National Leadership Summit

Mike Reiss has won four Emmys and two Peabody Awards during his thirty-five years writing for “The Simpsons”.  He ran the show in Season 4, which Entertainment Weekly called “the greatest season of the greatest show in history.”  In 2006, Reiss received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Animation Writers Caucus.

Reiss has written twenty-one children’s books, as well as “Springfield Confidential”, a best-selling memoir of his three decades at The Simpsons.  “Springfield Confidential” has been translated into German, Spanish, Russian and Czech, and was finalist for the Thurber Prize in American Humor.

Reiss has written jokes for such comedy legends as Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, Garry Shandling… and Pope Francis!  For his comedic contributions to the charitable group Joke with the Pope, in 2015 Pope Francis declared Reiss “A Missionary of Joy”.

Reiss co-created the animated series “The Critic” and created Showtime’s hit cartoon “Queer Duck” (about a gay duck).  “Queer Duck” was named one of “The 100 Greatest Cartoons of All Time” by the BBC.  “Queer Duck: the Movie” was released to rave reviews in July 2006, winning awards in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Sweden, Germany and Wales.

Mike Reiss has been a contributing writer to more than two dozen animated films — including four ICE AGEs, two DESPICABLE MEs, THE LORAX, RIO, KUNG FU PANDA 3, and THE SIMPSONS MOVIE – with a worldwide gross of $14 billion.

Reiss’ first play, “I’m Connecticut” set box-office records for Connecticut Repertory Theater.   The Hartford Courant called it “sweet and hysterically funny” and named it one of the year’s Ten Best Plays.   Broadway World Connecticut voted it Best Play of 2012.

His caveman detective story “Cro-Magnon P.I.” won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.  He adapted his best-seller “How Murray Saved Christmas” into an Emmy-nominated holiday special that’s aired annually since 2015.  Reiss also composes puzzles for “NPR”, and “Games Magazine”.

As a professional speaker, Reiss has lectured at over five hundred colleges and institutions, on six continents. He also hosts the popular podcast “What Am I Doing Here?” based on his travels to 134 countries.

He has been happily married for thirty-five years.  Like most children’s book authors, he has no children.

Jessica Yellin is the founder of News Not Noise, a viral Webby award-winning independent news brand. Over 1M+ subscribers and followers across Instagram and other digital media rely on Jessica and News Not Noise to understand what matters, which experts to trust, and to manage their “information overload.” She is the former chief White House correspondent for CNN and an Emmy and Gracie Award-winning political correspondent for ABC, MSNBC and CNN. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @JessicaYellin. You can also find the News Not Noise Newsletter on Substack.

Dr. Mahiques is a Judge of the Federal Court of Criminal Cassation of Argentina since 2017 and served as Secretary of Justice of the Province of Buenos Aires between 2015-2016.

Judge Mahiques has a distinguished career and has served as Judge in different regional and federal courts since 1982.

He has a PhD in Law. School of Law and Political Science from the Catholic University of Argentina as well as a PhD in Law. From University of Poitiers, France.

Post doctorate Degree. University of Poitiers, Firenze and Ferrara Universities, Catholic University of Argentina and La Matanza National University.

Visiting Magistrate at the National School for Magistrates (École Nationale de la Magistrature), France.

Professor of Criminal Law at the Catholic University (UCA).
Professor of Criminal Procedural Law at Master’s Degree. Austral University.

Dr. Mahiques is the author of several books and articles on Criminal Law and Crime Policy.  He has been awarded the Knighthood of the French Government for outstanding academic achievements (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques) and the Ordine al Merito by the Republic of Italy.

FARAH PANDITH is a foreign policy strategist and former diplomat. A world-leading expert and pioneer in countering violent extremism, she is the author of the book How We Win: How Cutting-Edge Entrepreneurs, Political Visionaries, Enlightened Business Leaders, and Social Media Mavens Can Defeat the Extremist Threat. She is a frequent media commentator and public speaker, and has written for publications including The Economist, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Farah served as a political appointee under three presidents – most recently as the first-ever Special Representative to Muslim Communities, serving both Secretary Clinton and Kerry. She has served on the National Security Council, at the U.S. Department of State, and at the U.S. Agency for International Development in various senior roles. She is currently a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and until recently she was a senior advisor at the Anti-Defamation League. During the last decade she has also been a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She was appointed to the Department of Homeland Security’s Advisory Council, chairing its countering violent extremism task force during Secretary Jeh Johnson’s tenure. In fall 2020, the Muhammad Ali Center named Farah the first-ever Muhammad Ali Global Peace Laureate for her proven track record of and commitment to promoting humanitarian values; she is the creator and catalyst for the Ali Index on Compassion. Farah was born in India and raised in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Jonathan A. Greenblatt is the CEO of ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and its sixth National Director. As chief executive of ADL, Jonathan leads all aspects of the world’s leading anti-hate organization. He is an accomplished entrepreneur and innovative leader with deep experience in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

Since becoming CEO in July 2015, Greenblatt has modernized ADL while refocusing it on the mission it has had since its founding in 1913: to fight the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.

Under Greenblatt, ADL has modernized its operations, innovated its approaches to counter antisemitism from all sides and enhanced its efforts to combat extremism in all forms. During his tenure ADL rebooted its Center on Extremism that analyzes and monitors extremists and hate groups; launched “Never Is Now” the largest annual convening in the world focused on antisemitism and hate; created the Center for Technology and Society in Silicon Valley to fight the rising tide of online hate and harassment; developed the Sports Leadership Council to engage athletes, teams and leagues to confront bigotry and discrimination more effectively; and executed Stop Hate for Profit, the successful campaign that organized businesses, celebrities, nonprofits and policy makers to fight the rampant racism, antisemitism and extremism on Facebook.

In 2022, Greenblatt released It Could Happen Here, a book that sounds an alarm, warning that hate and systemic violence is gathering momentum in the United States – and that violence on a more catastrophic scale could be just around the corner.

Jonathan serves on numerous corporate and non-profit boards and has been recognized on multiple occasions for his leadership at ADL. He has been named by The NonProfit Times to its list of Top 50 Nonprofit Leaders from 2016-2022. Recode named Jonathan to its inaugural “Recode 100,” a list of the top 100 people in business and technology. He has been named among the Top 50 Most Influential Leaders in the global Jewish community by The Jerusalem Post and as one of the Top 50 Jews to follow on Twitter by the JTA.

Before ADL, Greenblatt served in the White House as Special Assistant to President Obama and Director of the Office of Social Innovation. He came to that role after a long career in business. In 2002, he co-founded Ethos Brands, the business that launched Ethos Water, a premium bottled water that helps children around the world access clean water. Ethos was acquired by Starbucks Coffee Company in 2005. Following the acquisition, Jonathan was named VP of Global Consumer Products at Starbucks and joined the board of the Starbucks Foundation.

In 2009, Jonathan founded All for Good (AFG), the largest database of volunteer opportunities on the Internet. Incubated at Google, AFG developed an innovative strategy to organize the world’s volunteer listings. AFG was acquired by Points of Light in 2011. Jonathan also served as CEO of GOOD Worldwide, a diversified media company and as an executive at REALTOR.com, joining the company as a product manager and eventually heading up its consumer products division. REALTOR went public in 1999 (HOMS) and was acquired by News Corp in 2014.

Jonathan has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and as a senior fellow at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Jonathan graduated cum laude with a BA from Tufts University and earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Nicole Mutchnik is the Chair of the ADL Board of Directors. She is a longtime advisor to elected officials, philanthropic and business leaders, building trust and solutions across government, nonprofit and business sectors. She serves on the boards of the Women’s Political Committee, the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA, the Aspen Institute Leadership Council, Civicas Women’s Civic Action Network, and the Mayor Bass Transition Advisory Committee. She is co-founder of the California Democracy Fund, and previously worked in government and politics, having served Governor Gray Davis, Treasurer Kathleen Brown, Speaker of the CA Assembly Bob Hertzberg, and the organizing committee of the World Cup Games. She attended the University of Pennsylvania in Government Administration, where she was a Fels Scholar, and UCLA undergraduate in International Affairs. She is married to Allan Mutchnik, and they have three children.

Ben Sax is the Immediate Past Chair of ADL’s Board of Directors. In his 25 years of volunteering for ADL, Ben has served in various leadership positions, including Vice-Chair of the Board, National Chair of Development and New York Regional Board Chair. Ben also assisted in a complete revamp of the organization’s governance structure to bolster leadership, accountability and transparency to sustain the organization’s long-term future.

Ben is a partner at Corient Private Wealth, a multibillion-dollar registered investment advisor that works exclusively with wealthy individuals and their families to help navigate the world around them. Focusing on everything from financial, estate and tax planning to asset allocation and investment, Ben and his team work with clients to achieve their goals through objective thinking and innovative wealth solutions with a mission to educate, inform and help them feel secure in the decisions they make about their financial lives.

He has also taught financial literacy to young adults at several non-profit organizations over the years. Ben has a deep appreciation for the arts, is a graduate of Bowdoin college, has two adult children, two grandchildren and is married to Hollis, a professional photographer.

Marie-Sarah Seeberger is Head of International Affairs at the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (Crif).

She has worked at Crif for 8 years, endorsing various functions, including leading diplomatic missions to Israel and abroad.

In 2024, Marie-Sarah Seeberger worked closely with international organizations and the French government to raise awareness about the sexual violence of 7 October.

She also worked in the field of Holocaust remembrance, organizing an exhibition of photos of French Holocaust survivors Paris in 2022.

She recently led a delegation to Krakow, Poland to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, accompanying a French Holocaust survivor.

Marie-Sarah Seeberger is also in charge of civil society issues at Crif, such as the environmental crisis, gender equality and human rights.

In addition to her work at Crif, she is also involved as an individual in various Jewish leadership programs and regularly represents France abroad.

Claudio Lottenberg is the current Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Albert Einstein Brazilian Israelite Charitable Society and the Coalizão Saúde Institute, as well as the President of Lide Saúde and President of the Israelite Confederation of Brazil from 2008-2014 and presently. He is also the Vice-President of Business Leaders (Lide). Lottenberg graduated with a master’s and doctorate from the Paulista School of Medicine of the Federal University of São Paulo, and he completed his medical residency at the Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology and advanced training in ophthalmological emergencies at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat (1989).

Lottenberg is the former vice-president of the World Jewish Congress, and currently a special advisor to the president of the World Jewish Congress – Latin America.

He is currently a visiting Professor at Harvard University (USA), full professor of public health policies in the MBA in Health program at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital and a member of the São Paulo Academy of Medicine.

Sara Aniano (she/her) is a Disinformation Analyst at the ADL Center on Extremism, tracking misinformation, disinformation and conspiratorial narratives that embolden extremists both on and offline. She joined ADL after earning her Master’s in Communication from Monmouth University, where she focused her scholarly research on conspiratorial rhetoric leading up to the January 6^th attack on the U.S. Capitol, which she was invited to submit to the January 6^th Committee. At the Center on Extremism, Sara sheds light on the strategies and real-world repercussions of false narratives and aims to hold accountable those who allow them to spread.

After graduating with a BBA from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Leanne worked in Commercial Banking and Private Banking starting her career at LaSalle Bank in Chicago.  After 18 years in Banking, multiple bank mergers, and two children she left the Banking world in February of 2020 to spend more time with her then 9 month old and 3 year old while looking into other opportunities within the Professional World.  In March of 2020, Covid started and she has been home full-time ever since.  This has allowed more time to be devoted to ADL and other causes close to heart.  Leanne started in the Glass Leadership Program in 2008 and has since been on the ADL Midwest Board in various capacities.  She currently serves as a member of the Engagement Committee, Co-chair of the Culture of Philanthropy Committee, and was recently appointed National ADL ACT Co-Chair and National Commissioner.  She is also on the Board of Directors for her children’s previous school, Moadon Kol Chadash, a Hebrew Immersion school and after school program in Chicago.

Joel Cohen is Director of Government Relations for the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), where he leads ADL’s federal advocacy efforts on international affairs and tech policy, specifically focused on combatting online hate and harassment. He began his career interning on Capitol Hill for United States Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland during his final semester at Syracuse University. Following graduation, he was hired full-time in the Senator’s personal office before transitioning to work for the Senator in his capacity as the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC). After a brief hiatus from the Hill, during which he obtained his M.P.A. from the University of Maryland, he returned to Capitol Hill as a Legislative Assistant focusing on foreign policy and gaming issues and was subsequently promoted to Legislative Director in the Office of Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional District.

Ruth Frias is a dedicated advocate for leadership development and fighting antisemitism, leveraging her background in I/O psychology and education to strengthen ADL’s NextGen engagement. She works across teams to connect regional staff, generate innovative programming ideas, and support the implementation of impactful experiences for emerging leaders. As the internal point of contact for ADL ACT members, she helps foster meaningful engagement and leadership pathways within the organization. Passionate about empowering the next generation, Ruth is committed to cultivating leadership that advances ADL’s mission.

Raina Goldberg is ADL’s Senior Director of Leadership Engagement. Prior to joining ADL, Raina spent nearly 20 years working for Hillel in various capacities, including Executive Director of Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach, Director of Hillel’s Birthright Israel program, and Associate Director of the Israel on Campus Coalition. She earned a BA in Elementary Education and History from the University of Miami and a Master of Education in Counseling from Boston University

As Vice President, Advocacy, Shira Goodman leads the Birnbaum Center to Combat Antisemitism in Education, and the Ratings and Assessments Institute, and our state and local advocacy work.

Shira Goodman joined ADL in 2020 as Philadelphia Regional Director and moved to the Government Relations (now National Affairs) Team in 2021, with extensive experience in leading mission-driven advocacy organizations, focusing on gun violence prevention and access to justice issues. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of CeaseFirePa, Pennsylvania’s gun violence prevention organization. Previously, Shira served as Deputy Director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a court reform organization. Earlier in her career, she worked as a labor and employment attorney at Ballard Spahr.

Shira earned her B.A. from University of Michigan and her law degree from Yale Law School.

Dan Granot is ADL’s National Director of Antisemitism Policy, where he leads federal advocacy on efforts to combat antisemitism. He previously worked as an Assistant Director in AIPAC’s Policy and Government Affairs department, where he focused on progressive engagement, social movements, and economic issues, and as a research associate for a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution, where he focused on trilateral relations between Turkey, Israel, and the United States. Prior to that, he was a Graduate Fellow at the Israel Council on Foreign Relations in Jerusalem, and a Program Manager at the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, where he focused on water dialogue in Iraq and Syria. Dan has also worked on development projects in India, Thailand, and Fiji. He earned his master’s degree in Foreign Service at Georgetown University and holds bachelor’s degrees in Global Development and Government & Politics, specializing in international development and conflict management, from the University of Maryland.

Alan B. Gubernick is a partner, CPA,  at EisnerAmper based out of the Philadelphia office. He is also an IAR at Prosperity, an EisnerAmper company. He is chair emeritus of the Philadelphia Regional Board. Alan previously served as Vice Chair of the Education committee of the National Commission. Alan earned a Master’s of Taxation at Widener University and a BA in Accounting and Psychology from Muhlenberg College. He is active in numerous accounting and business associations, as well as nonprofit and charitable organizations, currently servicing as Treasurer of Philadelphia Youth Basketball. Alan and his wife Julie have two wonderful daughters who are married to two amazing sons-in-law. He also welcomed his first grandchild, Micah Evan Jaffe, into the world in December.

Stacie Hartman is a law partner at Morgan Lewis in its Chicago and New York offices.  She leads the derivatives practice and is a co-leader of the fintech/digital assets working group, and also serves on Morgan Lewis’ US Administration Policies and Priorities Task Force.  Stacie co-chairs ADL’s National Commission and serves on ADL’s Global Leadership Council and the Midwest Region’s Executive Council. Stacie is from Chicago and obtained her degrees from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and Northwestern University, and matriculated at Oxford University.

Ilsa Peta Klinghoffer, MPA, 67, a native New Yorker, has had a long, successful career in the health-care industry. Following her graduation in 1981 from New York University with a Master’s degree in Health Care Administration, Ilsa began her health-care career with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. Two years later, Ilsa became the special assistant to the Vice President of Clinical Administration at the State University of New York College of Optometry. Ilsa subsequently served in executive capacities at the New York University College of Dentistry and at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).

At HSS, Ilsa was responsible for all international medical education and programming. She also was the Administrator of the International Society of Orthopaedic Centers, whose members represent the leading orthopaedic centers around the globe.

Following the 1985 murder of her father, Leon Klinghoffer, Ilsa, along with her mother and sister, started the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). In the 40 years since then, Ilsa has been very active in the fight against terrorism, lobbying Congress to pass anti-terrorism legislation, participating in and speaking at seminars and workshops, and supporting with her sister the Advanced Training School of the ADL, which brings together law enforcement officials from throughout the U.S. to learn about the latest techniques to prevent and fight terrorism.

Today, Ilsa works with the Doula Program to Accompany and Comfort, an organization which supports isolated New Yorkers at the end stages of their lives. She lives in Greenwich Village with her husband, Paul Dworin.

Lisa Klinghoffer has dedicated her life to combating terrorism and hate, a commitment that began in the wake of her father’s tragic murder. Together with her mother (Marilyn) and sister (Ilsa), she co-founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which serves as a living tribute to her parents’ memory and a platform for advocacy against extremism in all forms. Through this foundation, Lisa has worked closely with the ADL to champion efforts that promote tolerance, protect civil rights, and challenge bigotry around the world.

Her activism also led her to speak out against the controversial opera The Death of Klinghoffer, where she sought to raise awareness of the very real pain and suffering endured by victims of terror. Beyond her advocacy, Lisa is a practicing artist living and working in New York City. Her art draws inspiration from both the vibrancy of urban life and her own personal experiences, resulting in a body of work that has been exhibited widely and placed in numerous private collections.

By uniting her creative talents with her passion for justice, Lisa remains committed to preserving her family’s legacy, empowering others, and contributing to the ADL’s vital mission of eradicating hate.

Erin Kuchar serves as the Senior Director of Philanthropic Engagement for ADL’s East Division. In this role, she manages and supports the development teams from ADL Connecticut, New England, New York/New Jersey and Philadelphia. She provides oversight for all divisional frontline fundraising and works to implement training programs that enhance the skills and capabilities of new and existing team members. She plays a leadership role in developing comprehensive fundraising plans that achieve the agency’s overall development strategy. She collaborates with colleagues throughout the organization, to align fundraising efforts with the work and functions of other departments and further ADL’s culture of philanthropy.

Prior to this role, Erin served as the East Division’s Director of Philanthropic Outreach and ADL New York/New Jersey’s Director of Development. She is a knowledgeable fundraiser with extensive experience in team building, public speaking, volunteer leadership engagement, and event planning and management. Before joining ADL in 2017, Erin served as the Director of Development for New Yorkers for Children, the nonprofit partner of New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services, lead her own nonprofit consulting agency and served as a Manager of Development and Special Events for Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region in Philadelphia. Erin earned her BA, in Political Science and Psychology, and a Master of Public Administration, with a certificate in Nonprofit Management, from Villanova University.

As Vice President of Leadership, Deb Leipzig provides strategic direction and oversight of ADL’s governance structure and its national volunteer engagement bodies.

Deb joined ADL in 2018 having most recently run her own strategic development and philanthropic consulting practice with clients including OneTable, UpStart and BlueStar Indexes. Deb also served as the Senior Director of the General Assembly for JFNA; VP, Development for JDub Music and Director of Development for Reboot, an organization dedicated to reinventing Jewish tradition and ritual for a new generation. She began her career at Twentieth Century Fox and MTV Networks.

Deb holds a BA from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Shaya Lerner is ADL’s Director of Israel Affairs, and Associate Director of Middle Eastern Affairs. He is responsible for helping develop ADL’s Israel policies and programs, including on anti-Zionism, BDS trends, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as on issues related to global antisemitism, Iran, and persecuted minorities around the world.

Shaya has drafted and edited numerous ADL statements, letters, op-eds and policy memos on a variety of international issues and has contributed to a number of ADL publications.

Shaya joined ADL in 2011. He resides in White Plains, NY, and holds a Masters in Global Affairs from New York University and a B.A. from Yeshiva University, where he studied history and philosophy.

As Senior Vice President, Field Operations, Gary Levin leads the team fighting antisemitism and hate in communities throughout the United States.

Gary joins ADL having most recently served as the Senior Vice President, Community Impact at BBYO, leading the strategic direction and success of teams in regions throughout the United States. Prior to BBYO, Gary worked at ADL in California, Florida, and in the Education Division. He began his career as a middle school teacher.

Gary holds a BA in History from UCLA, and Ed.M. in Education from Harvard.

Michelle Magner is the Director of Content & Learning Design for ADL Education. In her role, Michelle oversees the development and evaluation of resources and programs on antisemitism education, school climate improvement and advocacy efforts for K-12 schools. Prior to this position, Michelle spent 6 years in the ADL Washington, D.C. Regional office serving in a variety of roles focusing on education, advocacy and community relations as well as volunteer leadership management. Michelle has a background in education earning her Bachelors in Education from the University of Dayton and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Ashland University. Before joining ADL, Michelle worked for a total of 8 years in both traditional public schools in Charles County, Maryland and a charter school in Columbus, OH as both a classroom teacher and high school administrator.

Max Milkman is the Associate Director of Community Engagement for the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Government Relations, Advocacy, and Community Engagement team (G.R.A.C.E). He’s focused on building ADL’s power through volunteer advocacy and helping to lead our state advocacy efforts. Before joining ADL, Max dedicated five years to the gun violence prevention movement. He began at CeaseFirePA, where he built grassroots coalitions and organized volunteers to advocate for stronger gun laws and funding for anti-violence programs in Pennsylvania. Max also served as the Director for the Pennsylvania chapter of March For Our Lives, a youth-led gun violence prevention organization founded after the Parkland tragedy. In this role, he trained hundreds of students to organize and conduct voter registration drives and lobby lawmakers. Additionally, Max has managed or consulted for numerous political campaigns at the municipal, state, and federal levels, focusing on electing candidates who support gun safety measures.

Carole Nuriel has been working with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for 23 years. Prior to assuming her current position as Managing Director, ADL Israel and Senior Director, MENA, Carole was ADL’s Senior Middle Eastern Affairs Analyst with 24 years of experience in this field, focusing on manifestations of antisemitism in Middle Eastern media outlets. In her current position Carole is focused on promoting ADL’s programming, advocacy and partnerships in the Middle East Israel including advancing social cohesion in Israeli society, raising awareness to antisemitism working with ADL’s partners in the region.

Carole served in the Israel Defense Force’s Intelligence Corps during her compulsory service. Later she worked for the Israel Broadcasting Authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the Shalem Center. Carole holds a BA in Arabic language and literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an MA in Arabic language and literature (majoring in classic Arabic language). She speaks Hebrew, French, Arabic, English and Spanish. Carole is married with three children.

James Pasch is the ADL’s Vice President, Litigation, after serving as ADL’s Cleveland Regional Director (serving Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania). James is leading a legal advocacy practice for ADL during a particularly important time, as antisemitism and extremism become more mainstream.

Notably, in November 2023, he oversaw the launch of CALL (Campus Antisemitism Legal Line), a free hotline, providing legal assistance for anyone experiencing antisemitism on college campuses. The project has already led to sweeping changes that have been instituted on campuses and K12 schools to protect Jewish students, after ADL filings.

James is also leading ADL’s legal efforts in fighting back against the deadliest antisemitic attack since the Holocaust. ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) and Crowell & Moring LLP filed a federal lawsuit alleging Iran, Syria and North Korea provided material support to Hamas that enabled it to commit atrocities in Israel on October 7, 2023, that killed, injured, and terrorized scores of U.S. citizens and their families. In a world in which October 7^th denialism took hold almost immediately after the attack, this case will set the record straight about the horrors of what occurred on that day, who was responsible for providing material support for this heinous terrorist attack, and will ultimately provide a path for justice, accountability and redress.

In his time leading the ADL Cleveland Office, James launched a pro-bono legal assistance program to assist victims of hate crimes in Ohio and drove the region’s response in the aftermath of the Tree of Life synagogue attack in Pittsburgh. James Pasch graduated from University of Vermont and earned his law degree at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Prior to entering the legal profession, James worked on Capitol Hill, first for Senator Frank Lautenberg and then as a law clerk on the Senate Judiciary Committee for Senator Patrick Leahy. He then built a thriving small firm litigation practice in Cleveland. James served as the Case Western Reserve Law School’s Assistant Dean of Development and External Affairs during the Law School’s Capital Campaign. James has also served two-terms as a Councilman in Beachwood, where he led the City’s passage of its anti-discrimination ordinance.

Candice Perilstein is the Associate Director of Jewish Partnerships at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), working to expand ADL’s reach with Jewish communal campus organizations across the country through partnerships and advocacy efforts. Joining ADL in 2019, Candice previously served as the Associate Regional Director for the Florida office. No stranger to the campus space, prior to ADL she held positions with Hillel at Vanderbilt University, as well as on the headquarters staff at Zeta Beta Tau as Director of Growth. She graduated with her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami and Master of Education with a focus in College Student Affairs from the University of South Florida.

As Senior Vice President, International Affairs, Marina G. Rosenberg oversees ADL’s work combating antisemitism and hate outside of the United States as well as supporting the Jewish and democratic state of Israel. She leads a team of professionals in the U.S., Europe and Israel pursuing ADL’s mission of fighting antisemitism globally, promoting the security of Jewish communities around the world, and advocating for a safe and democratic State of Israel.

A former ambassador and diplomat, Marina joined ADL in early 2023 after 16 years of service in Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs leading diplomatic missions abroad. She was appointed the country’s first female Ambassador to Chile in 2019 and spearheaded the fight against antisemitism, antizionism, and the anti-Israel BDS movement in that country. Her other diplomatic posts have included Director of the Gulf Department (2017-19), Counsellor for Foreign Affairs in the Embassy of Israel in Germany (2014-17), and Head of Mission in the United Arab Emirates office (2012-14). During her service in South America, Europe and the Persian Gulf region, Marina worked to revitalize Israel’s image and strengthen its bilateral relations while promoting social impact diplomacy.

From 2017 to 2019, Marina also led the Women in Diplomacy Network, a group she co-founded, where she organized dozens of events with other female leaders and brought together Israeli and international female diplomats with the purpose of promoting gender equality in international diplomacy.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Marina and her family immigrated to Israel when she was six years old. She earned a B.A. in Political Science and Latin American Studies from Hebrew University and an M.A. in Diplomacy and Security Studies from Tel Aviv University. Rosenberg holds Israeli, German and Argentinian citizenships and is fluent in English, Hebrew and Spanish.

As Vice President of the West Division, Robert Trestan and his team work daily to fight antisemitism and all forms of hate in the Arizona, Central Pacific, Los Angeles, Nevada, Orange County/Long Beach, Pacific Northwest, San Diego and Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties regional offices.

Robert joined ADL in 2005 as the Northeast Civil Rights Counsel and was subsequently appointed New England Regional Director in 2013, where he prioritized developing community partnerships and initiatives that advocate for justice, equity, and inclusion. Robert currently sits on the Massachusetts Governor’s Hate Crimes Task Force.

Robert earned a B.A. from Trent University and J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law.

Marya Slade, MPA, is the Director of Workplace Education Programs for ADL National. In this role, Marya provides programming and resources to combat antisemitism to help workplaces create inclusive environments where all employees can thrive.

Upon joining the ADL team in 2021, Marya served for two years as the Assistant Education Director in the Washington, D.C. Regional Office. Prior to her roles at ADL, Marya worked for five years as the Teen Educator for Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia, and for two years as the Director of Jewish Student Life at the University of Florida Hillel. Marya received her MPA with a concentration in nonprofit management from George Mason University, and her BA in Political Science from Knox College.

Jeremy Sherman is the Director of Strategic Initiatives in ADL’s Innovation & Strategy department, where he plays a pivotal role in developing and advancing innovation projects across the organization. Jeremy has spearheaded the development and piloting of numerous AI tools for both internal and external use, including ADL’s latest initiative to create an AI assistant that enables the public to report incidents, find resources, and discover actions to combat antisemitism. Drawing on his experience as a former management consultant and as an early employee at a Shark Tank-featured startup, Jeremy combines his private sector expertise, industry knowledge, project management skills, and startup mentality to drive innovation at ADL. His passion for this work stems from his involvement in BBYO, the largest world’s Jewish youth movement, where he served as International President and engaged with Jewish teen communities globally. Based in Washington, D.C., Jeremy is an alumnus of Washington University in St. Louis. He hails from Detroit, is half-Colombian, and is fluent in Spanish.

As Vice President of the Center on Extremism, Oren Segal leads the organization’s efforts to combat extremism, terrorism, and all forms of hate both in the physical world and online. Recognized as a foremost authority on extremism, the Center on Extremism consists of a team of experts, analysts, and investigators who provide invaluable resources, expertise, and educational briefings to law enforcement agencies, public officials, and internet and technology companies.

Throughout his tenure at ADL, Oren has dedicated much of his time to evaluating and countering the trends, tactics, and impact of antisemitism and extremism across the entire ideological spectrum. He regularly appears on national and international media outlets, provides expert witness testimony, and speaks at conferences worldwide. In recognition of his exceptional service in the public interest, Oren was honored by the FBI in 2006. He was named one of the 50 influential, intriguing, and inspiring American Jews by the Forward in 2019. Prior to joining ADL in 1998, Oren worked for The New York Times and the Jewish Community Federation in San Francisco. He is a graduate of Wheaton College in Massachusetts.

Zach Schaffer is an accomplished facilitator, educator, and organizer who has dedicated his career to empowering people to nurture compassion and communicate across differences. He is renowned for his unique ability to unpack complex and emotionally charged topics with clarity and compassion.

He has trained thousands of leaders across the world in Fortune 500 companies, global nonprofits, government, and universities. Throughout his career he has led trainings on workplace culture and respect, healthy masculinity, male allyship, storytelling, relationship-building, and depolarization.

As co-founder of Project Shema, he has helped build an organization that works to ensure collective Jewish inclusion and safety inside healthy pluralistic societies. He serves on various boards, enjoys riding his motorcycle, and is a rising voice in the conversation around the culture and legalization of psychedelics.

As the Vice President, State and Local Advocacy, Meredith R. Weisel leads the development and execution of state and local policy campaigns with a focus primarily on state and municipal legislative, executive and administrative actions.

Meredith joined ADL in 2019 in the D.C. Regional office serving most recently as the Regional Director there before joining the National Affairs team in 2025. She is an experienced attorney and government relations professional with an extensive career engaged in public policy and community affairs work. Meredith’s previous experience includes serving as the Director of Maryland Government and Community Relations for the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington, the principal owner of Weisel Government Relations, LLC, one of partners at Government Affairs Strategies, LLC, and the Vice President of Public Policy for Maryland and Legal Counsel for the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® (GCAAR).

She holds a B.A. from American University in an interdisciplinary study of Communications, Legal Institutions, Economics and Government and a J.D. from the Widener University School of Law.

As Vice President of the Center for Antisemitism Research, Matt Williams leads ADL’s development of rigorous research and answers to both longstanding and new questions about how to measure, understand and prevent antisemitism. He partners with other ADL departments to utilize research and impact analysis to develop practices for addressing antisemitism.

Matt joins ADL after serving as the founding director of the Center for Communal Research at the Orthodox Union and the managing director of the Berman Jewish Policy Archive. Much of Matt’s decade plus of research leadership has been devoted to crafting impact-driven research programs in a range of fields – from substance use to informal education. At the Policy Archive, he oversaw the development of the archive’s online presence and partnered with researchers to produce public-oriented scholarship. Prior to those roles, he worked as a management consultant crafting professional development programs and strategic plans for educational institutions, as a curator and as a high school teacher.

Matt holds a BA from Yeshiva University and an MA and PhD from Stanford University.

Lauren Wolman is ADL’s Director of Federal Policy and Strategy where she leads ADL’s engagement on Capitol Hill. She leads federal advocacy on key issues including extremism, national security, appropriations, and hate crimes. Lauren previously worked on Capitol Hill for 13 years, where she focused on efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship, combat antisemitism, and fight hate in all forms. She served as the Floor Director and Legislative Director for Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Chief Deputy Whip and senior member of the Appropriations Committee. She also worked for her hometown representative, Congressman Brad Sherman where she ultimately became his Legislative Director and Deputy Chief of Staff. Lauren was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara.