Jacki Altman

she/her

City Director, Miami

A Colorado native, Jacki has been an experiential educator for over a decade. After graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a BA in Anthropology and Film Studies, Jacki adventured to Miami, FL and never left. Her love of working with young people and crafting intentional programs grew in her roles as Youth Director of Temple Beth Am in Miami, FL and as Events Planner of the Student Center Complex at the University of Miami. Jacki values learning and is proud to hold a Master’s degree in Community & Social Change (MS. Ed) from the University of Miami, as well as a Certificate in Jewish Education from HUC-JIR. Her recent community work includes managing the Social Justice Teen Fellowship, an action-oriented program for Jewish teens that examines social justice issues at their root through partnership with local community organizations. Jacki sees the world through a “we” lens. Her approach to social change is rooted in critical reflection, intentional action, and collaboration. Jacki believes that through collective work and the amplification of marginalized voices, we can upend systems of oppression and reimagine society. She is excited to work with Repair the World and serve the dynamic Miami community. Jacki loves puzzles, puns, and nerding out about TV shows/movies.

Michael Auerbach

he/him

City Director, Los Angeles

Michael (he/him) is thrilled to bring Repair’s fellowship program to Los Angeles, as he greatly believes in the power of service to bring people together in common cause. Previously, Michael spent six years as the Executive Director of Kinful – a K-12 social-emotional learning/intercultural exchange program connecting students in the U.S. with peers in South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Turkey, and Ukraine. His passion for pursuing social justice through service-learning began in the Peace Corps as a Girls’ Education & Empowerment Volunteer in Mauritania and was later bolstered while serving as a United States – China Friendship Volunteer (what a title!) in Chongqing. Following the Peace Corps, Michael served as a Shriver Peaceworker Fellow in Baltimore with the Choice Program, whose mission is to disentangle young people from the juvenile justice system by strengthening youth and family ties to their communities. After his fellowship, he became the AmeriCorps Program Director, and later Director of Public Partnerships, for Blue Engine in NYC, whose mission is to maximize the potential inherent in every classroom, teacher, and student, so that every learner thrives no matter their race, income level, or learning style. During this time he also served as a Franklin Project Ambassador at the Aspen Institute (now Service Year Alliance) advocating for inclusive and equitable pathways to service in America. Michael holds a Bachelor’s in International Studies from the University of South Florida, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In his free time, he enjoys surfing, playing video games, and telling everyone he meets why Deep Space Nine is the best Star Trek series.

Rendy Auguste

she/her

Senior Marketing and Communications Manager

Rendy Auguste is a Communications and Marketing professional who works with nonprofits to grow their brand and create mission and vision driven marketing content. After spending 6 years working with nonprofits in the Washington, DC area, Rendy is back in Brooklyn, her hometown. She is passionate about elevating an organization’s voice, providing opportunities for enhanced visibility. Rendy wanted to continue working with a dynamic nonprofit that is making deeply meaningful impact in communities locally, nationally, and beyond. She is excited to instill her passion for effective communication as Communications and Marketing Manager at Repair the World. She is also excited to work with Repair the World communities to help them build connections with community members and partners. Rendy loves exploring wherever she calls home. So, you’ll find her at a museum, farmers market, coffee shop, or taking long walks through different neighborhoods. Rendy holds a Bachelors in Mass Communications from St. John’s University and a Masters in Strategic Communications from American University.

Simcha Baez

she/her

Crown Heights Chassidic Community Mobilizer

Simcha (she/her) is joining Repair The World as the Crown Heights Chassidic Community Mobilizer. Originally from Buffalo, New York; she has called Brooklyn her home for the last ten years. She has attended Chabad-Lubavitch seminaries in Sfat, Israel and Crown Heights where she learned traditional Torah commentaries, Jewish law, and Chassidic philosophy in depth. She is a recent graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied technical design, patternmaking, and fashion history and theory. She loves the integral role clothing plays in shaping our cultural identity. For years, Simcha has been bringing together Chassidim who have the shared goals of promoting social justice and civic engagement. Alongside some of these friends, she recently formed an organization named “Ker A Velt.” Her greatest joy comes from her four children; aged 1 to 8.

Laura Belinfante

she/her

Senior Director of Digital Strategy

Laura (she/her) is currently the Senior Director of Digital Strategy at Repair the World, focusing on ways to grow and scale an audience of changemakers online. She is a passionate advocate for social justice, technology, and the forgotten histories of Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews (including her own family’s history). Prior to joining Repair the World, Laura was a Product Manager on the research and development team at a technology startup. She also worked at the National Ramah Commission where she launched digital initiatives for the organization and their alumni community. Originally from California, Laura is a KIVUNIM alumna, a member of Schusterman’s ROI Community, an alumna of JDC Entwine’s Global Leadership program, and a graduate of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice’s Grace Paley Organizing Fellowship. She has been featured for her work on eJewishPhilanthropy, Times of Israel, and JTA. Laura holds a B.A. from University of California, Santa Barbara, in Anthropology, Global Peace and Security, with a focus on Technology and Entrepreneurship.

Samantha Berinsky

she/her

City Director, Atlanta

Raised in the south, Samantha (she/her) is a lover of college football and good BBQ. For the past 5 years, she has lived in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two goldendoodles. A recent Master’s graduate in Jewish Professional Studies from the Spertus Institution of Jewish Learning & Leadership and proud alumni of the College of Charleston BA Jewish Studies program, she thrives on serving as a connector in her Jewish community. For much of her career, Samantha has served as an Engagement Professional in the synagogue sphere and looks forward to expanding her Jewish connections and knowledge as she joins Repair the World. By nature, she is deeply passionate about social action and ensuring the world is an equal and just place for all. When she’s not at Repair, you’ll find her out on the Atlanta Beltline with friends, making a new friend everywhere she goes with dogs in tow!

Lisa Bodziner

she/her

Southeast Development Director

Shana Bloom

she/her

Chief Program Officer

Shana is passionate about, and experienced in, understanding the systems and strategies that support organizational growth. Prior to joining the Repair the World team, Shana worked for 8 years at UJA-Federation of New York. While there she launched a volunteer initiative focused on strengthening non-profit organizations so that they could better meet their missions and the evolving demands of 21st century workplaces. Shana is a clinical social worker by training and started her career working in the foster care system as a trauma-informed family therapist. Through this work she developed a deep understanding of issues facing New York City’s most vulnerable, and has infused her clinical training into all elements of her professional work. Shana has a B.A. in Jewish Studies from New York University and an MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. She is a graduate of the Avodah Justice Fellowship and is a proud, third generation “Bronxite”, where she currently resides with her husband and two children.

Julie Busch

she/her

Senior Associate, Virtual Programs

After graduating from Northwestern University, Julie has worked as a theatre artist and educator, most recently coaching middle and high school students on test prep, essay writing, and college admissions at Private Prep and marketing children and families programs at the JCC Manhattan. She is thrilled to join Repair the World as the Virtual Programs Senior Associate. Originally from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Julie now resides in Brooklyn where you can find her watching reality TV and hunting for the city’s best fries.

Tori Burstein

she/her

Manager, Office of the President

Tori (she/her) moved to Brooklyn to work as a Repair the World fellow, where she collaborated with a variety of local partners to support schools, youth programs, and build community through volunteering. Since then she’s stayed connected to Repair the World as an alumni ambassador, where she led a giving circle for young people to redistribute their stimulus checks to bail funds and COVID19 mutual aid. After her year as a Fellow, Tori joined the team at ZogSports as their Customer Experience Associate. Her passion lies at the intersection of sports and social justice, so when she’s not watching live football games from her laptop or following athlete activists on Twitter, you can find her volunteering for PowerPlays, a newsletter about sexism in sports. Tori grew up in Miami, Florida and is a proud alumnus of the University of Florida. Go Gators!

Rose Capin

she/her

Alumni Engagement Senior Associate

Sarah Cort

she/her

Regional Director, Midwest

Sarah (she/her) is thrilled to join the team as the Midwest Regional Program Director. Prior to Repair The World, her passion for experiential education and relationship building led to a career as an overnight camp professional. She was the Summer Camps Director at McGaw YMCA Camp Echo for seven years. One highlight of Sarah’s tenure at Camp Echo is her work with families and staff to facilitate and implement the first all-gender cabins. While she spent her summers at camp, she led Taglit-Birthright Israel trips most winters, and was in the first cohort of Birthright Fellows. Prior to her role at Camp Echo, Sarah served as the Director of Education at KAM Isaiah Israel in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, where she ran the Religious and Nursery School programs. To better meet the needs of that community, she created Shoresh, a Shabbat-based experiential program, where children would attend Religious School on Friday afternoons, ending with family Shabbat services. Sarah has a degree in Early Childhood Education from Indiana University and volunteered for a year in Israel as an OTZMA Fellow, part of the Masa Israel Journey. Sarah is also on the board for Camp For All Kids, which facilitates racial diversity at overnight summer camps in the Midwest. Sarah is a St. Louis native and proud Cardinal’s baseball fan. She has been living in Chicago since 2012.

Rabbi Jessy Dressin

she/her

Senior Director Jewish Education

Jessy Dressin grew up outside of Washington D.C. assuming that everyone went to lobby on Capital Hill with their youth group. She has a B.A. in History and Jewish Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terps!), and M.A. in both Hebrew Letters and Jewish Education and rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles, CA. Since ordination in 2012, Jessy has worked as a community rabbi in Baltimore, MD, a city she cares deeply about and hopes to root in for a long time. She was the Founder/Director of Charm City Tribe, a community initiative to engage young adults interested in Jewish culture and tradition who want to connect in creative and meaningful ways and was named as one of The Forward’s ‘Most Inspiring Rabbis” in 2016. Jessy subscribes to the notion that Jewish tradition has three goals: personal meaning making, the imperative to be part of a collective and the charge to help make the world a better place. She could not be more excited to work with Repair the World, an organization Jessy has followed since its earliest days and worked closely with during her time in Baltimore. Jessy lives a few miles north of Baltimore Repair with her husband, Mark, and their 11 year old fur baby, Kofi. She loves live music, nature, ritual, craft beer, street art and cooking.

Jaime Drucker

she/her

City Director, Boston

Jaime is a life-long learner, listener, teacher and community builder. Prior to joining us at Repair the World, Jaime was the Assistant Director at Harvard Hillel deeply engaged daily with the precious challenge of sustaining pluralistic Jewish  life with young adults where all are welcomed with warmth, respect and snacks! She comes to Repair inspired by the way the Jewish community steps up in times of need, and how Torah learning, ritual, service, and communal connection are an endless source of meaning for all involved.

Jaime has served as an interfaith chaplain for patients in hospice, an educator with Teach for America, and chaplain at Norfolk, Framingham and Essex County correctional facilities.  Jaime earned a B.A. in Religion from the University of Florida and Master’s in Divinity at Harvard Divinity School.

Annie Dunn

she/her

Senior Program Associate, Pittsburgh

A Michigander at heart, Annie relocated to Pittsburgh upon acceptance to the Repair the World Fellowship in 2015 where she collaborated with local partners to increase food access and support local urban agriculture. Having first-hand understanding of the transformative experience of a service year, she is excited to be overseeing the Service Corps program in Pittsburgh and helping to inspire a lifelong commitment to service amongst its participants. Since 2019, Annie has been managing the Sheridan Ave Orchard and Garden where she facilitates weekly service-learning opportunities and builds authentic relationships with the garden’s neighbors. All of the produce that she and her trusty volunteers grow is hand-delivered to East End Cooperative Ministry’s food pantry located right across the street. Annie holds a B.S. in Psychology from Aquinas College of Grand Rapids, MI. Outside of work, you can find her running the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, sharing a meal with friends, listening to true crime podcasts, and rearranging her 150 houseplants.

Brittany Feldman

she/her

Youth and Family Senior Program Associate, Detroit

Brittany was born and raised in Metro-Detroit. She spent her childhood & early adulthood attending Jewish Summer Camp which is where her passion for nature, community, and working with kids really blossomed. Prior to coming to Repair The World she worked for an environmental non-profit where she helped advance sustainability efforts in Jewish institutions throughout Metro Detroit. She also spent time as an Outdoor Educator for many years where she helped youth participants foster deep connections and respect for nature through engaging hands-on programming. As a Metro Detroit native Brittany is able to work closely with the community she grew up in and is excited to continue growing those relationships and creating new ones in this role.

Julia Friedman

she/her

Social Media and Marketing Associate

Julia Friedman (she/her) was born and raised in Cleveland, OH before attending The Ohio State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She had the pleasure of serving Jewish communities throughout Israel and Ohio, most recently through her work as an Innovation Springboard Fellow at Ohio State University Hillel. Julia is passionate about community engagement and service-centered initiatives. She is thrilled to be joining the Repair the World team and looks forward to sharing the stories of those who have been touched by all that Repair has done for them. Outside of work, you can find her hiking, listening to podcasts, finding a new craft to learn or exploring her new home of Denver, CO.

Kyra Frye

she/her

Recruitment and Onboarding Specialist

Kyra Frye (she/her) was born and raised in the DC area and has had the pleasure of serving non-profits in the areas of Talent Acquisition and Human Resources including most recently at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Kyra is thrilled to join the Repair the World family and support a positive experience for Repair the World candidates and employees alike. Kyra is passionate about service and empathy and is energized by fostering relationships and bolstering community engagement and service-centered goals and initiatives. Kyra is eager to take on the role of Recruiting and Onboarding Specialist and to demonstrate a keen ability to support both internal and external operations, anticipate staffing needs and identify optimal talent to achieve or exceed goals. Outside of work, you can likely find Kyra surrounded by at least a few of her nieces and nephews, reading and/or spending quality time making memories with her family.

Nathaniel Gaul

he/him

Senior Program Associate, Atlanta

Nathaniel (he/him) is a native ATLien, passionate about community involvement, and honored to join Repair the World Atlanta as the Senior Program Associate. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 2021 with a B.A in International Affairs and German. During his time in Athens, he became active in the boxing and theatre communities. Nathaniel is excited to combine his passion for coaching, social justice, and spirituality in this new role.

In his free time you can find him acting in and producing plays with Bubble Theatre Company.

Sarah Gladstone

she/her

Senior Program Manager, Brooklyn

Sarah is a California Girl at heart, now living in Brooklyn. She has spent the past 10 years working with kids and teens in classrooms, camps, and speciality learning environments. This is in addition to working as a writer on topics such as mixed race identity and popular culture, both professionally and through labors of love. Sarah spent much of her time as a young person in youth groups and camps, and originally came to work in the Jewish social justice world as a youth coordinator. In her previous role, she created and managed a JOCSM teen cohort in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sarah is thrilled to be a New York resident and explore avenues and experiences such as arts/culture, Black sci-fi, the Atlantic Ocean, and actual seasons.

Jess Glassman

she/her

Manager, National Partnerships

Jessica was born and raised in New Hope, Pennsylvania where her parents own and operate a Bed and Breakfast. She grew up at Habonim Dror Camp Galil and continued her involvement through college, and is now an active member on their Camp Committee. Her time in Habonim Dror was vital in shaping her Jewish identity and her belief in youth empowerment through education. Prior to joining Repair the World, Jess spent the last four years working as an assistant at Moving Traditions where she was able to grow her skills in data administration, project management and cross team collaboration. 

Jess holds a BA in Sociology with a minor in Human Development from the University of Maryland. Outside of working hours, she can be found wandering the streets of Philadelphia with her dog Honey, consuming all forms of pop culture or testing out a new recipe in her kitchen.

Jess Gold

she/her

Program Manager, Pittsburgh

Jess (she/her) is a Pittsburgh-based educator and organizer with a background in social justice-oriented youth and community engagement. Her commitment to this work is deeply informed by Jewish values, and she is thrilled for the opportunity to put those values into action with Repair the World – Pittsburgh as the Program Manager. Most recently, Jess served as the Program Coordinator for the Center for Youth Media Advocacy and Social Justice Institutes at Carlow University, where she led initiatives educating for social justice and spearheaded a citywide Youth Voice Working Group. Prior to this, she was the Program Manager of Assemble, a community space for art and technology, where she previously worked as an educator. In 2013, she co-founded the Community Mixtape Project, a program that harnesses the power of media and technology-based arts education to amplify the individual and collective stories of Pittsburgh-area youth. She has over 10 years of experience with youth and community engagement work, and she has designed, coordinated, and facilitated programs with Remake Learning, Repair the World – Pittsburgh’s PeerCorps program, the Warhol Museum, the YMCA’s Y-Creator Space, the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, and more. Jess currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for Pittsburgh’s Ratzon: Center for Healing and Resistance and organizes with a local mutual aid group.

Cindy Greenberg

she/her

President and CEO

Cindy (she/her) is the President and CEO of Repair the World, whose mission is to mobilize Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service. She was the founding executive director of Repair the World NYC, where she built a robust program focused on mobilizing the Jewish community to meet pressing local needs through service and learning in Central Brooklyn and Harlem. Previously, she worked for Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life for fifteen years, including as the executive director of NYU’s Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life. Cindy holds a masters degree in Non-Profit Management from NYU’s Wagner School and is the recipient of the Schusterman Fellowship, the Shirley Chisholm Women of Excellence Award, the Bed Stuy Campaign Against Hunger Harvest Heroes Award, and Hillel’s Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence award. Cindy lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Dan, and their three children.

Eli Greenstein Jacober

he/him

Director of Campaigns

Eli (he/him) grew up in the Bay Area of Northern California and is always looking for ways to connect to the diverse community around him through food justice & service projects. Prior to working at Repair, Eli helped found a non-profit focused on employment for adults with diverse abilities, worked as a corporate social responsibility consultant and managed teams focused on compliance and operations work. Eli is grateful that he can now bring his passion for Jewish values-based work to this role and inspire others to engage with Repair to take action on both a local and national level.

Hannah Grossman

she/her

New York Program Director

Hannah Grossman is an educator and curriculum designer who believes that experiential, values-based teaching has the power to change the world. Previously, Hannah spent four years at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn where she was the Assistant Director of the K-12 religious school. She has also worked as the Education Director at Young Judaea Camp Tel Yehudah, in the Alumni & Community Engagement department at Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps, and as a curriculum writer in various capacities throughout NYC. Hannah has combined her passion for teaching and her thirst for travel by volunteering for a year with the Joint Distribution Committee in India and by participating in the rebirth of Jewish communal life in the Czech Republic. Hannah also spent a fabulous year studying at the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators in Israel! Hannah holds an M.A. in Experiential Jewish Education, an M.A. in Bible, and a certificate in Israel education from The Jewish Theological Seminary. She also holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature, a B.A. in Judaic & Near Eastern Studies, and a certificate in Coastal & Marine Sciences from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. You can regularly find Hannah swimming laps, studying marine biology, practicing improv, trying to learn the saxophone, or illustrating her children’s book!

Lauren Halperin

she/her

Program Manager, Bay Area

After getting a degree in English from the University of Michigan, Lauren came to Berkeley to participate in the Urban Adamah fellowship which deepened her understanding of her own Jewish identity and how it weaves into the world around her. Most recently, Lauren’s been living and learning in Moishe House Oakland Lake Merritt, a Bay Area hub within an international network of Jewish communal homes. Lauren has been working towards food justice and security in the Oakland community as a three-cohort member of the Service Corps, and is excited to continue building and growing within this movement.

Haley Harper

she/her

Grants Manager

Haley (she/her) is thrilled to join the Repair the World team and support sustainable growth as the Grants Manager. Graduating with a degree in English from the University of Arizona, Haley has worked with several nonprofits to share their mission and impact to foster relationships and bolster community engagement. Most recently, Haley facilitated many of the fundraising and outreach efforts of a nonprofit serving youth experiencing homelessness in Phoenix, Arizona. Haley has served as an AmeriCorps Volunteer to help refugee youth achieve their educational goals, and also as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Rwanda to create sustainable resource access for teachers and students. Experiences as both a volunteer and staff member at nonprofits has made her a strong believer in the tremendous impact one person can have by donating their time. Passionate about storytelling, Haley is eager to share the important work done by Repair the World. In her free time, Haley can be found reading mystery novels, hiking the Arizona mountains, and playing with her dog.

Bailey Humyn

he/him

Development Operations Associate

Bailey (he/him) is excited to join the Repair the World team as the Development Operations Associate. He studied Political Science with a focus on national identity formation and democratization in Eastern Europe at New College of Florida. Before joining Repair the World, Bailey worked as a Program Manager at Best Buddies, supporting inclusive programs at schools for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in South Florida. Bailey looks forward to supporting the inclusive, justice oriented Jewish communities and service opportunities that Repair the World creates as a part of its development team. In his free time, Bailey can be found walking to his favorite ice cream shop, playing with his cats, and baking bread.

Loal Isaacs

he/him

Regional Director, West

Loal (he/him) knows what it is like to need help. This knowledge has driven him to strive to preserve and elevate the dignity of all those in his community for over two decades. Through his work with thousands of youth, families and educators, Loal has consistently developed opportunities for learning, growth and kindness, striving to create a more just and compassionate future for us all.

As a lifelong member of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish community, Loal has served in roles for multiple organizations including the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, the Helen Diller Family Foundation and URJ Camp Newman. He leveraged each opportunity in hopes of paving the way for future leader to make a greater impact.

Loal is the proud father of two remarkable young people who serve as a constant source of motivation and inspiration to his work.

Spencer Kaseff

he/him

Senior Program Associate, Los Angeles

Lauren Koenig

she/her

Data Strategy Senior Manager

Lauren (she/her) is an enthusiastic, motivated and dependable analytics guru. She is the Data Strategy Senior Manager at Repair the World, focusing on driving and improving Salesforce use while promoting a strong data-informed culture. Lauren is certified in Practicing Positive, Purpose-Driven Leadership and Youth Mental Health First Aid. Before joining Repair, Lauren managed Patient Safety and Client Financial Analytics for CVS Health. She served as a Community Engager for JCC 20s and 30s, received the BBYO Great Midwest Region’s Advisor of the Year Award, served on national and state leadership for the CVS Health Women Inspiring Success and Excellence (WISE) Colleague Resource Group, and received numerous recognitions from CVS Health during her tenure. Lauren received her Bachelors of Science in Microbiology and Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology from The Ohio State University where she was a proud member of Alpha Epsilon Phi and served on the Hillel Board (she still has a love of football!). Lauren lives in Buffalo Grove, Illinois and enjoys spending time with family (including her husband, daughter and dog) and friends!

Landry Levine

they/them

Operations Associate, New York

Landry is excited to work towards social change alongside the team at Repair the World! They previously worked as the Student Experience Coordinator at New York City Guitar School, one of the largest music schools in the city, where they enjoyed creating a welcoming community that supported teachers and students alike in defining and achieving personal greatness. A graduate of Vassar College with a B.A. in Philosophy and Drama, Landry was active on campus in experimental performance and in the Jewish-Palestinian solidarity movement.  Originally from Texas, they have spent the past several years in Brooklyn as a dedicated organizer for racial, economic, and gender justice.  In all their work they strive to see the big picture alongside everyday details, combining the creativity and collaboration they picked up in theater with the organization and problem solving they also picked up in theater. They enjoy making art with friends, playing music, ranting about the news, occasional blogging, and learning new things in increasingly deep internet rabbit holes (most recently: building computers!).

Melissa Levine

she/her

Senior Director of Immersive Service

Melissa is thrilled and honored to join Repair the World as Service Corps Director. Melissa was born and raised in South Florida and graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park. (Go Terps!!) During her time at UMD, she was incredibly involved in Jewish life on campus and participated in multiple Repair Alternative Spring Break trips. She also volunteered with the many Jewish social action groups on campus which is also where she met her husband! Melissa began her career in the Jewish nonprofit world at the Foundation for Jewish Camp where she spent many years working on multiple impactful programs to strengthen the field and provide for more Jewish campers to have life-changing summers at camp. Following FJC, she worked at the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey developing it’s camp department. After experiencing her first winter with a newborn baby, Melissa’s Cuban roots needed to move back home to Florida and she began in a new role as Director of Florida Partnerships for Hillel International. In this role, Melissa worked closely with the 10 Hillels in Florida and major Jewish Federation funders to ensure the Hillels were achieving operational excellence and continually increasing their engagement of Jewish college students. Melissa is excited to continue on her path in the Jewish world dedicating her time to Repair the World and the Service Corp. Melissa lives in Cooper City, Florida with her husband and three children, Logan, Darcy, and Owen. Melissa is passionate about all things summer camp, making funny Instagram posts of her kids, and spending time with her family.

Rachel Libros

she/her

Fellowship Director

Rachel (she/her) comes to Repair the World with a variety of professional and academic experience centered around social justice and social change. Since obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Peace Studies at Goucher College in Baltimore, Rachel worked as a case manager at both a homeless shelter and a refugee resettlement agency, and spent time working on a community led agricultural development project in rural Tanzania. Inspired to support more systemic forms of change, Rachel pursued a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Before stepping into the Fellowship Director role, Rachel built and launched Repair’s teen and family engagement programs in Pittsburgh.

Celia Livshin

she/her

Senior Director of National Partnerships Strategy

Celia Livshin (she/her/hers) is honored to join Repair the World as the Senior Director of National Partnerships Strategy. A native Midwesterner, Celia started her career in coordinating weddings and events, before taking the jump into the Jewish non-profit sector. For the last 10 years, Celia has worked at BBYO coaching professionals across the Midwest, East Coast, and Canada to create opportunities and programs allowing thousands of teens to find their home in the Jewish world. Celia has a B.S. from The Ohio State University in Business Administration and Marketing, and a Certificate from Hebrew Union College in Experiential Education. Celia lives in Cleveland, OH with her husband, Gene, and their three children and rescue pup, Rooney.

Ahkasha Love

she/her

Program Associate, Baltimore

Ahkasha (She/Her) was born in Hawaii, raised in Baltimore, and came of age in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Growing up in these disparate settings acculturated her to the diversity of human experience and inspired her interest in social justice, public policy, intercultural exchange, and world languages. Pursuing these interests led her to graduate from the University of Hawaii Manoa, where she received a B.A. in Japanese Language and a B.A. in Second Language Studies. She is a member of the Japanese National Honor Society and an alumna of the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship (Japan) and the Critical Language Scholarship program (Korea).

After graduation Ahkasha worked as a second language teacher, ESL program resident assistant, and staff translator. In 2018 she felt called to turn her work towards public service and became a Committee Clerk at the Hawaii State House of Representatives, where she provided administration to the Public Safety Committee and managed the progress of bills through the House. Following her time at the state legislature, she worked for a large community foundation providing program and grant management for initiatives related to early childhood mental health, education, covid relief, hunger, and homelessness.

Since returning to Baltimore Ahkasha has joined Repair the World as a Program Associate. She looks forward to putting action behind her faith by serving others and supporting the community.Ahkasha enjoys all the little things in life.

Her hobbies include gardening, hiking, cooking, reading, scifi, capoeira, and travel.

Julia Malaga

she/her

Chief Operating Officer

Jules Mallis

they/them

Executive Director, Pittsburgh

Jules (they/them) is the City Director of social justice based service organization, Repair The World Pittsburgh. They have been organizing youth programs and creative endeavors for the past 12 years in Pittsburgh. Mallis is a multimedia artist, VJ, DJ and educator working with digital media, paint, installation, performance, sound and audience interaction. Their work focuses on building community, audio-visual experiences, speaking truth, and imagining new landscapes. Mallis has exhibited, performed and curated work across the United States including at The Andy Warhol Museum, The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Coaxial Arts Foundation, PhilaMOCA, MOCA Cleveland, Baby’s All Right, The Silent Barn, Fringe Arts and more. Mallis has a joint degree in Studio Art with a concentration in Electronic Time-Based Media and in Cultural Anthropology from Carnegie Mellon University. Mallis was the Creative Director of art gallery and creative hub BOOM Concepts from 2014-2018, where they helped develop and carry out monthly artist exhibitions and programming. BOOM is dedicated to the advancement of POC and LGBTQIA creative entrepreneurs. BOOM Concepts serves as a space for field building, knowledge sharing, peer to peer mentorship, and storytelling. Mallis was recognized as Creator of the Year by the Pittsburgh Technology Council in 2016, alongside longtime collaborator DS Kinsel under their creative moniker “Magic Organs”. In 2018, Mallis was commissioned to paint a 1000+ feet mural on the ground of Strawberry Way in Downtown Pittsburgh. It features colorful imagery interlaced within an interactive game asking bold questions about equity and justice to the audience. In addition to their work as an artist, they have built up and led the Positive Spin youth cycling program over the last decade. Across two different organizations in Pittsburgh (Bike Pittsburgh and MGR Youth Empowerment) they worked tirelessly with Pittsburgh public schools and area charter schools to ensure students in grades 4-12 had enriching and engaging after school and summer activities related to bike safety. Engaging with all people about bike safety became central to their work with Bike Pittsburgh for many years, resulting in them organizing and hosting Bike Pittsburgh’s 6th annual women and non-binary biking forum. This forum sought to add elements of solidarity, community, and understanding amongst women and non-binary people through the lens of biking and transportation accessibility. These same themes of community, mentorship, solidarity, personal enrichment, and accessibility run through all endeavors Mallis is involved with. Whether at work or in the artist’s studio, their vision is constantly aimed towards how to better the future for themselves and other people, one day at a time.

Alli Marbach

she/her

Senior Associate, Atlanta

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Alli has always had a passion for social justice, community, and giving back.

While her career path might look a bit different, Alli is so thrilled to be part of Repair the World as the Senior Associate in Atlanta. Alli studied Business and Spanish at the University of Texas at Austin, and after graduating, she found an exciting job in HR at Texas Instruments. After a few years, Alli decided to pursue a long time dream of becoming a small business owner and she opened and ran a successful dessert catering company in Atlanta.

While she loved making her customers’ dessert dreams come true, she missed the camaraderie of working with a team and wanted to be part of an organization that worked to make the world a better place. The opportunity to join the Repair the World team came at the perfect time in Alli’s career, and she’s thrilled to be able to contribute to such a wonderful organization.

She lives in Marietta with her fiancé, Ben, and their dogs, Sophie and Hulk.

Janu Mendel

he/him

Senior Director of Community Impact

Janu was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica where he had his bar mitzvah in a sand-floored synagogue and developed his life-long love of reggae music. He completed his B.Sc. in Political Science in 2005 at the University of the West Indies. He immigrated to the United States in 2006, working in corporate business for seven years. Seeking something more meaningful, he found his home in Miami’s Jewish community and realized that this was where he belonged professionally. He was recruited as an Outreach Fellow for Temple Beth Am in 2013 and managed their young-adult engagement efforts for five years. Concurrently, he spent three years on staff as the Director of Engagement at the University of Miami Hillel. The opportunity to take a more active role in community building and civic engagement led him to his current role as founding Executive Director of Repair the World Miami. Janu is an alumnus of the Pardes Summer Program and Bend the Arc’s Selah Leadership Program for Jews of Color, as well as a member of the ROI Community and a current Wexner Field Fellow.

Trudy Morse

she/her

Manager, Jewish Education

Trudy (she/her) is the Manager of Jewish Education at Repair the World. Prior to working for Repair the World, Trudy was a  Springboard Ezra Jewish Education Fellow at Stony Brook Hillel cultivating diversity and inclusion across religious and cultural lines. As a queer Southern Jew who studied International Politics, Trudy loves combine her two passions of Judaism and social justice in this new position. Currently, Trudy is working on her MA Ed from the Jewish Theological Seminary. In her free time, you can find Trudy hosting Shabbat dinners, cooking multiple-course meals, reading, and walking her dog Leo with her fiance Marlee in the gorgeous Los Angeles weather.

Dahiana Tavarez Nanda

she/her

Controller

Dahiana is an experienced accounting and finance professional with a demonstrated history of working in the nonprofit industry. She takes a tremendous amount of pride in serving the not for profit sector and helping colleagues. Dahiana graduated with a BBA in Accounting from Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College. Her most recent roles were Finance Director at American Arbitration Association and Accounting Supervisor at The Legal Aid Society.

Dahiana lives on Long Island with her husband and their two children. During her free time, she enjoys traveling to new places and learning about new things.

Ryan Newberry

he/him

Senior Manager, Development

Ryan (he/him) is thrilled to contribute to Repair the World’s sustainability and growth through the power of storytelling and relationship building. He took the scenic route to the nonprofit world, working first as a newspaper editor and then as a marketing copywriter. Volunteering as an English teacher for refugees and immigrants inspired Ryan to pursue a new career path, one that would leverage both his strategic communications skills and his passion for equity and justice. This call to serve led him to NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service — where he earned a master’s in nonprofit management — and ultimately to Repair the World.

Speaking of scenic routes, Ryan enjoys traveling, hiking, playing disc golf, and taking long walks with his wife, daughter, and pup in their South Orange, NJ, neighborhood. He’s a native Texan (howdy!), a non-native Spanish-speaker (¡hola!), and did his undergrad at the University of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!).

Dexter Nurse

he/him

Crown Heights Afro-Caribbean Community Mobilizer

Native of Crown Heights Brooklyn, Dexter is a self taught trumpeter, music composer, performer, and board member at Carnegie Hall’s, Musical Connections program; Musicambia; Creative Times; and Azalea Blossoms. Prior to work at Repair the World Dexter worked as the Senior Client Services Associate for the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund and Post Release Coordinator at (BCBF) New York Immigrant Freedom Fund where he served as a case worker, and organizer for both innovative criminal and immigration justice platforms. Dexter is currently a mentor for formerly incarcerated adults at the Touchdown organization and has served as a mentor for the Youth Assistance Program at the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Dexter holds his BS in Behavioral Science from Mercy College. Dexter is passionate about advocating and bringing communities together and remains committed to serving all members of his community. When not working you can find Dexter partaking in hobbies that include learning about cultures and languages; furniture building, fishing, bowhunting, restoring vintage items, and cooking all sort cultural dishes. Most of all he loves spending quality time with his family.

Kate O’Bannon

she/her

Chief Strategy Officer

Kate (she/her) leads Repair’s strategic planning, works with Repair’s Board of Directors and key stakeholders, oversees development and digital strategy, and serves on Repair’s Executive Team. She enjoys fusing her passions for tikkun olam, Judaism, and relationship building with other passionate leaders on the Repair team. Prior to joining Repair in 2017, Kate worked at the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, where she supported the Foundation’s efforts to connect and support global networks of young Jewish adults. She started her career by completing a service year as a JDC Global Service Corps Fellow in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Kate studied at the University of Virginia and outside of work, serves on the boards and executive committees of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Hillel at the University of Virginia. Kate is a recipient of the JPRO Network Young Professional Award. She lives in San Francisco, California with her husband, Clark, is an avid traveler, and can usually be found sipping on green tea and staying active through trying out the latest fitness trends, cooking (especially Asian cuisine as an homage to her Filipina heritage), and volunteering.

Rose Osburn

she/her

Marketing & Recruitment Associate

Rose (she/her) was born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI where she grew up surrounded by a core community of artists, musicians, and altruists. These influences became fixed values and took her to The College of Wooster where she majored in Sociology focusing on issues of housing and food insecurity. Serving as a Repair the World Pittsburgh fellow in 2018-19, she had the privilege of working with Grow Pittsburgh, Just Harvest, Sankofa Village Community Garden, and many passionate Pittsburgh food justice advocates. She was motivated to continue this work after the fellowship and became the Volunteer and In-kind Coordinator for Thrive DC, an organization working to prevent and end food insecurity and provide direct services to folks at-risk or experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C. She is excited to return to Repair to support building capacity within the Corps and Fellowship as well as foster partnerships and promote the work of the organization. During Rose’s free time, she is walking her and her partners dog while searching for mushrooms, going to a concert, or keeping up to date with social justice movements.

Ailbhe Pascal

they/them

Data Associate

Ailbhe is a storyteller based in occupied Coaquannock (“Philadelphia”). They come to Repair as a community-rooted data nerd who sees numbers as one way to access the story of an initiative. Find them studying transformative possibilities, writing love poems, or spending time with trees.

From my years in food justice organizing, Repair the World is an organization I have come to know and trust. I’m excited to now join such a motivated and influential team, working on issues near to my heart, all while honing my spreadsheet skills. Yes, I love me a beautiful spreadsheet.

Ilana Pond

she/her

Program Associate, Chicago

Raised in Chicago’s north suburbs, Ilana moved to the city in 2020 to pursue her degree at DePaul University. There she studies to obtain her bachelor’s in Business Management with a minor in Community Service and will be graduating in June 2023. Ilana is a DePaul Community Service Scholar and has focused her studies on systemic racism and environmental justice. She has worked in different segments of nonprofits, ranging from the Telpochcalli Community Education Project to develop their STEM Social Justice program, to distributing groceries at Care for Real.

Growing up in a Jewish home, attending shul, and baking traditional Ashkenazi foods with her Bubbe created a special appreciation for her Jewish roots at a young age. This has continued throughout her life and college experience. In August 2022, Ilana was part of an Interfaith Leadership Delegation Trip to Israel/Palestine with Metro Chicago. There, she had an immersive social justice experience where the focus was to help mend the political climate on campus through educational travel. While on her trip she expanded upon Judaism and social justice, connecting both her passion for non-profit work and her upbringing.

Ilana just took part in the Fall 2022 Service Corps with Repair and is thrilled to be returning to now fill the role of the Chicago Program Associate. She is passionate about expanding volunteer services and social justice education. During Ilana’s free time, you will find her reading, trying out a new vegan restaurant, or spending time with family and friends.

Samantha Pride

she/her

Director of Operations

Samantha (she/her) graduated from Oregon State University with a B.A. in Sociology and B.A. in International Studies. Her passion for service – learning programs and volunteering started when she served as a City Year AmeriCorps Member in Philadelphia. She later graduated with a M.A. in International Development and Social Change from Clark University where she completed original research in Brazil on women’s political attitudes. Samantha returned to City Year in New York to work as a Grants and Compliance Manager for their portfolio of city and state funding. In her role, she is looking forward to supporting the growth of Repair the World through among other things, building people friendly systems. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys hiking, reading, traveling and spending time with her husband and family.

Hannah Prince

she/they

New York Teen Program Senior Associate

Hannah (she/they) is a native New Yorker passionate about the power of community and is excited to re-join the Repair the World team as the Brooklyn Teen Associate! She’s spent the last two years inhabiting different parts of the Repair ecosystem; as a Fellow and Senior Fellow, Hannah served at local partners fighting food, education, and incarceration justice. This summer, Hannah got a taste of the Teen Service Corps world, and is excited to continue engaging with teens around NYC who are creating the world they want to see using a social justice lens.

Prior to joining Repair, Hannah received a B.A. in Developmental Psychology and Education Studies from Bates College and has spent time working with youth of all identities, abilities, and ages, including as a school counselor. Be sure to talk to Hannah about their favorite stops along the Maine coast, their reality TV recommendations, and the most obscure of craft projects!

Wendy Rhein

she/her

Senior Director of Philanthropy

Wendy Rhein (she/her/hers) is honored to join Repair the World as its Senior Director of Development, leading the national development team and supporting the local development activities in Repair cities and communities throughout the US. Wendy is a life-long nonprofit professional who invests her time in causes critical to social justice and building a global community. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, Wendy has spent much of her career in development with large and small organizations leading large fundraising and communications campaigns, organizational development, strategic planning, foundation giving, individual giving, major gifts, special events and corporate support. Wendy has created a niche in driving strategic development in times of organizational change and growth and building new departments and teams. Most recently, Wendy was the Chief of Staff at the World Food Program USA, and prior to that served as the Managing Director for UNICEF USA in Washington DC. Previous roles in the service sector include Chief Strategy & Engagement Officer for the Points of Light Foundation. She created the first private fundraising programs at the Legal Services Corporation and led development, marketing and communications for the immigrant rights organization the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. Wendy also created the first service learning program at the Emory University School of Learning, embedding service in all levels of nursing education. An avid volunteer, Wendy chairs the board of directors for campus hunger group Challah for Hunger and serves on the board of the anti-trafficking coalition Freedom Network USA. She also co-chairs the Racial Equity Action Group at Temple Emanuel in Kensington, MD where she is a member. Wendy currently lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her two sons, her mother, and her aging pitbull Molly.

Yael Rosen

she/her

Regional Development Director, West

Yael Rosen, CFRE has been working to serve her local LA community and the larger Jewish community as a non-profit professional and volunteer for over 20 years. She has worked as a fundraiser for Momentum, Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA, Starlight Children’s Foundation, and United Jewish Appeal. Her volunteer time has been dedicated to roles in non-profit organizations specifically serving Jewish causes, youth, and education.

One of the many reasons Yael is excited to be working for Repair is in honor and fulfillment of the teaching of her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, who taught her the importance of Jewish identity and tikkun olam, repairing the world.

Yael worked full-time while attending Hebrew University of Jerusalem, CSUN, and UCLA and earned her BA in Communications. When she’s not working, Yael can be found baking and spending time with her husband and two sons. Her family is well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 50 of the United States.

Miranda Rosenblum

they/them

New York Program Director

Miranda Rosenblum (they/them) is a spirited advocate, leader, and changemaker. As the New York Program Director at Repair the World, they oversee Repair’s young adult programming across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Most recently, Miranda managed LGBTQ voter engagement strategy at HeadCount and grew The Trevor Project’s volunteer program to support suicide prevention and crisis intervention services for LGBTQ youth. Throughout their career, Miranda’s work has spanned from art advocacy programming for incarcerated youth to viral LGBTQ educational campaigns—always with deep roots in collective liberation and justice. They graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in American Studies and Gender & Sexuality Studies.

Outside of work, Miranda volunteers as a crisis counselor for LGBTQ youth, reads as much trans literature as they can find, and frequents thrift stores and museums across the city. They currently live on ancestral Lenape land (so-called Brooklyn) with their cat and jungle of thriving houseplants.

Celena Ritchey

she/her

Program Associate, Bay Area

Celena Ritchey (she/her) is a midwesterner at heart and excited to continue her west coast adventures while joining Repair the World in the Bay Area. In 2018 she earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Policy from The Ohio State University (Go Bucks). Her experiences at Ohio State prompted her to do a summer of service with AmeriCorps VISTA following graduation, which then inspired her to serve with Repair the World in their Detroit community as a Fellow in 2018-19. Since completing the Fellowship program, she has worked in the non-profit field in both Program Management and Volunteer Coordination roles. Celena is presently a board member for Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), and enjoys volunteering in local community gardens. If you ever need to find Celena, she recommends you check the thrift stores down Haight Ashbury or hop over to her SF house Instagram page to see where she’s walking.

Harriet Rivkin

she/her

Senior Associate, People and Culture

Harriet (she/her) is a British-American education & nonprofit administrator, always keeping the value of tikkun olam front and center. Harriet has a BA in Arabic and French, and an MPA in Public Administration and Management, both from University College London. Harriet started her career teaching Hebrew school, raising money for a community center for the elderly, and serving as a City Year AmeriCorps Member in Detroit. Each of these experiences further instilled in her a passion for social and racial justice, local community service, and education reform. Since completing her Master’s, Harriet has combined her knack for creating systems with her dedication to social change as an Operations professional, and is now a proud member of the National Team at Repair the World! In her free time, Harriet can be found baking banana bread, singing cheesy songs, registering voters, and discovering more of NYC!

Cheryl Rosenberg

she/her

Senior Director of Marketing and Communications

Cheryl Rosenberg leads Repair the World’s marketing and communications strategy, bringing to this work her years of experience in Jewish nonprofit leadership as both a professional and volunteer, as well as her experience serving communities as an elected official. Prior to joining Repair, Cheryl served as a senior marketing and communications professional for a North American Jewish non-profit and as the president of the board of trustees at Ben Porat Yosef Jewish day school. Embracing her passion for service, tikkun olam, and supporting historically underserved and underrepresented communities, Cheryl also recently served as an elected city councilmember in Englewood, NJ for three years and currently volunteers as a sexual assault patient advocate in hospitals in the Bronx, NY. Cheryl studied at the University of Pennsylvania and more recently participated in the Berrie Fellows Leadership Program. Cheryl is humbled by the important work of Repair the World, and looks forward to advancing the critical mission and vision of the organization through her work. When she’s not working or volunteering, it’s likely Cheryl can be found cooking with one or more of her four children or traveling to new places.

Jared Rosenbloom

he/him

Regional Development Director, Northeast

Jared comes to Repair the world with 10 plus years of nonprofit experience. From Synagogues to JCCS to BBYO, Jared has made a name for himself in the Jewish community establishing relationships and making a difference that inspires the next generation of Jewish leaders. Jared has a BA in Psychology from Ramapo College and a Masters in Nonprofit Management and Jewish Communal Service from Gratz college. Jared lives outside Philadelphia with his wife, step daughter and twin children.

Elizabeth Savin

she/her

Stakeholder Engagement Associate

Elizabeth Savin (she/her) is from Pittsburgh, PA and ventured south to Wake Forest University where she studied business and environmental science. After working in environmental education and equitable food distribution in Georgia, Elizabeth is excited to apply her communication and advocacy skills as the Stakeholder Engagement Associate. She enjoys working in collaborative roles where she can build relationships and forward community building initiatives. Outside of work, Elizabeth can be found exploring hiking trails, going for runs, trying new recipes, and relaxing with a good book.

Darielle Shandler

she/her

Operations Associate

Raised in a small town in southern Virginia, Darielle Shandler graduated from Drew University with a BA in Theatre Arts and minors in Arts Administration and Jewish Studies, which included spending a semester at Tel Aviv University. Following school, she has pursued a career in theatre, specifically in stage management, light design, and producing, which has taken her all over the world. Through her artistic work, she has made connections by telling stories with movement and in multiple languages. She has seen theatre bring people together across beliefs, cultures, and continents.

During her time supporting North American programming at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, she rediscovered her enthusiasm for Jewish education and learning for learning’s sake. She is passionate about caring for the earth and for the stranger, and is thrilled to further explore those Jewish values in her work at Repair the World. She has been happily based in New York City for close to a decade, exponentially growing her library with little consideration for the size of her tiny apartment. In her free time, when she isn’t seeing or creating theatre, you can find her reading, crocheting, or skimming articles on productivity systems.

Josh Sherman

he/him

City Director, Baltimore

Josh (He/Him) is the City Director for Repair the World Baltimore. Prior to joining the staff of Repair the World, he served as the Director of Community Relations for the Baltimore Jewish Council. There he expanded their interfaith work and social justice education programming. He also worked for the Edlvaitch DCJCC in their volunteer department. Josh is a Baltimore native and previously served as a program manager for Repair the World Baltimore for three years. Josh studied Religious Studies at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and recently received a certificate in Jewish Ethics and Social Justice from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Josh has a passion for Baltimore and looks forward to giving back to the community that helped raise him.

Lucie Shiffman

she/her

Program Manager, Cleveland

Born and raised in the Cleveland Jewish community, Lucie Shiffman (she/her) is excited to get back to work serving her hometown as the Program Manager for the Service Corps in Cleveland, Ohio. Lucie has spent the last four years serving different communities both at home and abroad. She spent a lot of the last year working as a Disaster Relief Specialist for the Small Business Administration helping small businesses across the US bounce back from the Covid19 Pandemic. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Rwanda, Lucie spent her time mobilizing teachers and students around community-based projects. Now, with a focus back home Lucie has been organizing with Showing Up for Racial Justice in Northeast Ohio, helping onboard new members into the important work and actions going on in our community. She is excited to bring these experiences to Repair the World and work alongside other young Jewish service-minded people to build partnerships and a sense of community within Cleveland.

Lexi Silvers

she/her

Midwest Development Director

Lexi Silvers (she/her) is a fundraising professional who is thrilled to serve as Repair the World’s Midwest Development Director. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago where she received her Master’s in Public Policy, Lexi’s background in political fundraising and campaigns sparked her passion for development through the art of storytelling. Prior to joining Repair, Lexi worked for Keshet as Manager of Individual Giving and for then-United States Senator Joe Donnelly as State Fundraising Director. Lexi lives in Chicago and in her spare time can be found listening to public radio, drinking more coffee than is medically recommended, organizing blood drives, and spending time with friends and family.

Sam Sittenfield

he/him

Director National Partnerships

Sam Sittenfield is a Philadelphia-based educator and facilitator. At Repair the World, he serves as Director of National Partnerships, building meaningful education and training experiences with partners in the Jewish Engagement and Jewish Social Justice field to grow the field of Jewish service. He plans, builds, and facilitates education and training in the topics of volunteer management, social justice, and Jewish experiential education. Sam is a proud alumnus of Repair the World’s Fellowship, Avodah’s Justice Fellowship, M2’s Senior Educator Cohort, as well as a certified Brooklyn Urban Gardener. Outside of work, you can find him fermenting vegetables in his apartment, volunteering at local gardens and parks, and organizing alumni from his high school.

Joel Srebrenick

he/him

Program Operations Associate

Joel (he/him) is a seasoned experience manager and educator with a background in Israel experiential education and teen leadership training. Raised in New Jersey, he returns to live in the NY area after 7 years living in Israel and working in various roles leading programs with Young Judaea Year Course, a post-high school gap year program, including Directing the Tel Aviv Semester. Joel has a passion for systems and operations, and is at his best supporting the operations and logistics of educational and mission driven experiences.

Joel has spent the last 12 summers working at Camp Tel Yehudah in upstate New York in both programmatic and administrative roles, and is a big believer in the transformative power of summer camp. He holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and government from the University of Maryland, but spent most of his time on campus at the Starbucks where he worked throughout college as a barista. It’s here that he gained his appreciation and obsession for all things caffeinated. Joel enjoys travel, but more recently can be found during most of his free time reading or spending time with his fiancee Suzanne and their adorable puppy Lulu.

Rebecca Steinman-DeGroot

she/her

City Director, Detroit

Rebecca (she/her) is a Michigan native and is currently serving as the Director of Education for Dor Hadash, a supplementary Jewish education program of the Detroit Jewish Coalition, for youth and families in the city of Detroit. Rebecca recently moved to Detroit from Los Angeles, where she served as the Associate Director of Education for Limudim, the religious school at IKAR, a progressive spiritual Jewish community in LA. Rebecca has worked in education for over 17 years, as a teacher in the classroom, a tutor, an administrator, a mentor, and as a consultant. Rebecca is also currently in the second cohort of The Jewish Women of Color Resilience Circle and Transformational Leadership Fellowship through Dimensions Inc., a part of the Detroit iEngage Community Educators Cohort through the Shalom Hartman Institute, and is incredibly excited to be working at Repair the World Detroit to create intersectional, inclusive, diverse, and embracing community.

Jonathan Taubes

he/they

Program Manager, Brooklyn Service Corps

Jonathan Taubes is an activist-educator from Brooklyn who works at the intersections of Judaism and social justice. Previously, Jonathan spent four years at the Workers Circle as a political organizer and cultural educator. There, he helped lead campaigns for immigrant rights and voting rights, co-founded the Workers Circle College Network, developed workshops for teen activists, and led walking tours of the Jewish Lower East Side. 

Jonathan has a special passion for learning and teaching histories and narratives of Black-Jewish relations, especially through the writings of James Baldwin, which he has explored since 2017 in various Jewish social, religious, and professional settings. One fun fact about Jonathan: despite a lifelong allergy to fish (the food), he is a big fan of Phish (the band), who he has seen over 20 times since attending his first show in 2009.

David Weitzman

he/him

Senior Program Associate, Miami

David (he/him) is honored to be joining Repair the World as the Senior Program Associate in Miami. Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, David completed his B.A. in Advertising from the Pennsylvania State University in 2019. He spent the past two years working as a Springboard Innovation Fellow at the University of Miami Hillel. Throughout David’s time at Hillel, he organized social justice programs for students on campus and partnered with Repair the World Miami on many of these projects. David is excited to combine his passion for social justice and Judaism in this new role. In his free time, you can find David rollerblading on the beach, working on his yoga practice, trying new restaurants in Miami, and hosting dinner parties for his friends.

Molly Wernick

she/her

Senior Director of National Partnerships

Tony Westbrook Jr.

he/him

Director of Jewish Service Learning

Tony J. Westbrook, Jr. is an award winning Jewish African-American, activist, Jewish educator, and community leader based in Chicago, IL.  He previously served as Assistant Director of Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis and Director of Jewish Life for Capital Camps and Retreat Center in Waynesboro, PA.Tony also serves as a freelance Jewish life consultant and JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) and has facilitated racial justice and equity training sessions for BBYO, Base Hillel, Hillel International, and The Wexner Foundation.

When he’s not teaching innovative Torah on social media or in person, he is working to address issues of racial inequality, discrimination, diversity, and inclusion throughout the St. Louis community. Tony earned his B.A. in Communication Studies from Fontbonne University in St. Louis, MO, and graduated from the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem with certificates in Judaic Studies and in Experiential Jewish Education. He is the recipient of the Covenant Foundation’s 2021 Pomegranate Prize for emerging leaders in the field of Jewish education. When not working, Tony can be found in the kitchen cooking delicious treats from scratch.

Katie Wexler

she/her

Senior Director of Human Resources

Katie Wexler (she/her) is pleased to join Repair the World as the Temporary HR Director. Katie graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder and then began her career creating programs for graduate students and young professionals in the DC-area. In 2005, Katie joined the staff of Hillel International working with the Hillels in the Former Soviet Union and Latin America. She later went on to be a member of the Grants and Accreditation teams, ultimately landing in the HR and Talent space where she found her passion for Human Resources. In her most recent role, Katie was Hillel’s Director of Human Resources, supporting the ~150 professionals working for Hillel’s Schusterman International Center. Katie earned her SHRM-CP HR Certification through the Society for Human Resource Management in 2020. Katie lives in Kensington, Maryland with her husband and daughter. In her spare time, Katie enjoys all things Broadway, baking and books (feel free to ask her for recommendations!).

Alome Wheeler

she/her

Program Manager, Manhattan

Alome is a passionate young woman born and raised in New York City. She is a native of the Harlem community and has sown a seed in the community during her tenure with several local after-school programs. Her experience working with non-profit organizations has instilled a passion to serve in organizations geared toward the upliftment of communities.

Alome’s introduction to the importance of service came in her adolescence via her church. She spent many Saturdays working the food pantry lines, separating donated clothes for giveaways as well as participating in several service projects. This transcended once she reached Daytona Beach Florida where she earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration. Alome is a proud Alumni of Bethune – Cookman University, Go Wildcats! While in Daytona, Alome fought through shyness and insecurity to strive for the students of her class when she became Senior Class President. It was in this role she became a woman of service, managing student concerns and council meetings all while handling her academics.

Post graduation, Alome worked with several after-school programs in the Harlem area, including serving as the Assistant Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem. She has an understanding of her community through her efforts while working with school-to- prison pipeline institutions. Through adversity, Alome has aided in the advancement of her previous students. The evidence of care and consistency drove her to collaborate with program directors and staff to institute adaptable changes. 

Alome is a Repair The World Alum, having joined the Manhattan Service Corps cohort shortly after quarantine. As a Service Corps member, she worked with The Food Bank for New York City and the Taft Resident Association. Alome is excited to sustain and grow lasting relationships with organizations and partners in the Harlem Community for the upliftment of the people. 

In her spare time you can find Alome laughing with her father, enjoying time with friends, or painting.

Ngozi Williams

she/her

Program Associate, Cleveland

A Cleveland devotee, Ngozi Williams (she/her) is passionate about culture shifting and meaningful service in the Jewish community. Co-founder to Jews of Color: Cleveland, a project of Mitsui Collective, she prays with her feet by uplifting marginalized populations through hyper-local cultural programming and cultivating safe spaces for connection. A member of the inaugural Alumni Advisory Board of the Anti Defamation League’s Glass Leadership Institute, Ngozi centralizes inclusion and connection in everything she does. A perpetual student, she received dual bachelor’s degrees in Civil Engineering and General Physics, and is currently pursuing training as a mikveh attendant through Mayyim Hayyim’s Rising Tide program.

Also a shameless over-scheduler, Ngozi can usually be found drinking boba by the lake and catching up on a week’s worth of daf yomi between meetings. She is honored and excited at the opportunity to bring these experiences to Repair the World Cleveland as a Program Associate.