In this section:
About the Program
The Mandel Executive Leadership Program is grounded in the belief that Jewish life is strengthened when communal leaders think expansively about the future, foster collaboration within and across organizations, and draw on the depth of Jewish tradition in their work. We aim to equip leaders to serve as agents of change in their organizations and communities, enriching existing approaches to Jewish community development and seeding new models.
Over 18 months, fellows participate in four in-person seminars, virtual learning, advising, and peer-led practice groups. Each fellow will also develop a project over the course of the program that serves as a laboratory for testing new ideas, applying learning, and bringing their visions for communal impact to life (see the FAQ for more information about the fellowship project).
Applications for Cohort VII are now open! You can find the application here. Applications close May 15th.
Curriculum
The curriculum is organized around three connected areas of learning that expand how fellows understand themselves as leaders, their communities, and the broader Jewish landscape:
Leadership, Vision, & Action
Fellows cultivate self-awareness, clarify their values and purposes, and build futures-thinking and entrepreneurial capacities. Fellows bridge theory and practice through the development of a project in their organizations or communities.
Communities & Culture
Fellows expand their understanding of diverse Jewish communities in the U.S. and Canada, and Jewish and Arab/Palestinian communities in Israel.
Jewish
Grounding
Fellows deepen their knowledge of Jewish texts, histories, and philosophy and bring these sources to bear on their leadership and work.
Seminar Dates
Cohort VI (2025-2026)
Seminar One: Boston – January 12-16, 2025
Seminar Two: Israel – May 20-27, 2025
Seminar Three: Toronto – November 9-13, 2025
Seminar Four: Boston – May 3-7, 2026
Cohort VII (2026-2028)
Seminar One: Boston – October 18-22, 2026
Seminar Two: Israel – March 3-11, 2027 (travel day March 2)
Seminar Three: Toronto – September 12-16, 2027
Seminar Four: Boston – March 19-23, 2028
About the Fellows
Fellows are mid‑career professionals working full-time in Jewish nonprofit organizations across the United States and Canada who are ready to expand their impact. Successful candidates will demonstrate a track record of leading substantive work in their organizations, clear purpose and analysis in their project description, and an ecosystem orientation through engagement with institutions and communities beyond their own.
We seek to build a cohort of fellows who:
- Bring intellectual curiosity, openness, and a desire to interrogate and expand their assumptions
- Engage across lines of difference with humility, curiosity, and respect
- Value collaboration and are invested in learning alongside peers to envision and enact change
- Demonstrate an ethos of care and responsibility in their work with colleagues and communities
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
Managing Director, Norman E. Alexander Center for Jewish Life at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood
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
Chief Strategy and Advancement Officer and Interim CEO at Gather, Inc.
Executive Cohort V 2024-2025
Sam Aboudara
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Matt Abrams Gerber
Vice President, Center for Shared Society at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Marni Allen
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Steven Baker
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Michal E. Becker
Chief Impact and Planning Officer, Jewish Federation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
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
Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Charlotte Jewish Federation
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Naomi Lamb
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Lisa Long
CEO of Youngstown Area Jewish Federation.
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Amy Marks
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Judith Moses Dworkin
Senior Vice President of Campus Life and Advocacy at Hillel Ontario
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Rori Picker Neiss
Senior Vice President for Community Engagement at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Betsy Polk Joseph
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Alexandra Roth-Kahn
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Richard Walter
Chief Impact Officer at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
Executive Cohort IV 2022-2024
Judy Alperin
Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville
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
Principal and Co-Founder of Frank Strategies
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Meggie Fredman
AJC's Director of Jewish Communal Partnerships
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
Executive Vice President of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
Executive Cohort III 2021-2023
Naomi Knopf
Chief Impact Officer 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
Chief Impact Officer, 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
Chief Development Officer, Peninsula Jewish Community Center
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
Chief Operating Officer of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs
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 Supporting Foundations at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
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
Philanthropic Leadership Group, UJA Federation of NY
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 of Community Affairs, 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
Business Manager at Ridgeway Occupational Consultants Inc.
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
Vice President of Philanthropic Connections at Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP)
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 Engagement Officer, Kaplen JCC on the Palisades
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
James Greene
Executive Director of Camp Laurelwood in Madison, CT
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Jennifer Gross
Partner at Dame Mas Tequila
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Daniel Held
Chief Program Officer of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Renée Kutner
President & CEO 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 and CEO of the Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Erika Rudin-Luria
President of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Hugh Seid-Valencia
Chief Community Officer for Jewish Silicon Valley
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Adam Silver
President and CEO at Jewish Federation of Ottawa & Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation
Executive Cohort I 2018-2019
Faculty & Advisors
Karen Spira
Program Director, Executive Leadership Program
Faculty
David S. Koffman
J. Richard Shiff Chair for the Study of Canadian Jewry, York University
Faculty
Devora Steinmetz
Faculty, Hebrew College Rabbinical School
Faculty
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
Dan Judson
Dean of the Hebrew College Rabbinical School
Faculty
David Stolow
Co-Faculty Director of the Social Impact MBA Program at Boston University Questrom School of Business
Faculty
Mara Benjamin
Irene Kaplan Leiwant Professor and Chair of Jewish Studies and Religion at Mt. Holyoke College
Faculty
Serena Eisenberg
Rabbinic and Nonprofit Consultant
Advisor
Jeremy Burton
CEO, JCRC of Greater Boston
Advisor
Robin Bernstein
President & CEO Emeritus, The Educational Alliance
Advisor
Cindy Chazan
Former Senior Advisor, The Wexner Foundation
Advisor
Allan Finkelstein
President Emeritus, JCCA
Advisor
Stephen H. Hoffman
President Emeritus of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Advisor
Alan Gill
Executive Vice President Emeritus of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
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
Naomi Adler
SVP, American Cancer Society
Advisor
Asher Lopatin
Director of Community Relations, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Advisor
Eligibility & FAQ
Applications for Cohort VII are now open and close May 15th.