JEWISH COLORADO - Key Persons


Aaron Claflin

Job Titles:
  • Director of IT & Facilities

ABIGAIL POGREBIN

ABIGAIL POGREBIN is the author of My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays; One Wondering Jew, which was a finalist for the 2018 National Jewish Book Award. She is also the author of Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk about Being Jewish, for which Abigail interviewed 62 famous American Jews - from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Steven Spielberg - about their religious identity. Her book, One and the Same delved into every aspect of growing up as a twin - of which Abby is one. (The identical kind.) Her bestselling Kindle Single, Showstopper, chronicled her teenage adventures on Broadway in a rare Sondheim flop. Abby received the "Impact Award" from the JCC in Manhattan, and the "Community Leader Award" from The Jewish Week in 2017. She served as President of Central Synagogue from 2015-18, and was Director of Jewish Outreach for Michael Bloomberg's 2020 presidential campaign.

Adam Laarsen

Job Titles:
  • Young Adult Division Chair

Adriane Greenberg

Job Titles:
  • Women 's Philanthropy Chair

Alan Brandt

Job Titles:
  • IEC Chair

Aurora Baca

Job Titles:
  • Staff Accountant

Bais Menachem

Job Titles:
  • Member of the American Jewish Committee

Beber Camp

Job Titles:
  • Member of the American Jewish Committee

Ben Lusher - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board of Directors

Beth Ami

Job Titles:
  • CO Congregation for Humanistic Judaism

Bethany Friedlander

Job Titles:
  • PJ Library Manager

Cindy Coons

Job Titles:
  • Director of Family Engagement & Jewish Explorers
  • Director of Jewish Explorers and Family Engagement, Programs

Diana Zeff Anderson

Job Titles:
  • Planned Giving & Endowment Chair

Dr. Dan Leshem

Job Titles:
  • Director, Jewish Community Relations Council

Dr. Julie Lieber

Job Titles:
  • Member of the JEWISHcolorado Senior Leadership Team
  • Chief Jewish Life and Engagement Officer
Dr. Julie Lieber is the Chief Jewish Life and Engagement Officer at JEWISHcolorado. Formerly, she served as the Director of the Pardes-Kevah Teaching Fellowship as well as the Interim Executive Director and Director of Education at Kevah, a national non-profit facilitating home-based Torah study groups. After receiving her PhD in European history with a focus on Jewish women, gender and sexuality, Julie moved to Colorado, where she was a Professor of European History and Jewish Studies for many years. Julie has taught for the Wexner Heritage Program, the Melton program and is a frequent guest lecturer throughout the Colorado Jewish community and beyond. When she's not teaching, you can find her on the Colorado slopes skiing with her family.

Edina Segal

Job Titles:
  • Director of the Israel & Overseas Center

Elizabeth Barrekette

Job Titles:
  • Boulder Representative

Evan Narotsky

Job Titles:
  • Events Manager

Gil Selinger

Job Titles:
  • Planning & Grant Making

Hannah Young

Job Titles:
  • Office Administrator / Events

Heather Flowers

Job Titles:
  • Jewish Life & Engagement Administrator

Jason Oruch

Job Titles:
  • Director of Online Marketing & Philanthropy

Jenna Raimist

Job Titles:
  • Director of YAD

Jennifer Kraft

Job Titles:
  • Senior Director of Design Philanthropy

Jill Katchen

Job Titles:
  • Director of Donor Engagement

Jillian Feiger

Job Titles:
  • Director of Jewish Student Connection & the Joyce Zeff Israel Study Tour

Joey Friedmann

Job Titles:
  • Secretary / Governanace

John Stilwell

Job Titles:
  • Member of the JEWISHcolorado Senior Leadership Team
  • Chief Business & Finance Officer
Stilwell came to JEWISHcolorado in September 2021, after 30 years serving in various roles, including chief of staff, CFO, and COO, for nonprofit, corporate, and entrepreneurial organizations across the country, where he helped to start, manage, and scale their businesses. Most recently, Stilwell worked for Project Sanctuary, supporting veterans and active-duty military families. Before his move to the nonprofit sector, Stilwell worked with a Wall Street hedge fund.

Jonathan Perlmutter

Job Titles:
  • Safety & Security Chair

Josh Demby

Job Titles:
  • Public Officials Mission Co - Chair

Justin Jaffe

Job Titles:
  • Investment Chair

Krista Nieves

Job Titles:
  • Gift Processing & Donor Services Coordinator / Operations

LETTY COTTIN POGREBIN

LETTY COTTIN POGREBIN is an author, activist, and national public speaker. A founding editor of Ms. Magazine, she has also published twelve books - two novels, and ten works of nonfiction - most recently, Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy (2022). Among her other titles are the novels Three Daughters and Single Jewish Male Seeking Soul Mate;and the feminist classic, Deborah, Golda, and Me: Being Female and Jewish in America. Currently, Pogrebin serves on the boards of Americans for Peace Now, the Ms. Foundation for Education and Communication, the Brandeis University Women's and Gender Studies Program, and The Authors Guild. Her many honors include a Yale University Poynter Fellowship in Journalism an Emmy Award for Free to Be You and Me, and dozens of awards and commendations from a variety of NGOs, civic, religious and educational institutions.

Mark Sidell

Job Titles:
  • Real Estate & Construction Network Chair

Matt Most

Job Titles:
  • JCRC Chair

Michael Kahn

Job Titles:
  • Jewish Student Connection Education Coordinator

Michelle Schwartz

Job Titles:
  • Director of Israeli Teen Emissaries & Education

Monica Cox

Job Titles:
  • CRM Database Manager

Neil Oberfeld

Job Titles:
  • COG Chair / FMC Delegate

Rabbi Emily Hyatt

Job Titles:
  • Rabbi

Renée Rockford - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • Member of the JEWISHcolorado Senior Leadership Team
  • President
Rockford, who joined JEWISHcolorado in May 2021 as Chief Advancement Officer, brings a wealth of experience as a journalist and communications professional with expertise in crisis management, reputation and brand management, strategic planning, community partnerships, fundraising, donor relations, and stewardship. Most recently, she was assistant head of school for advancement and external affairs at Colorado Academy. Prior to that, Rockford served for 7 years as the school's director of communication and strategic planning. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism at the University of Wisconsin, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

Rob Kaufmann

Job Titles:
  • Immediate past Board Chair

Roberta Witkow

Job Titles:
  • Director of Women 's Philanthropy / Finance

Rolando Kahn - CCO

Job Titles:
  • Communications Director

Ross Chotin

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Audit Committee

Ruthie Leyba

Job Titles:
  • Executive Assistant to President & CEO

Sadie Christlieb

Job Titles:
  • Communications Manager

Sarah Springer

Job Titles:
  • Director of Events

Sheila Abrahamsson

Job Titles:
  • Independent Contractor

Stephanie Geller

Job Titles:
  • Member of the JEWISHcolorado Senior Leadership Team
  • Officer
  • Chief Culture Officer
Stephanie Geller is the Chief Culture Officer at JEWISHcolorado. Previously, she was the Director of Events at Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado and Director of Catering for Sage Hospitality, managing the catering sales and service teams at the JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek. She is a Colorado native and spends her free time at the baseball field with her son and at the dance studio with her daughter. She also enjoys tennis in the summer and the ski slopes in the winter with her family.

Steve Kaplan

Job Titles:
  • Finance Chair

Susan Weinberger

Job Titles:
  • Donor Relations Manager

Temple Emanuel

Job Titles:
  • Organizer

Willie Recht

Job Titles:
  • Chief Development Officer
  • Member of the JEWISHcolorado Senior Leadership Team
Willie Recht is the Chief Development Officer at JEWISHcolorado. He has worked in development roles at the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and at One Colorado. More than a decade ago, he also worked in community programming and outreach for Keshet, where he was instrumental in the launch of Pride Shabbat and the Queer Seder, two programs that continue today. Recht's volunteer and community involvement has included the American Leadership Forum's Class XXIV; the Board of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center; the Children's Museum of Denver, and as a participant in the Glass Leadership Institute through the Mountain States Region of the Anti-Defamation League. Recht is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin where he earned a degree in Political Science.

Zach McAnally

Job Titles:
  • Finance Manager