Our People
Our board, composed of members from different backgrounds and with diverse perspectives, provides vision, guidance, and passion for our work, goals, and journey.
Helen Zalik
Board PresidentAndrea Shlipak Mail
Immediate Past Board PresidentCindy Zitelman
Treasurer, Past President, Co-FounderDebbie Hochberg
Momentum’s Board President ElectManette Mayberg
VP Institutional Advancement,Trustee, Past President of the Board, Co-Founder
Lori Palatnik
Ex officio member,Founding Director
Michelle Leader
Vice President, Trustee, Co-FounderRachel Chafetz
SecretaryBetty Grinstein
Board MemberCheryl Leon
Board MemberConnie Lindenauer
Board MemberJeff Singer
Board MemberRivka Kidron
Board MemberSheryl Hartman
Ex Officio Board Member (Canada Liaison)Charlie Harary
Ex Officio Board Member (Men’s Council Liaison)Past Board Members
Betsy Friedlander
BOARD MEMBERDana Sicherman
BOARD MEMBER, CO-FOUNDEREllen B. Kagen Waghelstein
BOARD MEMBERJeanie Milbauer
FOUNDING PRESIDENT, CO-FOUNDERMahra Palet
BOARD MEMBERIn 2008, eight Jewish women from different walks of life, affiliations, observance, and ages – the “Utah 8” – came together to make a difference. They agreed that it was time to empower and inspire women with the rich beauty of their Jewish heritage, and Momentum was born. “All eight of us had a sense that living and transmitting Jewish values was the key to realizing each human being’s greatest potential in all of her gorgeous singularity. Since then, ‘unity without uniformity’ has been a pillar of this impactful movement.” - Momentum Co-Founder Manette Mayberg.
Back Row (left to right):
Dana Sicherman, Lori Palatnik, Rebecca Dorfman, Cindy Zitelman
Front Row (left to right):
Manette Mayberg, Michelle Leader, Lara Novack, Jeanie Milbauer
In 2017, Momentum formed its Public Council in Israel. Composed of distinguished Israeli women of all religious, political and professional backgrounds, the council supports Momentum’s efforts in promoting ‘Unity, Not Uniformity’ in Israeli society and in the Jewish world.
Miriam Peretz
Israeli EducatorMehereta Baruch Ron
Deputy Mayor of Tel AvivRachelle Sprecher Fraenkel
Torah Educator and Director of Matan’s Hilkhata InstituteLihi Lapid
Author and JournalistProf. Rivka Carmi
President of Ben-Gurion UniversityRivka Ravitz
Chief of Staff to the President of the State of IsraelSonia Gomes De Mesquita
Senior Deputy CEO - Spero Impact Solutions and CEO of the Centre for Jewish ImpactMichal Cohen
CEO of the Rashi FoundationOrna Hozman-Bechor
Chairwoman of Ashdod PortAdi Altschuler
Social EntrepreneurBatsheva Moshe
CEO of UnistreamRacheli Ebenboim
Entrepreneur and ActivistAdina Bar-Shalom
Educator, Recipient of the Israel PrizeYochi Brandes
Author and EducatorAliza Lavie
Former MK, Chair of Mt. HerzlFrom the very beginning, Momentum has been blessed with a fantastic team. As we grow, we continue to be inspired by the impact of our work and the mark we are leaving on the Jewish world.
Lori Palatnik
Founding DirectorBen Pery
Chief Executive OfficerAdrienne Gold Davis
Director of Experience & EngagementAllison Kent
Creative Services ManagerAmy Cantor
Chief Financial OfficerAnna Vainer
Sr. Partner Relationship ManagerAndrea Gottlieb
Regional Development DirectorChaya Baruch
Executive AssistantDana Sender-Mulla
Director of Israel OfficeDorina Zindel
Sr Manager Executive OfficeGalia Rubinstein
Senior Partner Relationship ManagerHillel Hurwitz
Chief Marketing & Communications OfficerIlene Rosen
Digital Communications ManagerIvonne Bengio
Project ManagerPartnerships & Programs
Janel Herman
Staff AccountantJenna Neulander
Foundations Relations ManagerJennifer Jalowiec Carrocci
Senior Systems & Salesforce ManagerJessica Minnen Berkowitz
Senior Education SpecialistJody Portnoff Braunig
Development Relationship ManagerJosh Broide
Global Director, PJLJudy Gross
Partnership & Education CoordinatorJudy Victor
Production ManagerKatelyn Vaughan
HR CoordinatorKayla Frankel
Project ManagerPartnerships & Programs