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.

Loal Isaacs

he/him

West Regional Director

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.

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.