LFT Program Facilitators
Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) is American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) education and advocacy program for teens, which empowers young Jews to speak up for Israel and the Jewish people. The LFT program is taught by AJC staff professionals who receive extensive educational and facilitation training. Below you will find a full roster of AJC's LFT facilitators and staff. For questions about the LFT program, please email LFT@ajc.org.
Atlanta:
Nir Levy
Nir Levy is AJC's Assistant Director for Leadership Engagement in Atlanta. Levy facilitates LFT in Atlanta, engages with the Regional Board, manages leadership development programs, and supports overall development efforts. Levy previously worked as the Field Manager at OneTable where he elevated southern hospitality across the southeast by supporting thousands of safe Shabbat dinners during the pandemic. A graduate of Emory University's Goizueta Business School with a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Venture Finance, Levy co-founded Campus Bubble, a company for higher education licensed and funded by Emory University. Levy was born in Jerusalem, Israel, and currently resides in the historic Westview neighborhood in Atlanta with his wife and cats.
Chicago:
Corey Minkoff
Corey Minkof is the Senior Associate of AJC High School Affairs. In his role, Minkoff supports the department in developing the LFT curriculum, leading trainings and seminars for local high school administrators, and aiding regional offices in recruitment for high school leadership programs. Before working in High School affairs, Minkoff worked as an Alexander Associate for the AJC Chicago regional office, managing ACCESS, AJC's young professional initiative, and facilitating the regional LFT cohort. Prior to joining AJC, Minkoff worked for two years at Hillel at the University of Vermont as a Springboard Innovation Fellow. Minkoff, a Kansas City native currently residing in Chicago, graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in Political Science and Journalism.
Kansas City:
Sarah Markowitz
Sarah Markowitz is the Director of Education and Programs for the JCRB|AJC Kansas City. Originally from California, Markowitz earned her M.A. in War and Society from Chapman University. Her thesis explored Jews’ reactions to pogroms perpetrated by their neighbors in Lithuania in June 1941. Markowitz holds a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University, paired with minors in Jewish Studies, International Relations, and Classics & Archaeology. Previously, Markowitz has worked at AJC Los Angeles, the Museum of Tolerance, and the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism.
Gavi Geller
Gavriela Geller is the Executive Director of JCRB|AJC Kansas City. A Kansas City native, Geller previously worked for AJC's Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA), managing a grant from the Ford Foundation. In that capacity, she implemented programs across the country to advance immigration reform and strengthen Latino-Jewish relations. She also served as AJC’s immigration policy analyst, identifying advocacy opportunities and representing the organization on national immigration coalitions. Before her current position, Geller directed the policy and advocacy efforts of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of St. Louis. She has also worked at the National Immigrant Justice Center helping detained and LGBTQ immigrants as part of Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps. Geller holds an M.A. in Jewish Cultural Arts from The George Washington University and is fluent in Spanish.
Los Angeles:
Alissa Bernstein
Alissa Bernstein is the Assistant Director of AJC Los Angeles. Bernstein manages the region’s political outreach and legislative advocacy and oversees AJC LA’s interfaith and intergroup initiatives. During her tenure as Assistant Director, Bernstein has grown and strengthened the region’s vital relationship with the Japanese American community and is working to expand the region’s Latino-Jewish relations. Previously, Bernstein served as AJC LA’s Alexander Associate, where she grew AJC LA’s ACCESS network, oversaw the region’s LFT cohort each year, and coordinated campus outreach. Bernstein is a graduate of Occidental College, where she received her B.A. in psychology. In her free time, Bernstein likes to climb, cook, and paint.
Noah Schlossberg
Noah Schlossberg is the Alexander Associate of AJC Los Angeles. In this role, Schlossberg oversees programming and recruitment for LFT in L.A. as well as AJC’s young professional group, ACCESS. Schlossberg graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Family and Human Services focusing on social-emotional and outdoor education. During his undergraduate course, Schlossberg was the BBYO City Director of Eugene for two years as well as an active AEPI fraternity brother. Schlossberg currently resides in Los Angeles but remains a loyal Oregon Ducks fan.
Long Island:
Eric Post
Eric Post is the AJC Long Island Regional Director, having worked for AJC since 2016. In this position, he oversees all aspects of AJC’s advocacy, leadership, and fundraising in the region. Post, alongside the AJC Long Island leadership team, holds meetings with elected officials on Long Island and diplomats in New York, and develops relationships with interfaith and intergroup leaders. Prior to his current position, he oversaw AJC New York’s interfaith and intergroup outreach to New York City’s diverse communities, which included overseeing the Latino-Jewish Coalition, Black-Jewish Clergy Council, and Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council. Post received his B.A. and M.A. in International Relations at The George Washington University.
Daniel Small
Daniel Small is the Senior Associate for AJC Long Island. In his role, Small strengthens and builds relationships with community leaders and elected officials. He has extensive experience in government and politics, having previously served as Chief of Staff to a Nassau County Legislator. Small holds a B.A. in U.S. History from the University at Albany and an M.A. in Urban Affairs from Queens College. Additionally, Small volunteers as the Financial Secretary for the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America in Forest Hills, NY. As a native New Yorker who grew up in Queens and on Long Island, Small is a life-long Mets fan, who in his free time, enjoys hiking and running.
Miami:
Brian Siegal
Brian Siegal serves as director of AJC’s Miami and Broward Regional Office where he is responsible for developing ties and working on policy issues with international leaders as well as ethnic and religious, government officials and other community leaders Previously, Siegal was AJC assistant director of intergroup affairs. In Miami, Siegal has helped build coalitions with other ethnic and religious groups to address critical domestic and international issues, including energy security, immigration reform, human rights, and civil rights. Siegal was a named as the "Achiever" in Miami Today business magazine in 2015. In 2011, Siegal was named by the Miami Herald as a “20 Under 40” top emerging business leader in Miami. In recognition of his work, Siegal was appointed by the Miami Dade County Commission as a member of the County Community Relations Board. Siegal was also a featured panelist at the Forum 2000 conference in Prague in October 2014. He holds a B.A. in humanities with high honors and a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas at Austin. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with high honors and was presented the President’s Leadership Award and was a Dean’s Distinguished Graduate in Liberal Arts. He also holds two Masters Degrees from New York University in Jewish Studies and Non-Profit Management. Siegal also worked in the British legal system as a Pegasus Trust Fellow, and spent 2001-02 in Israel as a Dorot Fellow, clerking for the chief justice of the Israeli Supreme Court and working at the Israel Democracy Institute.
Brian is a Life member and former Term Member in the Council on Foreign Relations, and a Florida Advisory Board Member of the US Global Leadership Coalition. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Idea Center at Miami Dade College and on the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Texas in Austin.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Brian is married to Rabbi Judith Siegal and they have two sons and a daughter.
Michael Winograd
Michael Winograd has been Assistant Director for AJC Miami and Broward Regional Office for eleven years. Before joining AJC, Winograd worked in planning and allocations for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). His work there included serving as the Director of the ADL’s Upstate New York Office. Winograd also served as Information Officer for the Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta. Winograd holds an M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He and his wife Joan have three grown children.
New England (Boston):
Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon is Senior Coordinator, Administration, and Development at AJC New England. Gordon also facilitates AJC's Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) program. He graduated from Brandeis University in 2021, majoring in Education Studies and minoring in Psychology, Judaic Studies, and Economics. Gordon is passionate about Jewish education and cultivating the next generation of Jewish leaders.
Jason Oifer
Jason Oifer is one of the LFT facilitators in Boston. Oifer participated in the OTZMA program organized by the Jewish Federation in Israel. Upon his return from Israel, Oifer began his professional career at Combined Jewish Philanthropies, where he played an integral role in developing and enhancing programming for young professionals. Subsequently, Oifer moved to The David Project, where he served as the West Coast Campus Coordinator, supporting various Israel advocacy groups on campuses and promoted a better understanding of Israel. Oifer has since shifted his focus to the field of education, becoming a special education teacher. His commitment extended beyond the classroom, as he worked diligently to support students with learning disabilities.Oifer holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Babson College, as well as a Master's of Education from UMASS Boston. Oifer currently resides with his wife and three children in northern Boston.
Sean Savage
Sean Savage serves as the Associate Director of Digital Content at AJC. In this role, Savage helps to oversee the creation and implementation of AJC’s digital strategy, including producing written and video content for the website and social media as well as AJC’s podcasts, including People of the Pod and Forgotten Exodus. Before joining AJC, he served as the news editor for the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), where he managed a team of editors and writers covering Israel and the Jewish world. He is a graduate of the University of Scranton with a B.A. in Political Science and History and Seton Hall University with an M.A. in international affairs and diplomacy with a concentration in the Middle East. Born and raised in New Jersey, Savage now lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two children.
Philadelphia
Rabbi Serena Eisenberg
Rabbi Serena Eisenberg is the Director of Regional Engagement at American Jewish Committee (AJC) in Philadelphia following five years as the Director of AJC’s Northern California region. She also serves as a trainer in design thinking and mentor for the Clergy Leadership Incubator and for the Mandel Institute for Non-Profit Leadership. Previously Eisenberg served as Executive Director of Hillels at Stanford University and Brown University. She is a member of both the Reform and Reconstructionist Rabbinical Assemblies and served as president of the Northern California Board of Rabbis. Eisenberg is an alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and Mandel Jerusalem Fellows programs. Before entering the rabbinate, Eisenberg received a JD/MSW from UC Berkeley and a B.A. from Brown University and worked for a decade as child-welfare advocate in the Bronx, Oakland, and in West Africa.
Eisenberg loves to hike and travel; she has officiated at weddings and bar mitzvahs around the world. She has five sons and currently resides in Philadelphia.
Hannah Geller
Hannah Geller is AJC’s video specialist and in her role, oversees all video communication and strategy for AJC globally. Her work has won international awards, been screened at film festivals, and nominated for a collegiate Emmy. Geller graduated magna cum laude from Penn State's Bellisario College of Communications with a B.A. in Film Production with a minor in Spanish. Geller spent a semester abroad in Granada, Spain and an internship in Jerusalem. Prior to joining AJC full-time, Geller served as an AJC Goldman Fellow in Miami and worked as a producer in the commercial video sector for several years. Geller is passionate about her work’s ability to shape public opinion and inspire millions. Currently based in Philadelphia, she enjoys hosting large Shabbat meals, listening to Israeli music, and traveling at every opportunity.
Washington, D.C.:
Monica A.
Monica A. is the Alexander Associate for AJC Washington, D.C. She manages the region’s Alexander Young Leadership portfolio: ACCESS, Campus Affairs, and LFT.
Monica graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a B.A. in International Relations.
Naomi Ravick
Naomi Ravick is the Assistant Director of Programming for Alexander Young Leadership at AJC. After joining AJC in 2019 as a Kimmel Fellow in the New York Regional Office, she transitioned to a year-long fellowship on the Alexander Young Leadership team. Upon graduating from New York University (NYU) in May of 2020 with a B.A. in Politics and Journalism, she joined the Alexander Young Leadership department full-time. Ravick oversees the department's strategic communication for young audiences, engagement of early career professionals, and has launched a number of inaugural programs at AJC to empower young Jews around the globe. While at NYU, Ravick served two terms as the co-president of Hillel at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Life, where she now serves on their board. Originally from Bethesda, Maryland, Ravick now resides in Washington, DC where she is pursuing her M.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in conflict resolution at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.
Westchester/Fairfield:
Jill Friedman
Jill Friedman is the Associate Regional Director of the AJC Westchester/Fairfield. Friedman’s responsibilities include overseeing the region’s diplomatic outreach, interfaith and intergroup outreach, and the Leadership for Tomorrow (LFT) program, which Friedman has directed since its inception in the region six years ago. Prior to joining AJC, Friedman held various roles at Hadassah. Friedman earned a B.A. in Spanish and Russian from Connecticut College and an M.A. in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Michigan. Friedman lives in White Plains, New York, and is a mother of three, all of whom are diehard New York Rangers fans.
Myra Clark Siegel
Myra Clark-Siegel serves as Regional Director of AJC Westchester/Fairfield, where she oversees all of AJC’s regional activities and represents AJC across diplomatic, civic, and interfaith and intergroup settings across Westchester, Upstate New York, and throughout Connecticut. Previously, Clark-Siegel served for 12 years on AJC Project Interchange senior management, where she worked with government officials, media, and diplomats to develop a deeper understanding of Israel. Clark-Siegel is a seasoned public policy and communications professional, with 30 years of public affairs experience spanning several countries. In addition to her extensive work with media, diplomats, and grassroots political outreach, Clark-Siegel has received numerous awards over her career, including the Friends of Sheba Hospital Global Hero Award, and Ogilvy Public Relations Public Affairs Award. Clark-Siegel earned an M.A. magna cum laude from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Texas, Austin.
The Sophie and Bernard Gould LFT Program in New York City:
Remy Fields
Remy Fields is the Alexander Associate at AJC in New York City. In her role, Fields works with young leaders to engage them with AJC's priorities of combatting antisemitism, securing Israel's place in the world, and promoting diplomatic values and human rights. Prior to coming to AJC, Fields served as the Springboard Fellow at Brandeis Hillel in Waltham, Massachusetts. Fields is originally from Bethesda, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Delaware in 2020 where she studied public policy and public health. In her free time, you can find her running in Central Park, dancing, trying new recipes, or exploring new parts of New York.
Alana Wilck
Alana Wilck is the Senior Associate of ACCESS Global. Wilck became involved with AJC in the summer of 2022 when she served as a Goldman Fellow in the Development Department. She then served as the Vice President of ACCESS on AJC’s inaugural Campus Global Board. Wilck graduated from the University of Michigan in April of 2023 with a degree in Political Science and Judaic Studies, and a minor in Community Action and Social Change. During her time at Michigan, Wilck served as the president of Hillel for the 2021-2022 term. In her role at AJC, Wilck focuses on the development and leadership development of ACCESS Global and works closely with the ACCESS Global Board. Originally from Randolph, New Jersey, Wilck now resides in New York City.
National Virtual Cohort:
Ben Goodman
Ben Goodman is the Program Coordinator of AJC’s Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA). Responsible for the operational management of BILLA’s international missions, D.C.-based programs, and BILLA’s annual Strategic Forum, Goodman also leads BILLA’s engagement with its young Latino partner organizations, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) and the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI). Goodman holds a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service with a major in International Political Economy and minors in Spanish and Jewish Civilization. Goodman served as President of Georgetown’s Israel Alliance and studied for a semester at Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain. Goodman is originally from New Jersey, currently resides in Washington D.C. and enjoys playing tennis.
Lappin Foundation:
Alyssa Pessaroff Kischeln
Alyssa Pessaroff Kischel, has dedicated 20 years to the field of education, working in various formal and informal settings. Her diverse experiences include a decade in an after-school program in Lincoln, MA, five years as the Peabody Senior USY Advisor, three years as a Paraprofessional at the Lincoln Preschool, and 2.5 years as a private nanny. Additionally, Pessaroff Kischel has spent the last five years as the Assistant Director and Hebrew/tefillah teacher for students in grades 2-7. Pessaroff Kischel recently received her master's degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew College. In her rare free time, Pessaroff Kischel enjoys watching TV and movies, indulging in Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream, and cheering for the Celtics and Patriots. She resides in Peabody with her husband, Mike.
Katie Cohen
Katie Cohen is originally from Peabody on the North Shore. Her lifelong interests in history and education have been further fueled by her transformative experiences during a Y2I trip in 2017 and a Birthright trip in 2022. In the coming months, Cohen is on track to complete her B.A. in History, with aspirations to pursue a master's degree in the same field. Beyond academics, she co-leads a vibrant young adult Jewish group at my Temple, and finds great joy in exploring new destinations, as well as indulging in all aspects of cooking and culinary delights.
Deborah Coltin
Deborah Coltin serves as the President and Executive Director of the Lappin Foundation, where she has spent more than 25 years creating programs centered on building Jewish identity and connections with Israel. Coltin has decades of experience supervising the Foundation’s Youth to Israel Adventure for teens and teen leadership development programs. An award-winning educator, Coltin holds two Masters degrees and certificates in teen mental health first aid, Holocaust education, and Israel programming.
LFT Administration:
Aaron Bregman
Aaron Bregman is AJC’s Director of High School Affairs. Aaron began his teaching career in Boston, Massachusetts and has over a decade of experience teaching U.S., European, and Middle East Jewish history at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (CESJDS) in Rockville, Maryland. Prior to teaching at CESJDS, Aaron was the High School Curriculum/Program Manager for The David Project, a non-profit that helps shape campus opinions on Israel. Aaron has also worked with the Center for Israel Education in running their Teacher Training Institute. Additionally, he was accepted in both the Anti-Defamation League’s Glass Leadership Institute and the Israel Policy Forum’s Atid Charles Bronfman Fellowship. Aaron grew up on the North Shore of Massachusetts and attended American University in Washington, D.C., where he received his B.A. in history with a concentration in American foreign policy and Jewish studies and his M.A. in secondary education.
Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman
Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman is AJC’s Senior Director of the Alexander Young Leadership Department. In this role, she helps empower and engage young Jews around the globe through the oversight of AJC’s three realms of Young Leadership: AJC’s High School Affairs Department, AJC’s Campus Affairs Department, and AJC’s young professionals’ initiative, ACCESS. Wyschogrod Fredman previously served as the department’s Deputy Director. Prior to that role, she served as AJC’s Assistant Director of Leadership Development and Board Engagement, where she developed and implemented programming to strengthen AJC’s national Board of Governors and national leadership. Wyschogrod Fredman received her B.A. from Boston University where she graduated with honors. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management, from George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration. Wyschogrod Fredman is currently a Fellow in the Mandel Institute for Nonprofit Leadership's Executive Leadership Program. A native Bostonian, she now resides in St. Louis where she lives with her husband and two daughters.