Global
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Sue Gelsey
Chief Program Officer at the Jewish Community Center Association
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
James Greene
Executive Director of Camp Laurelwood in Madison, CT
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Jennifer Gross
Chief Executive Officer of American Friends of Tel Aviv University
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Daniel Held
Chief Program Officer of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Renée Kutner
Chief Operating Officer at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Michelle Labgold
Chief Planning Officer of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation (GMJF)
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Abbie Levin
Senior Vice President of Operations at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Paul Lurie
Chief Operating Officer of the JCC of Greater Baltimore
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Jesse Rosen
President & CEO of the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Erika Rudin-Luria
President of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Hugh Seid-Valencia
Director of Collaborative Leadership and Jewish Engagement at Jewish Silicon Valley
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Adam Silver
Chief Executive Officer of Calgary Jewish Federation and Calgary Jewish Community Campus Corporation in Alberta, Canada
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Faculty & Advisors
Naomi Adler
CEO, Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America
Advisor
Theodore Sasson
Director of Jewish Studies at Middlebury College and Ruderman Scholar in Residence at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University
Faculty
Deborah Ancona
Seley Distinguished Professor of Management, a Professor of Organization Studies, and the Founder of the MIT Leadership Center at the MIT Sloan School of Management
Faculty
Mara Benjamin
Irene Kaplan Leiwant Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Mt. Holyoke College
Faculty
Robin Bernstein
Former President & Chief Executive Officer, The Educational Alliance
Advisor
Jeremy Burton
Advisor
Cindy Chazan
Senior Advisor The Wexner Foundation (Retired)
Advisor
Serena Eisenberg
Advisor
Allan Finkelstein
President and CEO of the Jewish Community Centers (Retired)
Advisor
Alan Gill
Executive Vice President Emeritus of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
Advisor
Stephen H. Hoffman
President Emeritus of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Advisor
Dan Judson
Dean of the Hebrew College Rabbinical School
Faculty
Asher Lopatin
Executive Director of Detroit’s JCRC/AJC: A Partnership for Community Relations and Jewish advocacy
Advisor
John Ruskay
Executive Vice President Emeritus of UJA-Federation of New York and a Senior Fellow at the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute in Jerusalem
Advisor
Devora Steinmetz
Faculty, Mandel Institute for Nonprofit Leadership and Hebrew College Rabbinical School
Faculty
David Stolow
Co-Faculty Director of the Social Impact MBA Program at Boston University Questrom School of Business
Faculty
Eligibility & FAQ
Applications for Cohort VI are now closed.