Speakers - JFN West Convening 2024 |
Vanessa is Founder and Managing Partner of Tel Aviv-based ZORA Ventures. ZORA is an early-stage VC investing in Israeli climate startups leveraging advanced science to build a thriving planet, atom by atom. Vanessa began her career in investment banking in Mexico City, later founding the Miami impact company WorkSquare, which she grew to $25M in revenue. Vanessa holds an MBA from Harvard, a BA from Princeton University, and is a Heritage Fellow with the Wexner Foundation. She serves as a Board Member at organizations including the Jewish Funders Network, where she hosts a monthly roundtable on Impact Investing, the Israel Forum for Impact Economy, and a new Israeli climate tech organization (TBA). She divides her time between Tel Aviv and Steamboat Springs.
Executive Director, Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California
JPAC is the voice of California’s Jewish community to the State Capitol, and the largest single-state coalition of Jewish organizations in the nation. Comprised of over 30 leading Jewish community organizations – including Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Relations Councils, Jewish Family Service agencies, and others – JPAC advocates in Sacramento on behalf of the Jewish community’s concerns and broadly shared values. Prior to joining JPAC, David served as the Director of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, curating and implementing legislative and advocacy efforts for its 18 elected officials. In that capacity, he created an annual Tikkun Olam–Repairing the World bill package, guided the Caucus’s efforts to establish a widely-accepted statewide Ethnic Studies curriculum, and drove advocacy efforts that secured over $150 million from the state budget for Jewish community priorities. He has worked for campaigns and elected officials at all levels of government, including U.S. Congressmember Jerry Nadler. Previously, he was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs, UCLA’s first kippah-wearing Student Body President, and earned his Master of Public Policy degree from USC with a Certificate in Social Justice. David is an alumnus of many distinguished fellowships, including the New Leaders Council Institute, Schusterman Foundation’s ROI Community, Jewish Federation’s New Leaders Project, and America Indivisible’s Public Leaders for Inclusion Council. He serves as a delegate to the Democratic State Central Committee, on the Jewish Democratic Council of America’s New Leadership Council, and on the board of Los Angeles Hebrew High School. David’s professional journey through the intersection of Judaism and politics stems from his Jewish upbringing in Los Angeles. His involvement in Camp Ramah, United Synagogue Youth, Nativ, and UCLA Hillel guided his belief in justice as a core component of Jewish tradition and political activism as an impactful tool to achieving desired change. In his spare time, David enjoys dancing, backgammon, LA sports, and scenic overlooks. Zack Bodner Author and President & CEO, Oshman Family JCC, Palo Alto, CA
Zack serves as the President and CEO of the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto. Under Zack’s leadership, the JCC began hosting an annual conference called Zionism 3.0 which became The Z3 Project, a global effort to reimagine Diaspora-Israel relations.
Zack is an accomplished speaker, including as a MOTH storyteller and TEDx presenter, and writes regularly for Jewish publications in the US and Israel. He is a member of YPO, participated in the Executive Leadership Seminar at the Aspen Institute, is a board member of the JCC Association of North America, and is on the Advisory Board of the Taube Center for Jewish Studies at Stanford University. Zack lives in Silicon Valley with his wife and three children.
Sara E. Brown, Ph.D. is the Regional Director of American Jewish Committee San Diego. A non-profit executive and educator, Sara holds the first Ph.D. in comparative genocide studies from the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Clark University. She was the director of Chhange, a Holocaust, human rights, and genocide education non-profit and managed post-secondary education programming for USC Shoah Foundation. Sara has an extensive background in non-profit advocacy and in education. She has worked at the Interdisciplinary Center in Israel, conducted genocide-related research in Rwanda, and served as a project coordinator in refugee camps in Tanzania. Sara has taught courses on history, human rights and mass violence and is widely published in major news outlets and academic journals. Sara is the author of Gender and the Genocide in Rwanda: Women as Perpetrators and Rescuers and the co-editor of the Routledge Handbook on Religion, Mass Atrocity, and Genocide. Sara has also consulted for a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, Aegis Trust, and Common Circles.
Leading Edge is an organization that influences, inspires, and enables Jewish organizations to continuously improve performance through culture and leadership. To Leading Edge, Gali brings extensive professional experience in the nonprofit, public, and private sectors.
Her career began in DC, where she was a speechwriter at the Embassy of Israel and worked as a Legislative Assistant at AIPAC. She was Founding Director of the PJ Library at the Grinspoon Foundation and also served as Executive Director of the Rita J. & Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, overseeing the distribution of millions of philanthropic dollars. In the private sector, Gali was VP of Operations at an ed-tech startup. Gali has served on the boards of Exponent Philanthropy, Keshet, and the NYC Venture Philanthropy Fund. She holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
A More Perfect Union is an effort to mobilize the American Jewish community to protect and strengthen American democracy. It powers a collective-impact network working to expand opportunities for civic learning; promote ideological pluralism; and ensure free, fair, safe and accessible elections. Previously, Aaron served as President of Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah, Vice President for Programs of American Jewish World Service, and Director of Informal Education at Temple Isaiah of Contra Costa County. He holds a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in English and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Aaron and his wife Talia live in Brooklyn, New York, where they’re raising three fierce feminist daughters and one bearded dragon.
Before becoming JFN Israel's Executive Director in November 2021, Sigal served as JFN Israel's Deputy Director and Senior Director of Advisory Services. During her years at JFN, Sigal has consulted with dozens of private funders, families, and foundations from around the world, assisting them in their philanthropic journey and in the development of philanthropic strategies for their Israel giving. Sigal has developed a variety of philanthropic programs, content, field mappings, and guides for funders, such as the Guide to Funder Collaboration with the Government of Israel. Sigal joined JFN in 2015 after living in Hong Kong for three years, where she and her family were based as Israeli diplomats. During these years she served as the Israeli representative of KH-UIA (Keren Hayesod) in Hong Kong and the Far East, working with the Jewish philanthropic community in HK and Asia in relation to their Israel giving. Sigal has over 20 years of experience with the Israeli and international philanthropic sectors; between the years 2001-2011, Sigal served as the founding Executive Director of the Green Environment Fund (GEF), a unique philanthropic partnership model of several foundations, supporting the environment in Israel through a joint strategy. Over the course of these years, the GEF was a significant player and leader in building the environmental movement in Israel. In 2006, Sigal was chosen as one of the 10 most influential people on the environment in Israel by the “The Marker” Israeli magazine. Prior to that, Sigal worked for Young Judaea in Israel over the course of nine years in various positions. Sigal was born in New York to Israeli parents and moved to Israel at the age of 6. She holds a B.Ac. and M.Sc. degrees in biology and environmental science from Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Sigal lives in Reut with her husband and three children.
Danielle joined Koret in 2010 and has served as the chief program officer since 2017. She leads the foundation’s grantmaking and external communications. In partnership with the CEO and CFO, she oversees the foundation’s operations, board management, and organizational development. Danielle is a frequent speaker and writer on philanthropy and issues in the civic and Jewish communities.
Since 2015, Danielle has also provided philanthropic advisory services to high-net-worth individuals and family foundations seeking to leverage their wealth for social change. Danielle assists her clients with mission development and implementation, strategic planning, and grantmaking and evaluation.
Danielle’s prior experience spans both the public and private sectors, including working at the New York City Department of Education, and as a political media and strategy consultant in the Bay Area.
Danielle holds an M.P.A. in Public and Non-Profit Management and Policy from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School for Public Service. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication, where she minored in international relations and photography.
Danielle is a board member of the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) and an advisory board member of IsraAID. She is a past board member of Slingshot, a national organization that fosters innovation in Jewish life. She is also a graduate of Leadership San Francisco.
Danielle is a Bay Area native. She and her husband live in San Francisco with their two sons. Danielle enjoys downhill skiing, almost anything else outdoors, travel, photography, and art.
As president and CEO of Jewish Federation of San Diego, Heidi Gantwerk oversees the nearly 90-year-old nonprofit in its mission to broaden and deepen engagement in Jewish life, strengthen Jewish identity, foster dynamic connections with Israel, and care for all Jews in need. Throughout her career, she has served as Board Chair of the San Diego Jewish Academy, and on the boards of the Lawrence Family JCC, San Diego Center for Jewish Culture and Hillel of San Diego. She is an active member of Congregation Beth Israel, lending her voice each week as part of the Chai Band. Heidi holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Yale University.
Tye joined JCRC as its fifth executive leader in April of 2020. Under his leadership, JCRC pursues a just world where Jewish identity is embraced, and all people can thrive. Previously, he served as executive director of A Wider Bridge, the LGBTQ+ organization advancing equality in Israel through international support and cooperation. During his six years with A Wider Bridge, the organization grew from a Bay Area startup to a national advocacy organization. Tye spent the early years of his career in the political department at American Israel public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) educating candidates and partnering with members of Congress to strengthen the critical US-Israel relationship. He is a resident of Oakland, a proud graduate of UC Davis, and a native of San Diego.
After a long career as a CEO and senior software executive in Silicon Valley, Jim Heeger now spends full-time working as a board member of Jewish non-profit organizations. Currently he serves as the Board Chair of the Foundation for Jewish Camp having joined that board in 2012. He has also been a past Chair of the Advisory Board of his local camp, URJ Camp Newman in Santa Rosa, California, overseeing a $23 million renovation of its facilities. Jim has been involved in a number of organizations that focus on Jewish continuity. He is a Past Board Chair and current Finance Chair of the Board of Moishe House, a Past Chair of the San Francisco Jewish Federation, a Board member of the Jewish Agency for Israel and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Jewish Federations of North America. He has also been President of Hillel at Stanford, Senior Vice-chair of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, and President of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills. He earned an MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and a BS in management from MIT. Jim lives in Palo Alto, California and Lenox, Massachusetts with his wife Daryl Messinger who is Board Chair of Leading Edge and a past Board Chair of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). ![]() Chief Impact and Growth Officer, Jewish Federations of North America Mimi Kravetz has been a leader in the Jewish nonprofit sector for the past 20 years. Her career spans professional leadership roles at top business and nonprofit brands, from Hillel International to American Express to Google. Mimi joins JFNA after building the HR Foundation at Twin, a digital health start-up, where she served as the company’s first Chief People Officer. Previously, she served as an executive at Hillel International for seven years; first as the inaugural Chief Talent Officer, building a renowned talent system that supported 1200 Hillel professionals across 550 campuses, and attracted top talent to Hillel and the Jewish non-profit sector as a whole. Mimi later expanded her scope to Chief Experience Officer, working across all student impact, including marketing and communications, and international student programs, including launching Hillel@Home and overseeing Birthright Israel. Prior to Hillel, she was Head of Employment Brand at Google where she was the senior marketing partner to Google’s People Operations team on hiring, training, and diversity strategies across all areas of the business. She also served in a leadership role at Google.org, where she spearheaded educating and advising nonprofits. Mimi received her MBA from Harvard Business School and BA from Tufts University in International Relations. She resides in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband, their two children, Alec and Chloe, dog Foggy, and cats Paris and DK Met”Cat”.
In Israel, Amichai Magen is a Senior Lecturer (US Associate Professor) and Head of the MA Program in Diplomacy & Conflict Studies at Reichman University, where he also directs the Program on Democratic Resilience and Development. His research focuses on democracy, the rule of law, political orders and political violence. Born to refugee parents from Nazi Germany and Soviet-occupied Latvia, Amichai Magen grew up in the Galilee region in northern Israel. A former IDF officer, he has received numerous awards, including the Yitzhak Rabin Fulbright Award, National Fellow Award of the Hoover Institution, and the Richard von Weizsäcker Fellowship. Magen served on the Executive Board of the World Jewish Congress and is a board member of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations and several other international boards related to democracy and foreign relations. He is currently helping to build the first Israel Studies Program at Stanford University.
Amy Rabbino, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the John Pritzker Family Fund, whose mission is to help people lead fulfilling and healthy lives in vibrant communities. The foundation invests in Mental Health, Democracy and Civic Health, Jewish Life, and the Arts. Amy previously ran a philanthropy advisory practice and served on the boards of four family foundations, helping families translate their philanthropic aspirations into meaningful giving. Prior to that, Amy worked for 14 years at the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, including as the Director of Philanthropic Services and Interim Chief Philanthropic Officer, where she oversaw the entire donor advised giving program, supporting foundations, restricted funds, and the endowment. Amy has worked throughout her career to bring management and operational best practices to the field of philanthropy. Amy holds a B.A. magna cum laude from Amherst College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She enjoys running half-marathons, doing jigsaw and word puzzles, and building community.
Amitai Raziel is Executive Director of the Saban Family Foundation and Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO, Haim Saban. In this role, he serves as a strategic advisor to the CEO and helps manage the implementation and communication of key strategic projects and processes across the company that are priorities to the CEO. Amitai also oversees the operations of the Saban Family Foundation, through which the Saban family have granted roughly $500 million to non-profit organizations in the US, Israel and around the world. Prior to Saban, Amitai worked at a DC-based international business advisory firm providing multinational clients with strategic advice and tactical support in international business development, market entry, regulatory affairs and geopolitical risk analysis. Amitai began his career in New York, where he helped lead strategic planning at a global NGO and previously served as a project analyst at the international firm Mintz Levin. Amitai received his MBA and MS in Foreign Service degrees with honors from Georgetown University. He holds a BA in Middle East Studies from Columbia University, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
Charlene is the Foundation’s Executive Vice President. She has played a key leadership role in the development and implementation of Leichtag Foundation’s strategic framework; oversees grantmaking; has designed innovative and creative programs such as funder partnerships and consortia, the Jerusalem Model, the International Office for Jerusalem Partnerships, the Hive at Leichtag Commons, and others; and provides overall management and strategy development. Charlene won the 2013 JJ Greenberg Memorial Award, an international prize given to one outstanding philanthropic professional under the age of 40 each year. Charlene is a frequent speaker, presenter and writer about topics pertaining to philanthropy, Jewish community trends and social change. She is on the board of the Jewish Funders Network, formerly served on the board of San Diego Grantmakers and has served on many committees and councils. Charlene spent 18 years working for the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego in increasingly responsible positions including serving as President and CEO of the organization.
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is the national convener of Jewish coalitions working across communities to build a just and inclusive American democracy. Amy previously served as Executive Director of Integrity First for America, which won its groundbreaking lawsuit against the neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and hate groups responsible for the Charlottesville violence. Under Amy’s leadership, IFA became a powerful national voice in the fight against white supremacy, antisemitism, and extremism – and its Charlottesville case has emerged as a model for accountability. Amy also serves as a Senior Advisor on Extremism to Human Rights First, on the Advisory Board of the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University, and on Bedrock’s National Leadership Council. She has extensive experience in government, politics, and advocacy, including as Communications Director and Senior Policy Advisor to the NY Attorney General and spokesperson and advisor to the New York City Mayor. She has also worked for a number of federal, state, and local officials, campaigns, and advocacy organizations, including as J Street’s first press secretary. Amy frequently appears in national media and has been awarded various fellowships and honors, including being named a Women in Power Fellow at the 92nd Street Y, a Truman National Security Project Fellow, a City & State 40 Under 40 Rising Star, and a NY Jewish Week 36 Under 36 Changemaker. She graduated from Tufts University.
Andrés is a longtime Jewish communal leader with a history of leading successful organizational transformations. He served as the CEO of Federation CJA in Montreal and, prior to that, Andrés worked for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Community (JDC) in Paris. As Regional Director for Northeast Europe, he was responsible for a number of pan-European projects. While at JDC, Andrés also served as the Director of Leatid Europe, a leadership training institute for Jewish lay and professional leaders, and directed the International Center for Community Development, a partnership of JDC and Oxford University to produce applied research and knowledge management for community development practitioners. Before his Jewish communal work, Andres worked for IBM and was responsible for training, development, hiring, and recruitment for IBM's Latin America Southern Region during a period of major restructuring. Originally from Argentina, Andres has a multidisciplinary academic background including business, education, and rabbinical studies in different institutions around the world. He is fluent in Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Yiddish, and is proficient in Russian and German.
An attorney and CPA whose experience as a CEO and entrepreneur in the casino business helped hone and deepen his strategic and risk-taking approaches, Jerry Turk is a philanthropist and leader in San Diego’s Jewish and general community. He has served on numerous community boards and led major philanthropic campaigns. Jerry is the author of Luck: The Good Four-Letter Word which chronicles his storied and colorful career and life, highlighting the lessons he learned as an entrepreneur, casino owner and CEO, philanthropist and community leader. |