Alphabetical list
Shannon Alexander | Scott Casper | Sharon Dwek | David Ezer | Debra Feldstein | Sigal Yaniv Feller | Deena Fuchs | Tamar Frydman | Tzivia Schwartz Getzug | Wayne Green | Alana Hollander | Sarit Lior | Maya Natan | Efrat Oppenheimer | Alana Rahmani| Nan Rossien | Ari Rudolph |Lenore Schlossberg | Danielle Segal | Andrés Spokoiny | Reut Stoller | Julie Wiener
Andrés Spokoiny
President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny is a long-time 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. |
Deena Fuchs
Executive Vice President As Executive Vice President, Deena works in partnership with the President & CEO to lead JFN's growth and transformation as the organization seeks to enhance its role as a catalyst for partnerships and coalitions in the Jewish philanthropic world. Deena comes to JFN with nearly 20 years working in the philanthropic community, most recently as the Senior Director of Strategy and Partnerships for The AVI CHAI Foundation. A member of AVI CHAI’s senior leadership team, she developed philanthropic and community partnerships, directed the Foundation’s thought leadership program, and co-led the Foundation’s strategy related to its 2020 sunset. Prior to joining AVI CHAI in 2000, Deena worked in nonprofit marketing and public relations. She has served as a Slingshot evaluator since 2014 and sits on the advisory boards of the Gender Equity and Leadership Initiative, the Jewish Impact Genome Project, and the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project. Deena is an active volunteer for her children’s day schools. She writes and speaks widely on philanthropy, organizational culture, thought leadership, and work-life balance. She graduated Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University, Barnard College. |
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David Ezer
Vice President of Programs David Ezer leads the team that programs the annual conference as well as other programs of the Network. He is also directly responsible for the events' marketing and logistics. Prior to joining JFN, David was conference manager for Chamber Music America, a membership association for the professional ensemble music field. He produced their annual conference, developing more than 150 workshops and sessions over five years, and conceived and produced numerous other training seminars and concert events. He also worked a talent agent for classical musicians, and produced two seasons of the Bard Music Festival at Bard College in Annandale, NY. A native of Los Angeles, David was Treasurer of the Jewish Alumnae/i of Vassar College from 1999–2004, during which time the group produced an on-campus conference for students and alumni on Jewish identity. He also received an MBA in Marketing through the honors program of the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College in New York City |
Maya Natan
Executive Director, JFN Israel Maya Natan opened JFN’s Israel Office as its first manager of activities and projects in November 2008. She came to JFN with extensive experience working in Israel, the United States and in England. Maya worked for the Jewish Agency for Israel over a number of years in a variety of capacities, starting with working with youth movements’ summer in Israel programs and progressing to being the Director of the Jewish Experience Israel Unit. For three years, Maya was the shlicha of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. She managed the community’s Partnership 2000 initiative with Bet Shemesh/Adulam, and developed and implemented a wide variety of educational and issues related programs. And for one year, she worked as the Director of Short Term Programs for the UJIA in England. There, too, she worked with youth movements, in various educational settings and with lay leadership. Maya has an MBA from the Inter Disciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzeliya. She lives in Moshav Olesh where she and husband Ido are parents to Shani, Ella, Alon and Gali. |
Ari Rudolph
Vice President of Philanthropic Engagement Ari has been in the Jewish communal field for the last 15 years, both in the US and Israel. Prior to joining JFN, he was the Chief Program Officer at the Legacy Heritage Fund, and before that was the Planning Director of the Jewish Life Planning Department at UJA-Federation of New York, overseeing a team of grant and program officers. Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ari completed his undergraduate degree there in Finance and Economics. In 2002, he moved to Israel where he served as a lone soldier in the Israeli Army. Ari completed his Masters in Diplomacy and National Security at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, after which he moved to Washington D.C. (2007) to serve as the Israel Affairs Associate at the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. From 2009-2010, Ari worked in the Department for Combating Antisemitism at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Legacy Heritage Fellow, and from 2011-2013, was the Director of the Israel Research Fellowship in Jerusalem. Ari now lives in Riverdale, NY with his wife and three kids. |
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Shannon Alexander
Membership Communications Manager Shannon Alexander's prior work experience includes: Booking Assistant at a classical music artists’ representation company, Development Assistant at the Hunter College High School Alumnae/i Association, and Private Vocal and Piano Instructor at a community music school in Long Island City. Shannon is an eighth-generation Texan and did not own a winter coat until she was 13. This purchase was necessitated by her family’s move to Buffalo, N.Y. Shannon earned a M.MUS. degree in Vocal Performance from the University of New Mexico and B.A. degrees in Vocal Performance and Communication from SUNY Geneseo. In her spare time, she enjoys singing and playing guitar, seeing live music, volunteering at Lincoln Center, cooking, and exploring the city. |
Scott Casper
Office Manager Scott Casper is the office manager and executive assistant of the Jewish Funders Network. Scott comes to JFN with a background in theater, psychology and arts management, earning his BA from New College of Florida and his MFA from Florida State University. He also serves as the artistic director for taxdeductible theatre, a nonprofit theater company in the city dedicated to developing a collaborative and uniquely theatrical voice. He is excited to be a part of this team. |
Debra Feldstein
West Coast Associate Director Following a brief career as an attorney in the Boston area, Debra entered the field of nonprofit management and development. She built her 25-year career as an executive director and consultant, working to increase the capacity of nonprofits. She also specializes in rebuilding organizations with management and infrastructure challenges following leadership transitions. Debra relocated to Silicon Valley in 1999 to lead Hillel at Stanford, and she then served as executive director for City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley and as a consultant for several local and national nonprofits. She has worked extensively with organizations that deliver programs in youth development, the arts, environmental education, academic support, and Jewish engagement. Debra lives with her family in Santa Cruz, Calif. Debra graduated from Tufts University with a degree in international relations, received a Juris Doctor from the Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, and completed a Master of Management degree at the Heller School at Brandeis University. She is a member of the Massachusetts and Illinois Bar Associations. |
Tamar Frydman
Director of Peer Programs Tamar Frydman's work is centered on developing an understanding of the interests, passions, and needs of our membership in order to design impactful yearlong programs and engagement opportunities. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Towson University and an M.S.W. from the University Of Maryland School Of Social Work. Tamar is a licensed clinical social worker and her previous experience has included positions as a social worker in Baltimore City Public Schools. She has also held numerous roles at UJA-Federation of New York, most recently as Director: Network Planning and Optimization & Information and Referral Center. In that role, Tamar developed and implemented a comprehensive network structure set up to be dynamic and capable of evolving to meet the needs of the community. She also led a team that annually connected over 4,000 people to services they needed in the community. Tamar has been published in The Jewish Week and has presented at the Jewish Federations of North America-General Assembly. She enjoys spinning and is currently working on a children's book. |
Alana Rahmani
Project Manager Before joining JFN in 2020, Alana was the Program Director for the Center for Jewish Living at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, where she worked to build a vibrant hub for Jewish life on the Upper West Side through the JCC’s many Jewish learning classes, symposiums, and holiday events. Alana started out her career in Jewish communal work as the Program Assistant for Millennial Engagement at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and subsequently joined the Rabbinical Assembly as their Communications Assistant and Project Manager in 2016. Alana is a recent alumna of the Pardes Center for Jewish Education (2018-19), where she completed the 1-Year Program in Experiential Education. She received her B.A. in English from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College, and completed a Master’s in Israel Studies through the Rothberg School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In her spare time, Alana enjoys cooking Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, weaving, learning halakha, and taking walks in Prospect Park. She lives with her husband, Yonatan, in Brooklyn. |
Nan Rossien
Director of Finance and Administration Nan Rossien is responsible for oversight of all finance, accounting, and reporting activities including functional responsibility over accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and grants administration. Immediately prior to joining JFN, Nan was Controller at the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, a nonprofit based in Princeton, N.J. focused on cultivating new approaches to address societal needs through education reform and innovation. Previous positions included Controller at a privately held company in the Boston area that was general partner in numerous limited partnerships, nearly ten years with various investments houses (Bankers Trust, Merrill Lynch, and Fidelity) in finance and accounting roles, and six years in public accounting with Arthur Young. Nan has a BA from Vassar College, where she majored in history, and holds an MBA. from Cornell University with a concentration in accounting and finance. She is a CPA, licensed in New York, and is a member of both the AICPA and NYSSCPA. She recently relocated back to New York City with her husband, daughter, and two adorable dogs. |
Lenore Schlossberg
Accounting Assistant Lenore’s background includes many years of managing a variety of social service programs for the NYC Human Resources Administration and more recently work with nonprofit organizations involved in preserving/expanding public open space in NYC. Lenore is a life-long New Yorker; her social work degree is from Hunter College School of Social Work. She is also a Mom and Grandmom. |
Tzivia Schwartz Getzug
Director of the West Coast Office As Director of the West Coast office of JFN, Tzivia creates opportunities for network members to connect, to engage, and to strengthen and leverage their philanthropic work. Tzivia has a degree in Jewish Studies from UCLA and a law degree from Loyola Law School. She practiced labor and business law for several years before becoming the Western States Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League. There, Tzivia was responsible for the civil rights work of ADL’s seven offices in the 13 Western States. She left the ADL to work with DreamWorks’ founder, Jeffrey Katzenberg, as the Community Liaison on DreamWorks Animation’s first animated film, "The Prince of Egypt." Tzivia's extensive experience includes five years as the founding executive director of Jewish World Watch, an innovative nonprofit working to combat genocide and mass atrocities through targeted community engagement. Tzivia also served as the Senior Vice President for Public Affairs at the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, responsible for the interfaith, Israel advocacy, and political work of the Jewish Community Relations Committee. She is an active member of the Los Angeles Jewish community. |
Julie Wiener
Director of Communications Julie oversees all aspects of JFN's communications, including media relations, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, and other publications, and eblasts. A longtime journalist, primarily at Jewish publications, she was managing editor of My Jewish Learning, online editor at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and associate editor at The New York Jewish Week, where she reported on education and wrote "In the Mix," a column and blog about intermarried life. Julie has a BA in history from Oberlin College. |
Sharon Dwek
Membership Director, JFN Israel Sharon joined JFN Israel after living in the Bay Area and Vancouver for 13 years. She worked at the San Francisco Federation staffing the Israel and Overseas Committee. In Jewish day schools, Sharon worked as Development and Program Director inspiring donors through social and emotional experiential programs. She was co-founder of Gvanim in the Bay, developing local Israeli leadership integrated into Jewish community life. As the Head of Strategy for the Vancouver JCC, Sharon served as a liaison between the Jewish community and local government to develop a Jewish community campus. Most recently she served as the Development Director of the Legal Clinics of Tel Aviv University. Sharon is a lawyer by practice and served as corporate counsel for Evergreen Venture Partners and later became Investor Relations of the Fund. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of British Columbia. |
Sigal Yaniv Feller
Deputy Director, JFN Israel Sigal is the deputy director of JFN Israel and senior director of advisory services, heading the center for strategic philanthropy and assisting Jewish funders from around the world in the development of philanthropic strategies for their Israel giving. Sigal joined JFN in 2015 after returning from living in Hong Kong for three years where she served as the Israeli representative of KH-UIA (Keren Hayesod) in Hong Kong and the Far East. Sigal has over 20 years of experience with the Israeli and global philanthropic sectors; between the years 2001-2011, Sigal served as the founding Executive Director of the Green Environment Fund (GEF), a unique philanthropic model of five foundations supporting the environment in Israel through a joint strategy. Over the course of these years, 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. Sigal was born in New York to Israeli parents and moved to Israel at the age of 6. She holds degrees in biology and environmental science from Hebrew University. |
Sarit Lior
Operations & Finance Manager, JFN Israel Sarit Lior holds a B.A in psychology & human services, mediation certificate and studied Applied Behavioral Analysis at Tel Aviv University. Prior to JFN, Sarit was a part of the Naor Family Office and Foundation, where she served as PA to the founder and administrative executive. Sarit lives in Ganey Tikva with her husband and three daughters. |
Efrat Oppenheimer
Director of Family Philanthropy, JFN Israel Efrat is responsible for developing programs and services for multigenerational giving, as well as establishing the first Israeli Center for Family Philanthropy within JFN Israel, in collaboration with the National Center for Family Philanthropy in Washington DC. Efrat has significant experience in the field of Israeli philanthropy as well as philanthropic and cross-sector partnerships. Prior to joining JFN, Efrat worked at the Naor Philanthropy Group, first as Director of Partnerships at the Shahaf Foundation and later as Director of Partnerships of the entire Naor Fund. In addition, Efrat worked for the Mandel Foundation. Prior to joining the philanthropic field, Efrat headed the educational department at the Sexual Assault Crisis Center in Tel Aviv. Efrat graduated valedictorian from the first cohort of the MBA in Social Leadership, a joint program of Ben-Gurion University and the Mandel Foundation. She lives in south Tel Aviv with her husband and their two children. |
Reut Stoller
Program Director, JFN Israel Bio coming soon. |
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Wayne Green
Executive Director, Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN) Wayne relocated to New York in 2017 from Melbourne, Australia having worked in London and across Australia. Wayne came to New York having received an Australia Federal government Endeavour Executive Fellowship to undertake professional development and research in youth programming and service delivery. Wayne has significant experience of over 15 years in non-profit management and has worked on programs on a local, state and national level. With a background in health and community lead programs, and more recently in working with Jewish communities, Wayne has a commitment and passion to continue his work with social justice based upon Jewish values. He has also worked to pursue equality and diversity of LGBTQ rights within Jewish communities and developed change initiatives to support inclusion. Wayne believes in teens as the next generation to lead significant change to support Tikkun Olam and is dedicated to building programs to support teen giving and connected engagement. Wayne is an avid film goer and is often seen at the local restaurants eating with friends. He also has an obsession to find the perfect milkshake. |
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Alana Hollander
Community and Special Projects Manager, Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN) With a background in Jewish nonprofits, Alana began her career in the field at the Queens Regional office for Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America. She later continued on to serve as a Managing Supervisor for Hillcrest Jewish Center, a conservative egalitarian synagogue in Fresh Meadows, NY. During her seven years at Hillcrest Jewish Center, she assisted in developing and enhancing numerous programs and fundraisers. A graduate of SUNY Purchase with a BA in Theater Studies, Alana also has a great deal of experience in the arts. Early in her career, she spent several years working as a stage manager for a variety of off-Broadway productions and briefly worked as a lighting technician at MTV. In her spare time Alana enjoys playing guitar and writing music. |
Danielle Segal
Senior Programs Manager, Jewish Teen Funders Network (JTFN) Danielle Segal was born in London, United Kingdom and moved to New York in 2010. Inspired by her love of the Jewish community and combining her teaching, program management and theater skills, Danielle has worked in the non-profit Jewish field for over fourteen years as a Jewish educator, camp director and non-profit manager. She has developed several curricula, including teen leadership courses, and has led workshops on teacher training, team management and improvisation. Danielle presents at conferences and seminars nationwide about Jewish teen philanthropy, experiential education and teen engagement. She was awarded the Jack Petchey Award for Outstanding Service to Young People in 2009. |
