Sr. Director of Strategic Communications at JWI, Award-winning journalist

Session: Behind the Bylines: Meet the Women Who Shape the News

Laura E. Adkins is an award-winning writer based in New York.

Her work on Israel, global Jewish life, and gender issues has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Glamour, Fox News and other outlets.

Laura is a senior director at Jewish Women International, working to combat gender-based violence and advance women’s leadership. She is also a volunteer mentor-editor for the OpEd project and serves on the New York Atid board of the Israel Policy Forum.

Previously, Laura was the Opinion Editor of the Forward, an adjunct instructor of journalism at Yeshiva University’s Stern College, an inaugural member of the Shalom Hartman journalism cohort, the Opinion Editor of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the editor of Jewish Insider and an assistant blogs editor at The Times of Israel.

Approaching the world with curiosity and humility, her work aims to advance our collective understanding of the realities and beliefs that shape individuals and societies, particularly in Israel and Jewish diaspora communities. She holds a B.A. in Economics from New York University and is an M.A. candidate in Middle Eastern Studies at the City University of New York.

Research Economist, Scholar of Economic Wellbeing, PhD Candidate at The New School, Board member, JWI YWIN D.C.

Session: Know Your Worth: Negotiating for What You Deserve

Fatimah was born and raised in the Gulf and has lived in both New York and Washington, D.C. She is an economist whose research centers on stratification economics, the economics of well-being, and disparities in race and gender, and inclusive economic rights. As a research fellow at a think tank, her work addresses racial wealth gaps and equitable budgeting. Fatimah holds a B.A. in International Affairs, an M.Phil. in Public and Urban Policy from The New School, and an M.A. in Government Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She is currently an all-but-dissertation Ph.D. candidate in Public and Urban Policy at The New School. Fatimah is excited to serve as a DC board member and make an impact in her community.

Executive Managing Director for Savills

Session: Know your Worth: Negotiating for What You Deserve

Powered by tenacity, Wendy Feldman Block is an award-winning commercial real estate executive at Savills, a global firm where she serves as an Executive Managing Director.   Wendy is passionate about wellness in the workplace and was the first broker in the world to advise a client on achieving both WELL and LEED Platinum certifications. Her unique focus on social sustainability has been career defining and a key differentiator within her industry.  In her over 30+ year career, Wendy has completed sales and leasing transactions totaling in excess of 12 million square feet.  She is on the Innovation Board at Savills and has been appointed to serve as the co-chair of the Women’s Initiative Network within her firm.

 She has received numerous professional accolades including being selected as a JWI Woman to Watch in 2018.  Her community engagement has been (and is) extensive.  Wendy has been an active mentor to countless people in the commercial real estate industry and taken leadership roles at many organizations including Jewish Federation of Greater Washington DC where she co-chairs the Real Estate Division, Commercial Real Estate Women DC, Iona Senior Services, Higher Achievement, Round House Theatre and the helped grow Tikkun Olam Women’s Foundation which provided grants to women and girls.

Co-Founder of Articulated Intelligence, nationally recognized keynote speaker, facilitator, and Gala Auctioneer

Closing speaker for the Women to Watch Leadership Conference

Alyce Blum, CPC, ICF iPEC, is a nationally recognized keynote speaker, facilitator, and Gala Auctioneer. She is the Co-Founder of Articulated Intelligence, a communication firm specializing in storytelling. Alyce and her partners created The With 1 Word Storytelling Methodology, a trademarked system that helps individuals shape and share personal stories to connect with others and inspire action. She works with clients across industries to enhance their communication skills and leadership presence.  

JWI Board member

Session: Volunteering Amid War: Firsthand Reflections from YWIN’s Israel Mission

Stephanie Nashman of Falls Church, Va. has worked in the real estate industry for over 30 years specializing in commercial real estate, finance, strategy, and service and is involved in a variety of professional and philanthropic organizations. She is a member of the leadership committee of JWI’s Women’s Impact Network, and 2022 co-chair of the JWI Leadership Conference and Women to Watch. In January 2023, she became a member of Save a Child’s Heart US Governing Board. Stephanie volunteers with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and served in an advisory capacity in the development and implementation of the George Washington University’s Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service. Committed to volunteerism, inclusion, and social justice, Stephanie has worked to better the lives of those with developmental disabilities, food insufficiency, and inadequate access to healthcare. In addition, Stephanie is particularly interested in efforts to help women of all ages to realize their potential in and out of the workforce. She earned her BBA and MBA from George Washington University and pursued her PhD in Public Policy from George Mason University. Stephanie is a native Washingtonian, and lives in Northern Virginia with her husband Adam, daughter Lauren, son Joey, and their pandemic puppy named Wally.

Representative and Former Speaker, Virginia House of Delegates

Session: Advocating for Change

Eileen Filler-Corn (WTW ‘23) served as the 56th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates. She was both the first woman and the first Jew to serve as speaker in the 400-year history of Virginia’s legislature. Filler-Corn rose to this role after serving in the House for a decade, making her ascension to the post the fastest ever. Today, she continues to serve her community and commonwealth in the House of Delegates, fighting on behalf of her constituents and all Virginians. Representing the 41st House District, which includes portions of Fairfax County. Eileen’s passion for service shines through her tireless work to make the Commonwealth of Virginia a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Her commitment to improving the lives of her neighbors is what drove her to run for the House of Delegates. She has spent her time in the legislature as a listener and problem-solver, delivering results that move her community forward and advocating for everyone equally regardless of background, circumstance, or ideology. She has introduced, championed, and passed legislation that has made Virginia a safer, stronger, and more equal Commonwealth.

CEO & Founder, Jewish Fertility Foundation

Session: Empowered Health: Taking Charge of your Reproductive Wellness

Elana Frank, entrepreneur and mom to 3 boys through IVF and embryo donation, helps intended parents navigate becoming parents through her non-profit, the Jewish Fertility Foundation (JFF). Cost, education, and access were tremendous obstacles for this “unspoken” issue in the Jewish community, so she rallied countless like-minded people and created JFF. She has raised more than $6 million, trained 1000+ community and healthcare leaders in infertility sensitivity, matched up hundreds of people with “fertility buddies”, allocated more than 2 million dollars in fertility grants, “birthed” 160+ babies, and is now scaling JFF nationally.

Co-founder and president of Seed the Dream Foundation

Session: I Believe Israeli Women: Using Your Voice to Stand Up for Survivors and Victims of 10/7

Marcy B. Gringlas, PhD, is co-founder and president of Seed the Dream Foundation. STDF is an education foundation working with schools, organizations, and programs to advance academic achievement through high-quality education in underserved communities in the United States and Israel; fight contemporary antisemitism and meaningfully integrate lessons on this critical focus into Holocaust education; foster positive and meaningful life-long connections with Israel in high schools, on college campuses, and beyond; support programs to prevent and address gender-based violence in the United States and Israel; address the critical emergency needs of thousands of Holocaust Survivors living at or near poverty in Israel and the United States, responding to humanitarian crises across the globe, and ensuring individuals have access to the care they require to lead healthy lives; and invest in projects that provide opportunities for underserved communities in the United States and Israel.

Dr. Gringlas formerly served on the USC Shoah Foundation’s Board of Councilors, as the chair of the Bearing Witness Program at the Anti-Defamation League, on the executive committee of The Baldwin School, and as a member of the trusteeship committee for Steppingstone Scholars, Inc. and the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center.

Dr. Gringlas is a child psychologist and served as a faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Senior Managing Director of Girls’ Education for Student Leadership Network; JWI Board Member

Session: I Believe Israeli Women: Using Your Voice to Stand Up for Survivors and Victims of 10/7

Laura Rebell Gross (WTW ‘16) is the senior managing director for the Girls’ Education National Team — comprising The Young Women’s Leadership Schools (TYWLS) and Young Women’s Leadership Network (YWLN) — which serves more than 10,000 students every year. A leader in the education field for decades, Laura’s expertise is widely recognized and she has been honored by Jewish Women International and The Center for the Women of New York. Laura is a national speaker and expert on girls’ public education. To impact the lives of girls beyond New York City, Laura co-founded the Young Women’s Charter Prep School of Rochester, a YWLN affiliate, and takes the lead in identifying and establishing new school affiliates nationwide. In addition to the JWI board, Laura currently serves on the Riley’s Way Foundation board and the advisory board for Rattlestick theatre. Notably, Laura’s path to leadership started as a public school teacher, including serving as an English teacher at SL Network’s flagship school in East Harlem for six years. She earned a BA from Tufts University, an MAT from Brown University, and has completed coursework toward an Ed. D. in curriculum and teaching at Teacher’s College, Columbia University and the Warner School, University of Rochester.

Entrepreneur; Women’s Mentor; Board Member of KEEN Greater DC

Session: Know your Worth: Negotiating for What You Deserve

Barbara Guterman (WTW ‘23) is a seasoned entrepreneur, passionate business executive, and a veteran community organizer with a desire to create powerful change. In the last 35 years, Barbara has launched companies and managed businesses in telecommunications, retail, franchising, manufacturing, fine jewelry, and in Internet-based start-ups. Her experience ranges from small business to large-scale public corporations and covers management, operations, sales, investor relations, public relations, community relations, and external affairs. At just 23 years old, Barbara co-created one of the nation’s first competitive local phone companies – the first in its industry to go public, raising more than $80 million and growing to 5000+ employees. Barbara was featured in Forbes' September 1995 issue as a “Woman with a Mission,” and she was the first person to don the cover of Reader's Digest as a distinguished woman entrepreneur. She was also recognized as Ernst and Young’s 1997 Florida Entrepreneur of the Year. Barbara received her B.A. in telecommunication from the University of Florida and an MBA from the University of South Florida, where she was named USF’s 1993 Entrepreneur of the Year. She is currently a mentor and partner in several startup businesses and runs the Teach Give Inspire Fridays women’s speakers series. Barbara has served as VP of the board of KEEN Greater DC for the last 12 years, is an entrepreneur-in-residence at The Bullis School in Potomac, Md., and is the current president of Congregation Bna’i Tzedek in Potomac. She is a devoted wife and mother to three grown sons who share her passion for business and for giving back.

Board Member and Vice Chair-Elect, JCC Association; JWI Board Member

Session: Leading With Purpose

Felicia “Lisie” Gottdenker has been on the board of JCC Association since 2012. She has served on the JCC Maccabi®, governance, and executive committees and is on the CEO search committee. Gottdenker co-chaired the program engagement committee and served as the continental chair of JSummit 2020, Forward 2022, and JSummit 2024. 

For 15 years, Gottdenker served on the board of the Bender JCC of Greater Washington in Rockville, Maryland, completing her term as chair in 2017. She also has served on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. In 2022, she was the Sondra D. Bender Community Leadership Honoree as part of JWI’s Women to Watch Leadership Weekend, and she currently sits on the board of JWI. She is on the steering committee of the Giving Network, which is a part of the Aspen Community Foundation. 

She and her husband, Michael, have three children, Ellie, Noah, and Olivia. 

Senior Newborn Advisor at USAID, board certified Pediatrician and Neonatologist

Session: Empowered Health: Taking Charge of your Reproductive Wellness

Dr. Leah Greenspan is a board certified Pediatrician and Neonatologist. She has worked clinically in the Washington DC area for almost 20 years. Dr. Greenspan has extensive experience working in Global Health with a focus on newborn health in Sub Saharan Africa and Asia.  Prior to joining the team at  US AID as Sr. Newborn Advisor in March of 2020, she  worked with multiple NGOs as a Newborn Consultant developing and implementing programs both in the rural and urban settings to build the capacity of medical professionals and strengthen health systems around the continuum of maternal newborn care. As a member of the Newborn Team at USAID,  Leah is a Senior Newborn Advisor  focusing on advancing small and sick newborn care globally as well as being a key member of the MCHN Office Commodities and Supply chain team, co-lead of Every Newborn Action Plan-Commodities team and lead for the USAID MCHN  oxygen coalition focused on strengthening oxygen ecosystems for mothers, newborns, and children.

Founder of Unshakeable

Session: Take Control of Your Financial Future

Debbie Isaacs is the founder of Unshakeable and this year’s Loribeth Weinstein Changemaker honoree.

Originally from New York, Debbie Isaacs relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1994, where she initially worked at The Trade Show Group.   

While in Las Vegas, Isaacs honed her production and storytelling skills, and began working for local production companies, as well as Caesars Entertainment, as an executive producer. What began to set her apart from others were her creativity, vision and ability to parlay human connection into an authentic story.  

“Looking back, I wasn’t completely certain of what I wanted to do long term.  But I knew I cared about people … and their stories.” says Debbie.  “It’s no wonder I landed a leadership role in production.  Every day I set out to tell someone’s story, in the most influential way possible.  It seems everything comes full circle in the end.” 

It was while wearing her producing hat that Isaacs’ life was forever changed, when in 2009, she found herself in Las Vegas Specialty Courts listening to a group of women who were coming out of trauma with the intent of telling their stories. While listening to these women from all races, ages and economic backgrounds struggling to reclaim their self-identity, she realized that she shared that same struggle. She left that courtroom knowing her purpose wasn’t to tell their stories, it was to change their stories. 

It was this realization that led Isaacs to found and lead UNSHAKEABLE, a non-profit that serves women in recovery from homelessness, domestic violence, substance addiction and human trafficking. UNSHAKEABLE partners with other nonprofit organizations that are providing housing and therapy and brings their clients the ‘Empower to Employ’ program to support their return to the workforce into a sustainable career and achieve financial independence.

Since launching UNSHAKEABLE in 2016, Isaacs and the organization have been the recipients of several awards, including ‘The Bob Gray Community Partner Award’ and winner of ‘Google Impact Challenge Nevada’ and the ‘Google People's Choice Award’ in 2019, the ‘AARP Purpose Prize Award Fellows’ in 2022, the ‘Women of Distinction Award’ from NAWBO in 2023, and Nevada’s Business Magazines ‘The Overcomer Award’ in 2024. Additionally, in 2021, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman declared October 28, 2021 as UNSHAKEABLE Day in the City of Las Vegas.  

Founder and CEO of RxLA

Session: Entrepreneurs Building a Better World

Andi Israel (WTW ‘24) is the founder and chief executive officer of RxLA, an innovative affordable housing development company committed to ending homelessness in Los Angeles. With over 15 years of experience in this space, Andi started RxLA with a vision to create an efficient and scalable private financing model to produce high-quality, lower-cost affordable housing. The company’s flagship development, built at half the average cost of comparable projects, opened in 2023; It provides 55 permanent homes coupled with on-site supportive services for formerly unhoused individuals with medical complexities and special needs.

Andi is a third generation Angeleno and holds a B.A. in Human Services and Sociology from George Washington University, an M.A. in Urban Planning from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service, and an M.S. in Social Entrepreneurship from the USC Marshall School of Business. She was named the USC Grief Center’s 2015 Social Entrepreneur of the Year and she is a member of the CORO Women in Leadership Program.

Founder of Jewish On Campus

Session: Advocating for Change

Julia Jassey (WTW ‘24) is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Jewish on Campus, where she heads a staff from around the world as they respond to growing levels of antisemitism on college campuses. Her work has been featured in media outlets such as CNN and Forbes Magazine, and she has been recognized as a young voice leading the fight against antisemitism. Due to her advocacy work, she was an Honoree at the Anti-Defamation League’s 2021 Concert Against Hate. Julia was also awarded as one of Algemeiner Magazine’s “Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life in 2021.” Julia has proudly served as a Brume and Allen Scholar at the American Sephardi Federation as well as the host of the “Nice Jewish Girls” podcast with Opendoor Media. She does this while also attending the University of Chicago, and she is expected to graduate in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in political science and Jewish studies.

Co-founder of Serena & Lily

Session: Entrepreneurs Building a Better World

Lily Kanter (WTW ‘24) is a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in the home design industry. She has founded and led four very successful companies as a co-founder and CEO in the past 20 years; including Mill Valley Baby & Kids, Serena & Lily, Boon Supply, and Averylily. Lily spent the early part of her career in accounting and technology leadership. While at Microsoft she was awarded the Chairman’s award from Bill Gates for innovating their first Retail presence in San Francisco. She left Microsoft in late 2000 to start a family and focus her time and energy on philanthropic causes. She was featured on the cover of Time Magazine in July 2000 as part of the cover story “The New Philanthropists” for sponsoring and mentoring disadvantaged young adults into technology careers. After having her first child, Lily decided to leave the corporate world and open Mill Valley Baby & Kids Home which ultimately led to the founding of Serena & Lily. She built and led Serena & Lily as the CEO for thirteen years. After leaving Serena & Lily she went on to start two more startups. Boon Supply a commerce focused fundraising platform gave back $104 Million to Schools and other non-profits. Lily’s partnership with Avery Solmssen (Averylily) is focused on designing soulful spaces through interior design, products and lived experiences. In addition to the Design Studio, Averylily also introduced a capsule collection of curated home basics with a focus on local makers in Hawaii and global women artisans.

Lily is a Wexner Heritage Fellow as well as a Henry Crown Fellow from the Aspen Institute. She guest lectures at Stanford on the case study she authored on Serena & Lily. She currently serves as the Chair of the Diller Tikkun Olam Awards. She and her husband, Marc Sarosi, live in Mill Valley and have 3 college aged sons. During time off Lily and her family love to travel to Africa and play tennis.

Senior wealth advisor at Citi Personal Wealth Management

Session: Take Control of Your Financial Future

As a senior wealth advisor at Citi Personal Wealth Management with over 25 years of experience, Diane (WTW ‘24) has deep knowledge of the financial markets and how to align her clients’ portfolios to maximize their financial goals. Many of her clients span generations of families, attesting to her ability to build strong relationships by earning their trust. These clients rely on her substantial experience for wealth management, estate planning, retirement, trust and financial planning (that she works in conjunction with her client’s legal and tax advisors). Diane focuses her efforts in these areas on the long term, with customized investment strategies that are especially important during periods of market uncertainty. 

Leading financial publications such as Forbes continue to recognize Diane as a top wealth advisor, including Best-in-State Wealth Advisors (Maryland) and Top Women Best-in-State Wealth Advisors.

A graduate of Drexel University, Diane has also completed three executive education programs in financial services at the Wharton School of Business. She lives in suburban Maryland with her husband and two daughters.

Chief Operating Officer at Sandy Spring Builders; JWI Board Member

Session: Leading With Purpose

Mimi (WTW ‘17) has been one of the owners in Sandy Spring Builders since 1998, and is responsible for the company’s business and administrative management. Prior to joining Sandy Spring, she was a partner in Kenwood Homes and Springbrook Builders from 1990 to 1998, building over 500 homes in Maryland and Virginia. In 1980, she joined her family-owned construction business, Brodsky Group. building and developing light industrial projects in Montgomery, Frederick, and Prince George’s counties. She is still a partner in the management of those properties. Professionally, she has served on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Commercial Builders Council and the Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association (MNCBIA) Board of Directors. In addition to her professional work, Mimi is involved with many charitable organizations in the area. She currently sits on the local boards of: NAMI-MC, Jewish National Fund's Women for Israel, and BBYO's Wellness and Inclusion Advisory Council. She is actively involved with Habitat for Humanity of Metro Maryland and their "Women Build" efforts. She is married to local professional photographer Michael Kress, and has a grown son and daughter.

Co-Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief, Her Campus Media

Session: Navigating Generational Differences at Work

Stephanie Kaplan Lewis (WTW ‘19) is the co-founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief of Her Campus Media, the #1 media company for college students and Gen Z, which she co-founded in 2009 as an undergraduate at Harvard. Her Campus Media empowers the next generation of student journalists, marketers, and creatives through its community of 50,000+ college students across thousands of campuses, and powers college marketing programs for some of the world’s largest brands. Stephanie has been named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and Inc. 30 Under 30, and Her Campus Media has been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies among other accolades. As a leading force for women's empowerment, Stephanie and Her Campus have partnered with First Lady Michelle Obama, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, and received the Office on Women's Health’s first-ever Partnership Award. Stephanie is also an Innovation Fellow at Harvard and a Boston Marathon finisher. She lives in Newton, Mass. with her husband, two young children, two rescue dogs, and cat.

MSNBC analyst and a senior legal correspondent at Slate, New York Times bestseller

Session: Behind the Bylines: Meet the Women Who Shape the News

MSNBC analyst and a senior legal correspondent at Slate, Dahlia Lithwick (WTW ‘24) is one of the nation’s foremost legal commentators. She is the host of Amicus, Slate’s award-winning weekly podcast about the law and the Supreme Court, and author of the instant New York Times bestseller Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America, which recounts the gripping and heroic story of the women attorneys who fought the racism, sexism, and xenophobia of Donald Trump’s presidency—and won.

Lithwick is the recipient of a 2013 National Magazine Award for her columns on the Affordable Care Act. She has been twice awarded an Online Journalism Award for her legal commentary and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2018, Lithwick received the American Constitution Society’s Progressive Champion Award and the Hillman Prize for Opinion and Analysis. By 2021, she was named an honoree of the Women’s Media Center’s Exceptional Journalism Awards. In that same year, she was a recipient of a Gracie Award for Amicus Presents: The Class of RBG, which featured the last in-person audio interview with Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Lithwick has held visiting faculty positions at the University of Georgia Law School, the University of Virginia School of Law, and the Hebrew University Law School in Jerusalem. She was the first online journalist invited to be on the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press. She has testified before Congress about access to justice in the era of the Roberts Court and how MeToo impacts federal judicial law clerks.

She has appeared on CNN, ABC, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show and is also a frequent guest on The Rachel Maddow Show. Lithwick co-authored Me Versus Everybody with Brandt Goldstein and I Will Sing Life with Larry Berger, and her work has been featured in numerous anthologies. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The New Republic and Commentary, among other places.

Head of Worldwide Display Ad Policy, Amazon; Co-Chair, Next Gen Board, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

Session: Leading With Purpose

Robin London (WTW ‘22) of Washington, D.C. is the head of worldwide advertising policy at Amazon, where she is responsible for advertising compliance for Amazon’s advertising programs such as targeting, custom ad campaigns, and Twitch. She spent 18 years at AOL (Verizon Media) as the director of the company’s global advertising policy group. For many years, Robin has been a mentor to young women in the adtech industry. In the community, she spends her time working on event and fundraising committees at local Jewish organizations and her children's schools. She most recently was co-chair of the Next Gen Board at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and board member at the Bender JCC of Greater Washington. Born and raised in New York City, Robin moved to Washington, D.C. in 1994. She received her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and has lived in the area ever since. Robin and her husband, Jeremy London, have three children: Sammy, Casey, and Cooper.

Founder, Support The Girls and Accessibility Partners

Session: How to Turn Passion Into Impact

Dana Marlowe (WTW ‘16) can turn a moment into a movement. What began with her spontaneous question of “What can I do with my old bras?” led to the creation of I Support the Girls, a non-profit organization that provides a source of dignity, self-esteem, empowerment, and support to marginalized women via the donation of bras and menstrual hygiene products.

As a human rights advocate in the intersections of feminism, menstrual equality, health, and dignity, Dana works tirelessly to better the lives of the most invisible populations. These women and girls are often overlooked by mainstream society. Dana can’t fix the larger societal issues that create insecurity, like homelessness and living paycheck-to-paycheck, but she can combat feelings of worthlessness by encouraging an accommodated period and properly fitting bra. 

In her tenure as the Executive Director and Founder at I Support the Girls, Dana has worked behind the scenes and beyond borders, not only facilitating donations, but also visiting countless shelters to connect with women experiencing homelessness, hearing their stories and using these experiences to become a stronger advocate. 

I Support the Girls is Dana’s passion project. She is also the founder and principal partner of Accessibility Partners, an IT company making technology accessible for people with disabilities. Dana promotes equal access to technology and full inclusion of people with disabilities in technology usage. When she is not sorting bras or striving for inclusivity, she can be found at playgrounds with her sons, walking her new puppy, or attending early morning dance raves.

Advocacy Chair, JWI YWIN L.A.

Session: Advocating for Change

Chief Program Officer, JWI

Session: Take Control of Your Financial Future

Deborah Rosenbloom, JD/MPA is JWI’s Chief Program Officer and leads JWI’s innovative social justice initiatives engaging Jewish, interfaith and secular communities in collaborative work to address gender-based violence through advocacy, trainings, resource development and community building.

In recognition of her work, Deborah was awarded a “Huntington Her Hero Lifetime Achievement Award” from the New York City Bar Association. The award, which honors women who have spent their careers advocating for women and girls by improving their legal rights and economic opportunities, was presented during the 5th Annual International Law Conference on the Status of Women in March 2024.

Deborah served as the primary researcher of JWI’s 2021 Needs Assessment of Jewish domestic violence survivors in the US and has directed five grants from the US Office on Violence Against Women, and developed JWI’s economic empowerment portfolio. Deborah’s recognition that the faith-based community can play an important role in addressing domestic violence led her to establish in 2008 JWI’s advocacy portfolio on Capitol Hill, as well as the Clergy Task Force on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community and the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Prior to joining JWI, Deborah served as the director of public policy and law and executive director of the National Association of Public Policy and Law; had an appellate practice in upstate New York, and was a writer/editor for major legal publishing houses. 

Deborah holds a B.A., cum laude in history from Cornell, attended Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel and earned a JD/MPA from Syracuse University School of Law and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Deborah was admitted to the bars of New York, Maryland and Washington, DC.  She lives in Washington, DC and is a member of Congregation Kesher Israel.

President of the YWIN NY chapter, fundraiser in Major Gifts in Women's Philanthropy for UJA Federation of New York

Session: Volunteering Amid War: Firsthand Reflections from YWIN’s Israel Mission

Taylor Ross is currently the president of the YWIN chapter for New York City after being on the board for the past 3 years and a member since 2018. A graduate of Muhlenberg College with a degree in theater and vocal performance, Taylor also has a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Drexel University and one in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Fundraising from Northwestern University. She currently works for UJA Federation of New York as a fundraiser in Major Gifts in Women's Philanthropy. When not raising money, you can find her frequenting NYC’s cultural institutions, a Jewish event or at a live performance event and the lights on Broadway.

Urologist and Sexual Medicine Specialist, Assistant clinical professor in Urology at Georgetown University Hospital 

Session: Empowered Health: What We Need to Know and What We Must Talk About

Dr. Rachel Rubin is a board-certified urologist and sexual medicine specialist. She is an assistant clinical professor of Urology at Georgetown University and owns her private practice in the Washington DC region. She is one of only a handful of physicians fellowship trained in male and female sexual medicine. Dr. Rubin is a clinician, researcher, and vocal educator in the field of sexual medicine. 

Social Entrepreneur, Community Activist, Writer, On-Camera Talent, Music Industry Veteran, and Founder of Mosaic Visions, LLC

Session: How to Turn Passion Into Impact

Dee Sanae (WTW ‘22) is a social entrepreneur, community activist, writer, on-camera talent, and music industry veteran based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. She served as the first Jewish woman of color and community service chair for B’nai B’rith International’s BBI Connect. Dee is also the vice president of the Asian Pacific American Film Festival Board. A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, equality, and women's empowerment, she is active in promoting diversity and inclusion within the Jewish, Asian, and Black spaces. Dee created Mosaic Visions, LLC to support and strengthen alliances for Jews of Color as well as Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and their communities. Mosaic Visions' mission is to unify communities through advocacy, community activism, and action-oriented programming that impacts lives. A proud alumna of Virginia Tech, Dee holds a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies and is an executive MBA candidate with a focus on global business, leadership, governance, and entrepreneurship innovation. She is a member of the Asian/Pacific Islander/Desi American Caucus of Virginia Tech and is the diversity and inclusion director of the Northern Capital Region Virginia Tech Alumni Association. She is a Sixth&I congregant in Washington, D.C., resides in Arlington, Va., and is the mother of two wonderful children.

Board Member, JWI YWIN Seattle

Session: Navigating Generational Differences at Work

Samantha is originally from outside Philadelphia and attended Duke University. During her time at Duke, she connected more deeply with Judaism than ever before, spending many days and nights at Hillel. Following graduation, Samantha worked in advertising in New York and made it her mission to stack rank the city's best bagels (#1 is Kossar's). She then enrolled at Wharton for her MBA and found herself in Seattle after. Samantha has been a member of the Seattle board ince 2023 and loves to create space for Jewish traditions. You can find her hosting Shabbat dinners, taking 1000s of pictures of her nice Jewish dog, Jake, and paddle boarding on Seattle lakes.

Board member, JWI YWIN Philly; Associate Director of College Student Network at the Hartman Institute

Session: Empowered Health: Taking Charge of your Reproductive Wellness

Avigail Schneiman is the Associate Director of the College Student Network at Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. In this role she is responsible for cultivating and sustaining relationships with alumni and participants in our rapidly expanding suite of programs for college-aged students.

 The 28-year-old Philadelphia native returned to Philadelphia after earning an undergraduate degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s in social work from New York University. In addition to her duties at the Shalom Hartman Institute she is a patient escort at Planned Parenthood, and is on the board of the Young Women’s Impact Network chapter of Jewish Women International. 

Director of partnerships and programs at Riley’s Way Foundation

Session: How to Turn Passion into Impact

Lauren Shenkman (WTW ‘24) is honored to be the director of partnerships and programs at Riley’s Way Foundation. Lauren is a nonprofit professional with a background in camp, educational and cultural programming, community building, program strategy, and partnership development. As Director of Partnerships and Programs, she oversees strategic partnerships and program strategy and implementation.

Riley’s Way invests in and supports the next generation of kind leaders. It works with emerging young leaders who are leading social impact projects in areas like food insecurity, homelessness, and education equity, through the lens of kindness, empathy, and connection. The Foundation has invested in more than 3,500 young people across the country to envision and achieve change, with over $4 million in grants and programming.

Lauren previously served as the Director of Membership and Community Engagement at Brooklyn’s Congregation Beth Elohim, where she helped launch CBE Feeds after Hurricane Sandy and acclaimed author series Brooklyn by the Book with the Brooklyn Public Library and the Community Bookstore. She was the Director of the Educational Alliance’s Downtown Community Center, the Director of Youth Programs at the 14th Street Y, and the Beacon Director at Moshulu Montefiore Community Center. In each role, Lauren is a connector who brings diverse communities and individuals together to make a difference. Lauren lives in Brooklyn with her husband, actor Ben Shenkman, and their two kids. She currently sits on the Steering Committee for the NYC Civic Engagement Coalition. She loves swimming in the ocean, theater, a consuming novel, introducing fabulous people to each other, and goes everywhere with too many bags.

Curriculum coordinator, teacher, and reading tutor, 2023 Women to Watch co-chair and JWI Board member

Session: Empowered Health: What We Need to Know and What We Must Talk About

Sharon Slotkin is originally from New York City and moved to the Greater Washington area in 1998. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and has a Masters in Early Childhood Education from Trinity University. She has worked in schools in New York and Maryland as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and curriculum coordinator. She currently works as a reading tutor.

Sharon served as a co-chair of the Pomegranates for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. She is a past chair of the Next Generation Board of the United States Holocaust Museum and currently serves on the board. She chaired the 2023 Jewish Women International Women to Watch luncheon with her daughter, Jayme.

Sharon lives in Potomac, MD with her husband and has two children, Jayme (age 24) and Ben (age 22).

Author of Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back and Host of the Simple Acts, Big Impact: Celebrating Teen Changemakers Podcast

Session: How to Turn Passion into Impact

Natalie Silverstein, MPH, (WTW ‘23) is an author, speaker, nonprofit founder, philanthropist and passionate advocate for family and youth service. Her first book, Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back, was published in 2019 and was named as one of the Top Books for parents who want to raise kind kids by the HuffPost. Her second book, The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference was published in July, 2022 and was chosen as a National Parenting Product Award winner. She is the host of the award-winning weekly podcast, Simple Acts, Big Impact: Celebrating Teen Changemakers. Natalie is the New York coordinator of Doing Good Together, an organization with the mission of helping parents raise kids who care and contribute. In this role, she curates a free monthly e-mail listing of family-friendly service opportunities that is distributed to thousands of subscribers in New York City. Natalie is a sought-after speaker on the topics of family and youth service, and has appeared on radio, television, webinars, podcasts, and was featured on the Third Hour of the TODAY show on NBC. She is a founding member of Impact 100 NYC, a women’s giving circle and was a proud JWI “Woman to Watch” in 2023. She is a member of the board of trustees of Riley’s Way Foundation and serves as Development Chair. Natalie holds a master’s degree in public health from Yale University.

Founder of inspiro Tequila

Session: Entrepreneurs Building a Better World

Mara Smith (WTW ‘24) is the founder of Inspiro Tequila. She is a mother of three and a former attorney and corporate strategist. Mara began her legal career at Mayer, Brown & Platt in Chicago before joining the corporate strategy team at McDonald’s Corporation. After her twins were born prematurely, Mara made the difficult decision to leave the corporate world to focus on her family and charitable work.

She never stopped thinking about what was next. Mara always envisioned running her own company and in February of 2020 she set out on her journey to create a new tequila brand.

Mara is on the advisory board of Cradles to Crayons and on the Women's Board of the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Mara shared her Grandmother's Holocaust story on If You Heard What I Heard. 

Inaugural Executive Director of the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA)

Session: Empowered Health: What We Need to Know and What We Must Talk About

Michelle Stravitz (WTW ‘22) is the Inaugural Executive Director of the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA), having joined in February 2024. Serving in this role at AJMA is the culmination of Michelle’s years of experience founding and managing a non-profit organization in the oncology exercise space, as a lay leader in the Jewish community, and running a small consulting business and delivering event planning services. Michelle Stravitz is the founder and former CEO of 2Unstoppable, a non-profit whose mission is to help women with cancer improve their cancer outcomes through exercise. She was the CFO of Spectrum Management Consulting and has 20 years of experience running a small consulting firm, event planning, and parent coaching. Michelle has volunteered with the Jewish community in the Washington DC area as Board member, event/committee chair, and various roles of community leadership. Ms Stravitz holds an MS from The George Washington University, a BS Economics and a BAS Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Executive Board Member of FIDF Young Leadership New York

Session: Advocating for Change

Madison Wallach, 26, (WTW ‘24) currently works at an experiential and influencer marketing agency in New York City, where she has lived for the past four years. In her philanthropic role, she serves as an Executive Board Member of FIDF Young Leadership New York and is chairing the 2024 FIDF Young Leadership Gala. Recently, she led a FIDF Young Leadership Solidarity Mission to Israel with 60 other young professionals from across the country. Before graduating from the prestigious Cornell Hotel School in 2020, Madison spent ten years at Holton-Arms, an all-girls school in Bethesda. At Cornell, she was actively involved in the Sigma Delta Tau sorority and the dance troupe Base Productions.