The incoming class of professionals at Hillel’s Charles and Lynn Schusterman International Center includes a former high school principal, a political activist, and a corporate recruiter. The women and men have a variety of educational and professional backgrounds but share a passion for enriching the lives of Jewish students.

Beth Cousens, director for campus advancement. Cousens worked as a senior professional at the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington from 1996-2001. She is a PhD candidate at Brandeis University, received her MA from Baltimore Hebrew College and her BA from the University of Michigan.

Raina Goldberg, senior associate for professional development. Goldberg has been the assistant director at the Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach for the past few years and brings solid field experience to Human Resources. Prior to working for Hillel, she worked as a recruiter in the corporate sector. She earned her graduate degree from Boston University and received her undergraduate degree at the University of Miami.

David Harris, executive director, Israel on Campus Coalition. Harris has served as the deputy executive director at the National Jewish Democratic Council from 1999 to present. Prior to that position, David was the director of the American Jewish Congress for three years. He participated in the Legislative Studies Institute through Columbia University and has a BA degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Suzanne Kurtz, senior communications associate. Kurtz was a member of the second class of Steinhardt Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellows (1995-1996) and a program associate at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel. She returns to Hillel after working for the Israeli Mission to the United Nations, the American Heart Association and Quiznos Sub. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Temple University.

Geoffrey Menkowitz, associate director of the Joseph Meyerhoff Center for Jewish Learning. Menkowitz was the assistant director of Camp Ramah Darom for many years and prior to that he worked as the Jewish Renaissance Project Coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel. He is an Ed.D candidate at the Jewish Theological Seminary and is in the process of completing his dissertation. He has an MS degree and undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Aviva Perlman, communications associate. A recent graduate of American University, Perlman interned with the Schusterman International Center for several years where she overhauled our Guide to Jewish Life on Campus, planned and organized the Journalism Track of the Spitzer Forum, helped plan the Charles Schusterman International Student Leaders Assembly, and much more.

Dan Smokler, assistant director for student leadership (based in Los Angeles). Smokler is a former Dorot Fellow, Bronfman Youth Fellow teacher, founder and organizer of the program, “Jews in the Woods” among many other accomplishments. He graduated from Yale University in 2001 and received his ordination in Israel in 2006.

Roz Stein, campus advancement consultant (based in New York) Stein has served as the head of school/principal at the Chicagoland Jewish High School since 1999. Prior to this, she was the Principal at the Solomon Schechter High School for four years. She also was the director of Human Resource Development at UJA Federation of NY for five years. She has an MA in Education from the University of Rochester and a BA from Yeshiva University.

Hillel has named the following new Schusterman International Center Fellows:

Jonathan Horowitz, Jewish education fellow, is a recent graduate from Brandeis University where he studied English and politics. A Silver Spring, Maryland, native, Horowitz spent a year before college in Jerusalem studying Judaics. At Brandeis, he served as Hillel president and was involved in several university initiatives to promote pluralism and diversity on campus. At school he received honors for his research on changing gender roles in American-Jewish literature and he is currently assisting in writing and researching a book for Jewish adolescents.

Beth Kurtz, Weinberg Tzedek Hillel fellow, is a native of Pittsburgh and a recent graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, where she majored in political science with minors in psychology and French. In addition to creating and leading a Jewish social justice advocacy group on campus, Beth served the Wash U Jewish community as a social committee cochair and a community development fellow. Beth interned in a Congressional office as well as with advocacy organizations both in St. Louis and Toulouse, France, where she spent a semester of her junior year.

Neil Spears, Bittker fellow, is a native of San Bernardino, California, who attended the University of California, San Diego where he majored in psychology with a minor in political science. Neil was active in student government, occasionally led Reform Shabbat services on campus, and founded Students Raising AIDS Awareness, an organization dedicated to facilitating UCSD’s participation in AIDS Walk San Diego. As a student, Neil also served for two years on the Board of Directors of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life and for a year on the Hillel of San Diego Board of Directors. Neil was a delegate to the World Jewish Congress in Brussels in January 2005.

The following SIC staff members will be undertaking new responsibilities:

Richard Blackmon, building services associate; Susan Fernandez, assistant controller; Eran Gasko, associate vice president for development; Zach Gelman, national student leadership development initiatives associate; Clare Goldwater, associate vice president for Jewish life; Danny Greene, innovation and implementation associate; Michael Kusie, Web creative services; Sara Joy Lebowitz, development associate; Patrick McCoy, assistant director for building services; Elizabeth Munsey, Web technical services; Nurite Notarius-Rosin, director of governance and special assistant to the president; Reuben Posner, Jewish education associate; Maria Radacsi, assistant director for design and production; Shannon Sarna, development associate; Deborah Shapiro, senior accreditation associate.