March 25, 2024
The Mandel Institute is pleased to announce that Eva Heinstein will serve as the Institute’s next director beginning this June, while continuing to direct the Cultural Leadership Program. Eva will succeed Ted Sasson, who has served as director of the Institute since its founding in 2017. Ted will continue in his role as Director of the Executive Leadership Program while beginning a new appointment as Ruderman Scholar-in-Residence at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) at Tel Aviv University. At INSS, Ted will work in the Israel-US Research and Policy Center with a special focus on the American Jewish community.
Eva first joined the Mandel Foundation in 2020 as a Senior Research Fellow to support the development of the Foundation’s strategic plan. She soon expanded her Mandel portfolio, creating a new leadership program for artists and cultural producers that launched last year. She has served as the Director of the Cultural Leadership Program since October 2022, bringing together a talented pool of diverse artists to cultivate their work, reimagine Jewish life, and inspire social change.
“I am thrilled to be expanding my role, while continuing to nurture and gain inspiration from our newest program for artists and cultural producers. I am stepping into this position with a strong foundation, thanks to our founding director Ted Sasson, and terrific team of colleagues, faculty and advisors. What excites me most about embarking on this new chapter at the Institute is the potential for deepening our field building work and efforts to weave networks across programs.”
Before joining the Foundation, Eva worked at Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Piyut North America. Eva holds an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, an MA in Ethnomusicology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a BA in Musicology and Hebrew Literature from New York University.
“Eva Heinstein brings to the role of Mandel Institute director a wealth of experience teaching and directing Mandel programs, as well as a passion for creativity in Jewish life, innovation in leadership development, and excellence in everything we do,” said Ted Sasson about the transition. “I am delighted that she will lead our team forward and excited about the changes she will bring about. I’d like to thank Eva, Mandel Foundation CEO Jehuda Reinharz, and all of my Mandel Institute colleagues for enabling me to continue serving as director of the Executive Leadership Program while also expanding my professional duties to include the new role at INSS.”