Adam Shapiro has worked at the Golda Och Academy (formerly the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union) in West Orange, NJ for nine years and currently serves as the Dean of Students for the Upper School (grades 6-10). In this capacity, Adam has the opportunity to work with students on myriad projects outside of the classroom including planning days of community service, traveling the globe, and working with students to figure out what they are most passionate about. Adam grew up in Philadelphia attending the Solomon Schechter Day School in Melrose Park and Akiba Hebrew Academy (now Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy). He then attended Emory University where he earned his B.A. in Educational Studies and Jewish Studies. After finishing in Atlanta he moved on to the William Davidson School of Education at JTS and earned an M.A. in Jewish Studies with a focus on Jewish Day School education. Following his M.A. work, Adam completed the Day School Leadership Training Institute at JTS in 2008. Adam currently lives in South Orange, NJ with his wife Rena, two daughters Vered and Tamar, and loyal dog Skippy. Adam will be mentoring Navah Kogen who will serve her internship with the Golda Och Academy.

Rabbi Justus N. Baird has served as the Director of the Center for Multifaith Education at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City since 2007. He oversees the seminary's multifaith programming, which strives to prepare religious leaders for a religiously diverse world. Rabbi Baird was ordained at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion where he studied as a Wexner Graduate Fellow. He brings an entrepreneurial approach to his work; before entering rabbinical school he co-founded Questia.com, a successful and far-reaching academic online library, and in 2009 he founded Yerusha, an alternative Hebrew school. Justus will be mentoring Eli Bass who will serve his student internship at the Multifaith Education Center of Auburn Theological Seminary.

Carrie FIschbein LOVES her job and being part of the Jewish Community at Columbia/Barnard. A licensed social worker, she began her professional career at the 92nd Street Y, where she was the Director of Teen Programs and a camp director. Her career has taken her to West Palm Beach, Florida where she was the Assistant Executive Director of the JCC of the Palm Beaches and to Deal, NJ as the Executive Director of Deal Sephardic Network. Carrie is a graduate of the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University, and has a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts. Carrie encourages you to stop by her office on the 3rd floor of the Kraft Center; her door is always open and she has the best treats! Carrie will be mentoring David Rosen who will serve his internship with Columbia/Barnard Hillel.

Dan Deutsch went from being the kid whose religious school principal had to physically force his hands off of the steering wheel of his mom’s minivan to being the Vice President of the JCC Maccabi Experience. His circuitous path through supply chain management, IT product development, and business school led him to a successful career in Jewish nonprofits including Young Judaea and the JCC Association. His commitment to engaging teenagers who also might have hated Hebrew school and helping them find their own path towards Jewish identity is just one reason why he was so proud to be part of bringing 1,000 Jewish teens to Israel this summer with the JCC Maccabi Experience. Dan will be mentoring Jody Gansel who will serve her internship at the JCC Association.

Jacqueline Marks is the Associate Director of Educational Program Development at The JCC in Manhattan. She earned her BA from Columbia University and a Master’s Degree from Bank Street College in Early Childhood General and Special Education. Jacqueline has been a classroom teacher, working with children ages 3-5, for the past 10 years. She specializes in co-constructing curriculum with children and documenting their process. Currently, Jacqueline works with all programs, departments, teachers and children ages 0-18 at the JCC. Jacqueline says, “I am continuously inspired by the children that I work with. They fill my days with questions, joy and exuberance. I feel incredibly lucky to be working at a school where all of its members—parents, teachers, administrators and children—come together to create a thoughtful and caring community.” Jacqueline will be mentoring Daniel Drachsler who will serve his student internship at the JCC Manhattan.

Dr. Paul Radensky is the Museum Educator for Jewish Schools at the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. He oversees the Living Museum® and organizes professional training seminars for teachers and seminars for students. Dr. Radensky has taught at the Bernard Revel Graduate School for Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University, the North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, the 92nd Street Y, and Queens College. Dr. Radensky completed his Ph.D. in Jewish history at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his wife Laura, and their four children. . Paul will be mentoring Eden Pearlstein who will serve his internship at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Joni Blinderman has been the Associate Director of the Covenant Foundation since 2006. Prior to taking this position she was the Director of Program Planning and Development at the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminar. Joni has worked in a variety of Jewish communal and educational settings including the Museum of Jewish Heritage and Philanthropy Advisors at UJA Federation of NY. Joni will be mentoring Dana Levinson who will serve her internship with The Covenant Foundation

Dr. Jacob Wisse director of the Yeshiva University Museum, has been head of the art history program at Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University since 2005. Dr. Wisse, 43, earned his M.A. and Ph.D. from the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University. He has a background in museum education and curatorial work. Through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he earned a Curatorial Studies Certificate and was twice awarded the Museum’s Theodore Rousseau Curatorial Fellowship. In his teaching, research and curatorial work, Wisse stresses primary and contextual study of art. A Montreal native, where he received an extensive Jewish education, Wisse earned his B.A. from McGill University before going on to graduate school, where he specialized in northern European art of the late Medieval and Renaissance eras. His book, City Painters in the Burgundian Netherlands, will be published by Brepols Press in 2009. Dr. Wisse is a member of the College Art Association, the American Association of Museums, and the Historians of Netherlandish Art, for which he serves as field editor for 14th and 15th century books. He lives with his wife and daughter in Manhattan. Jacob will be mentoring Alexander Schostak who will serve his internship with the YU Museum.

Naomi Sage has been with JDC for close to ten years and is currently the Senior Program Director for JDC’s Next Generation and Service Initiative. In this capacity, Naomi develops new and high-level leadership programs to identify and train up and coming Jewish lay and professional leaders, who will go on to make substantive impact on JDC and the Jewish world. Prior to her current role, Naomi developed and led JDC’s 7-10 day global service and study experiences for North American college students and young adults, through which approximately 1,000 young people have now had the opportunity to impact global Jewish issues. Naomi has led groups to diverse locations around the world, including Argentina, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Israel, Haiti, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Naomi pursued her graduate work through New York University’s dual degree program in Nonprofit Management and Hebrew and Judaic Studies, and was a recipient of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Fellowship. Naomi completed her undergraduate at Cornell University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Near Eastern Studies. She lives with her husband in Harlem, New York. Naomi will be mentoring Nessa Geffen who will serve her internship with the JDC.

Rabbi Lori Forman-Jacobi is the Director of the Jewish Journey Project at the JCC of ManhattanShe is a graduate of Los Angeles Hebrew High School, and considers the years she spent there as formative to her own Jewish development. For the past seven years, Rabbi Forman-Jacobi served as the senior vice principal of Curriculum and Administration at the Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies and as Director of the Ivry Prozor High School at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rabbi Forman-Jacobi received a BA from UC Berkeley and was ordained at JTS in 1988. She is the co-author of two books, Sacred Intentions: Daily Inspiration to Strengthen the Spirit and Restful Reflections: Nighttime Inspiration to Calm the Soul. Lori will be mentoring Aharon Varady who will serve his internship with the Jewish Journey Project.

Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay is the Director of Alumni and Community Engagement at AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. Prior to receiving rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and a Masters in Jewish Education from the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at JTS, Stephanie was the Program Director for Face to Face/Faith to Faith, a multi-faith youth leadership and conflict resolution program of Auburn Theological Seminary. She has also served as the Associate Director of Education at American Jewish World Service and as a Jewish Service Corps volunteer in Bulgaria for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Stephanie serves on the Social Justice Commission of the Rabbinical Assembly. Stephanie will be mentoring Sarah Sechan who will serve her student internship at AVODAH. Stephanie concurrently serves as a “First Year Mentor” for the Experiential MA Program.