Lay Leadership

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Still have questions? Contact the camp office for more information: (201) 722-0400 or email Ray Kimmelblatt, Development Director at rkimmelblatt@urj.org.

Want to get involved? If you are interested in volunteering or serving as a lay leader to our community, please contact our Board Chair, Jen Weber.

MEET THE EISNER AND CRANE LAKE ADVISORY BOARD!

The Board forms the backbone of our camps. These dedicated volunteers give their time and expertise toward making Eisner and Crane Lake Camps the best they can be, working diligently to support our directors and camp staff and to help secure our camps' future for generations to come. We are grateful for their support and leadership!

JENNIFER WEBER, BOARD CHAIR

Jen is thrilled to serve as the Board Chair of Eisner and Crane Lake Camps!

Jen has been an integral part of shaping and supporting her community for the last  20+ years. She received a Masters Degree in Jewish Communal Service and Management from  Brandeis University’s Hornstein Program and the Heller School. This experience led her to work  for many years in the non-profit/Jewish sector where she honed her skills in development and  fundraising. She now contributes her time and uses her expertise to support many organizations  she cares deeply about.

Jennifer has been a member of Temple Israel of Boston for over 20 years with a strong  commitment to the synagogue. She has chaired the annual fundraising gala, as well as the year long celebration for their beloved Cantor’s retirement.

Jen also sat on the of Board of Trustees of the All Newton Music  School, where she has chaired the nominating committee. She has supported the Newton Public Schools for the last 15 years, where her  three children have attended school. Her roles have included President of the Middle school PTA  and Chair of the Creative Arts and Sciences Committee.

Jennifer’s commitment to the URJ camps began as a camper in 1978 at Camp Harlam, and later at Kutz Camp, followed by working as staff member at Eisner Camp where all three of her children have attended as campers and counselor. Prior to being Board Chair, she served as the Development Chair for Eisner and  Crane Lake Camps Board and has also chaired the Annual Stakeholders Assembly.

Jennifer lives in Newton, MA with her husband, Laurence Bailen, and three children, Daniel,  Lily and Molly and their golden doodle, Lola.

MIKE ADLER

Mike Adler is the Chief Technology and Chief Product Officer at N-able (NYSE: NABL), where he is responsible for the global technology and product development organizations.  For the past 20 years, Mike has worked in technology including leadership positions at RSA, Constant Contact, Symantec and other startups.

Mike married into the Eisner Crane Lake family (Beth Newman Adler) and has sent all 3 of his boys through the program as campers and now staff members.  Never one to be shy with opinions, the kids' experience and opinions helped shape Mike’s love, drive, and desire to ensure the future of the URJ’s Northeast Camps.

Mike lives in Framingham, MA and spends weekends (as many as possible) and summers in the Berkshires.

LIZ BARNETT

Liz is thrilled to serve on the Board for URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camps!

Outside of camp, Liz works as an oncology and palliative social worker, counseling patients and families who have been impacted by cancer. She earned her MSW from NYU’s Silver School of Social Work and completed a Palliative and End-of-Life Care MSW fellowship. She previously earned a BS in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University and enjoyed a 25-year career as a technology consultant. Liz grew up in Springfield, New Jersey, attending Temple Sha’arey Shalom and enjoying many (then-called) JFTY youth events.

Liz and her husband Adam are the proud parents of two Eisner Camp alumni, Becky and Sam. They each spent eight summers at camp; Becky also worked as a general counselor and Sam was on staff at URJ Kutz Camp. Through these transformative summers, Liz realized how much our camps have to offer and—especially since she never had the opportunity to go to a URJ camp—she wanted to get involved and help contribute to the magic we provide for so many campers and staff.

She first got involved as an Ambassador for her congregation, Temple Shaaray Tefila in Bedford, NY, helping to increase camp awareness among temple families. She was thrilled to join the Eisner/Crane Lake board in 2007 and has since chaired the Marketing and Communications Committee, was Board Secretary on the Executive Committee, and was honored to serve as Board Chair from 2018-2022. 

KAREN BERMAN

Karen is a proud Eisner Crane Lake Board member, Eisner Camp alumna and parent of two Eisner alumni. 

After a successful career in the private sector, Karen transitioned to a career in not-for-profit management. After serving as chief executive officer of two different organizations, Karen currently serves as a strategic advisor to philanthropists and institutions providing consulting on strategy, fundraising, board development and other growth-related opportunities. Since 2019, Karen has also served as an independent director of ACRA Re, a strategic, on-demand capital vehicle that allows investors to participate alongside life and retirement reinsurance firm Athene Holding Ltd. in private deals. 

Karen is a past President and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Rodeph Sholom School for 12 years. 

Karen received her AB Harvard College and an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Manhattan with her two teenaged sons.

DOUG BERNSTEIN

Doug is proud to serve on the URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Board, where he focuses primarily on the scholarship program and helping to make camp financially accessible to as many children as possible.  

A lawyer, Doug has worked in a number of law firms you have probably never heard of.  For the past 10+ years he has been General Counsel to First Round Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm.  He lectures frequently on a variety of topics – primarily to his wife and children (all of whom attended Eisner Camp).   

Doug has served for a number of years as a Trustee of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck, New York, where he is currently also a Vice President.  

Hypercompetitive, Doug competes in an annual “whac-a-mole” tournament – which (sadly) he has never won.   

He lives in Great Neck, New York, with his wife and their two children. [This is where Doug would list his degrees if he thought they would impress you.]

GLENN BLACHMAN

Glenn Blachman is one of the founding partners and a principal of Gateway Advisory, LLC., a financial planning and investment management firm. Prior to forming Gateway Advisory in 2010, Glenn was a vice president and investment advisor at Merrill Lynch where he started his financial services career in 1994.

Glenn earned a degree in Economics from Rutgers University, his Certified Financial Planning designation (CFP®) from New York University, his Master of Science (MS) degree in Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning, his Certification as an Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and his Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation (AIF®) from the Center for Fiduciary Studies.

401(k) Wire named Glenn as one of the 300 Most Influential Defined Contribution Advisors. Financial Times named Glenn as Top 401 Financial Advisors and Gateway Advisory as Financial Times 300 Top Registered Investment Advisors.

Glenn resides in Brooklyn, New York with his wife Maud and their two daughters.  They are members of Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn. Both his daughters have attended and love Crane Lake Camp. Maud has also worked at Crane Lake for several years.  He enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as an occasional round of golf and fishing.

RABBI JEFF CLOPPER

Jeffrey Clopper has served as rabbi and spiritual leader for Temple Beth El since 2003. Jeff received his B.S. from Tufts University in 1989 and was ordained in 1995 at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. Following Ordination, he worked at Congregation Emanu El in Houston, Texas, and has also served at congregations in Piqua, Ohio, Quincy, Illinois, and Lafayette, Louisiana.  He was a Rabbinic Intern for the Youth Programs Department of HUC-JIR in Cincinnati, and Chaplain Intern at Jewish Hospital and Bethesda North Hospital.

Camp has been a big part of Rabs (a camp nickname) life.  He has had the opportunity to be involved with several URJ camps, including Goldman Union Camp Institute in Zionsville, IN, Jacobs Camp in Utica, MS, Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA, Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, Texas, and the former Kutz Camp in Warwick, NY.  For the past 9 years, Jeff has had the deep pleasure of being part of the faculty at Crane Lake Camp in West Stockbridge, MA.  He, too, tends to live “10 months for two”.  Jeff brings wisdom, passion and innovative thinking to congregational and camp life, while honoring and preserving sacred traditions and rituals. He enjoys doing it all – Shabbat services, bringing Torah to life, educational programs, working with the greater faith community on Long Island, camp programs, playing guitar and singing, and sharing his wisdom and talents.  Jeff is well-loved by congregants and the greater Huntington area and has loved being a part of the community.

Jeff and his wife Carol have three children, a dog and two cats.  They make their home in the South Huntington area.

VIVIAN COHN

Vivian is an independent financial advisor with a business located in Tarrytown, NY.  Her expertise is in the areas of college, retirement and estate planning, and she is skilled in the development, execution and maintenance of personal investment portfolios.

After graduating from Brandeis University with a BA in history, Vivian completed the MBA program at Columbia University with a major in finance. She began her professional career in commercial banking, and started her own firm in 2003.

Vivian and her husband Gary have been members of Temple Shaaray Tefila in Bedford, New York for more than 35 years.  Vivian taught in the religious school and has been active on a variety of committees, most recently chairing the search for a new senior rabbi.

Vivian and Gary have four children, ranging in age from 34 to 19, and two grandchildren. They are committed to Jewish camps, and Eisner/Crane Lake in particular, as foundational for the future of the Jewish community

MARK DANIELS

Mark has been an active member of the Eisner and Crane Lake Camps Board of Advisors for over 10 years. He served as Board Chair from 2016 thru 2018. His career path has been rather varied. Starting out in life as an educator for a decade, he journeyed into a family business for some 35+ years when he was confronted with a serious health challenge. Having been greatly helped during his extended hospitalization; and, being forced to walk away from his business, he went back to school and trained to be a hospital chaplain. He is now a Board Certified Chaplain serving patients, families and staff at Cohen Children’s Medical Center (Northwell Health affiliate) in New Hyde Park, NY. He has been extremely active in his Temple over the past 30 some odd years, serving in many capacities including Ritual Chair, Brotherhood President and Temple President from 2000-2004. His devotion to Camp is because of the impact that it had in developing his younger son’s Jewish identity. He serves in gratitude. Mark is married to the love of his life, Mindy who has been a teacher of the deaf for the past 20 years. They proudly raised two sons. Jonathan is married to Robyn and together have produced 3 grandchildren. They reside in a suburb of Dallas, TX where Jon is the President and General Manager of the Texas Rangers Baseball Organization. Their younger son Ryan, is the Associate Rabbi of North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, IL (greater Chicagoland). Ryan is married to Carlie, who is the Assistant Rabbi and Director of Lifelong Learning of Temple Sukkat Shalom in Wiimette, IL. Together they have produced 1 grandchild. Mark is most proud of his family and all that they stand for.

SCOTT DWORMAN

Scott Dworman is a Network Engineer and Lead Project Engineer with Custom Computer Specialists, (CCS).  CCS is a premier technology solutions provider to companies and lower and higher education organizations.  Scott has worked for CCS for the past 7 years leading and mentoring team members.

Scott has served on the Temple Sinai Board of Trustees, and is currently Co-Chairman of Temple Emanuel Sinai Technology Advisory for the past 8 years in Worcester, MA.  He also has served on a Rabbi Search committee and is very active in the Worcester Jewish community.

He and his wife Nancy have 3 children at Crane Lake.  His wife Nancy is on staff for 2 weeks as the camp doctor.  They are members of Temple Emanuel Sinai in Worcester, MA.

For the past 7 years Scott has also run 8  1/2 marathons for Team Challenge.  This is a non-profit organization which helps find cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Team Challenge is part of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Scott is excited to serve on the URJ Eisner and Crane Lake board.

STACI EISENBERG KOSTO

Staci Eisenberg Kosto is an academic physician.  Board certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, she has the privilege of teaching and working with residents an Assistant Program Director for the Harvard Medicine-Pediatric Residency Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital, as well as the Assistant Program Director for Wellness for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Internal Medicine Residency.  In addition to her residency program roles, she is a primary care provider for children and adults.  She has a particular interest in adolescent and young adult health, including for those with complex chronic diseases.

Originally from Southern California, Staci first experienced the joy of Jewish summer camp one summer when her grandmother helped make it possible for her to attend, and since then knew that she wanted her children to be able to go to Jewish camp.   She was able to get another taste of the joy of camp herself as the camp doctor at Crane Lake, and can’t wait to come back and work in the beautiful new Mirpa’ah.  She is appreciative of ECL’s commitment to inclusion and acceptance, and is honored to serve on the ECL board.

Staci and her husband Seth live in Newton, MA with their two children, who both attend Crane Lake Camp.  They are members of Temple Beth Elohim, Wellesley where the ECL spirit is strong and helps forge special connections, even within an already close community. 

 

RICH FEIFER

Rich Feifer is chief medical officer at InnovAge, a leading national provider of PACE programs, serving frail duel-eligible seniors by delivering comprehensive patient-centric care that enables them to age independently for as long as possible.  He has responsibility for all medical, nursing, behavioral health, dental, in-home, and pharmacy services.

Prior to joining InnovAge, he served as chief medical officer at Genesis HealthCare, one of the nation's largest skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and long-term care providers.  He led the medical directors and a team of over 550 providers who cared for Genesis patients. In that capacity, he also served as chief medical officer of the Genesis HealthCare Accountable Care Organization, the only national ACO focused on nursing home patients.                                                          

Before Genesis, Rich was Aetna’s chief medical officer of National Accounts. He led Clinical Consulting, Strategy, and Analysis, which helped our nation’s largest employers improve the health and productivity of their members.  He also previously served as vice president of Clinical Program Innovation and Evaluation at Medco, where he was responsible for the organization’s portfolio of care enhancement programs.

Rich has served on various boards and committees, providing strategic and fiduciary leadership.  He currently is a director at the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, one of the largest healthcare accreditors.

A graduate of Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Rich is a board-certified internist with experience in population health, primary care, geriatrics, and urgent care medicine at the Fallon Clinic.  He received his MPH in Health Services Management from Columbia University, and is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut.

Leveraging his experience in healthcare leadership, Rich has supported Eisner and Crane Lake Camps and the entire URJ camping system throughout the COVID pandemic as a member of the URJ medical advisory team.

Rich and his wife, Marianne, live in the Hartford suburb of Simsbury, Connecticut, where they are active members of the Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation. Their kids, Deborah and Sam, spent many summers at Eisner Camp as campers and counselors.

MEREDITH FRIED

Meredith is excited to be a part of the Eisner/Crane Lake Board!  Her first experience at a URJ camp was during her temple’s first “Family Camp” weekend at Eisner when her children were young.  Though not an overnight camper herself, she was delighted to provide the gift of summer camp to her own children.  In 2022 her daughter started her ninth summer at Crane Lank camp as a junior counselor.

Meredith has sat on the board at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, MA on and off for more than a decade, serving as a Trustee, VP of Early Engagement and involved in myriad committees over the years.  Bringing in her professional experience, she has participated on and led search committees within the temple community as well.  In addition to volunteering at Temple Beth Shalom, Meredith has been an active volunteer in the Needham Public Schools.  She led the Curriculum Engagement committees at both the elementary and middle school levels for many years and currently serves on the town’s special education parent advisory committee.

A graduate of Brown University, Meredith’s professional background is in recruiting and organizational development.  She is currently the Planning and Projects Manager at PharmStars, a pharma-focused accelerator for digital health startups (and if you don’t know what that means she’s happy to tell you lots more about it!).  She and her husband Gabe live in Needham, MA with their two children and two dogs.

JENNY GOLDSTEIN

Jenny Goldstein is the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Americares, a health-focused relief and development organization that responds to people affected by poverty or disaster with life-changing medicine, medical supplies and health programs, based in Stamford, CT. She is passionate about international development, human rights and developing creative approaches to resource development. 

She spent the past 20 years working in various international NGOs, including Digital Divide Data, NYU and American Jewish World Service where she ran the Donor Engagement team,  launched the Global Circle program and staffed many service trips for young adults and synagogues.  Jenny is also a certified professional co-active coach and earned an MA and an MPA both from NYU, where she was a Wexner Graduate Fellow.

Growing up in Texas and Arizona, Jenny has traveled extensively and spent time volunteering, and working abroad including time in Jerusalem working for HUC-JIR as a grant writer, and volunteering in Izmir, Turkey with the JDC.  She loves facilitating group experiences, whether it was as a unit head at Eisner or leading volunteer groups across Latin America, Africa and Asia.

She currently lives in Fairfield, Connecticut with her husband Rabbi Evan Schultz, who serves as senior rabbi at Congregation B’nai Israel in Bridgeport. She is proud that her eldest son just finished Ktanim at Eisner and her younger boys spend their favorite week of the summer at Eisner Day Camp and can’t wait to be overnight campers.

ROBERTA GLICK

Roberta Franco Glick is a proud Eisner Alumni and parent of a camper and former staff member. In 2005, she was asked to join the Eisner and Crane Lake Board and from that point forward, she found herself fully immersed in the Union for Reform Judaism’s Camping and Youth movement. From Board Secretary in 2006 to eventually Chairing the Eisner and Crane Lake Advisory Board from 2012 to 2016, she truly understands and believes in the importance of our URJ youth programs and the future of Reform Judaism. A past Governance Chair, and chair of the Eisner and Crane Lake Gala, she has had the opportunity to be involved in many events to help support camp.

Roberta is a current member of URJ’s North American Board and sits as District Chair on the Oversight Committee. She is also Co-Chair or Eisner and Crane Lakes Friends of Camp Committee for Board Alumni.

Roberta most recently earned a Master’s in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College and is currently receiving her 200 hour certification from the Kripalu School of Yoga. She continues to be an active volunteer in her local Jewish community and currently resides in Syosset, New York. When she has some free time, she spends her time paddle boarding, hiking (most preferably in the Berkshires) or traveling to her favorite place… Israel.

MARTHA HAUSMAN

Martha went to Jewish summer camp for two formative years that she credits as the foundation, along with her family of origin, of her Jewish life. She believes in Jewish camp and has seen her own children come into their own at camp. Martha’s two daughters went to Camp Eisner, one of them from the first moment she could, straight through Olim. She is therefore honored to serve on the Eisner and Crane Lake Board with so many dedicated camp fans. She lives in Newton Massachusetts with her husband, Rabbi Andy Vogel and their daughters. They belong to Andy’s synagogue, Temple Sinai of Brookline.

Martha is a lawyer, mediator and negotiator specializing in clergy employment contracts.  Currently she represents clients in contract negotiations and coaches, consults and conducts negotiation training. Martha practiced as a lawyer, in both Washington and New York and has also held various Jewish communal positions. In addition to her law degree, she has a Masters in Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Martha enjoys bringing a combination of legal background, Jewish knowledge and rabbinic family experience to help facilitate important life transitions for her clients.

ALAN HERMAN

 Alan is the New York Executive Director of The Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) which is the largest non-government funder of cancer research in Israel. Prior to joining ICRF, Alan served as the Executive Director of several leading New York City Synagogues, most recently he was the Executive Director / Chief Operating Officer of Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope Brooklyn. Prior to pivoting to the not-for-profit world, Alan held executive positions at the Bentex Group and was the founder and president of A&L Apparel for over 25 years, a wholesale distributor of consumer products.

Summer camp is central to who Alan is and he still maintains significant friendships with his bunkmates from 45+ years ago. Alan, his wife Miriam, and daughter Noa reside in the Midtown East section of Manhattan where they feel fortunate to call Central Synagogue their spiritual home. The Hermans take great pleasure in watching Noa develop into her true self as part of the Crane Lake Community.

LISA JAFFE

My family’s relationship with Crane Lake Camp was cemented at the end of summer 2011 when my eldest child refused to get into the car following her first session at camp. My younger child began his CLC experiences in 2014.  And one or both of them have been involved with URJ summers through 2022. Having the opportunity of spending many summers at an overnight camp, I was well aware of the potential impact the experience can have on a person. I am delighted to be able to serve on the ECL board as a way to “give back” for the wonderful impact the URJ camp experiences have had on my children.

Following many years in the world of independent bookstores, I happily chose to be a stay at home parent.  For the past 2 decades, I have enjoyed volunteering with various and varied organizations in a variety of positions. Within the school system I have been a room parent, room parent coordinator, PTO co-chair, and board member of the high school’s Friends of XC and Track group.  Within the Town of Sharon, I spent many years as a board member of the Friends of the Playground group - organizing fundraisers, cleanups, and community building opportunities.  For the past 4 years I have worked with the Jewish Family and Children’s Services in several roles. As an active member of Temple Sinai in Sharon, I have enjoyed time on several committees - Education, Social Action, and Hesed.

MARJI KARLIN

Marji grew up in the Bronx and attended religious school Temple Judea.  Her love for Judaism is directly attributable to her involvement in youth group, CRaFTY, and three summers spent at Eisner Camp, first as Machon, then as a counselor.  

In addition to serving as member of the Eisner Crane Lake Board, Marji is an honorary member of the Board of Trustees of Temple Israel of New Rochelle, having served as Temple President, Treasurer and Sisterhood President.  Most recently, Marji has shared her passion for and about Jewish camping with Temple Israel, where she served as co-chair of the Camp Pinebrook Committee, building and opening a Reform Jewish day camp on premises.

Marji is the Chief Revenue Officer at New York City Health + Hospitals, the largest public hospital system in the country. She received a B.S from SUNY Albany (where she met her husband) and an M.B.A from Baruch College/Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  Marji lives in New Rochelle, NY with her husband David, and has two grown daughters (one of whom spent 12 summers at Crane Lake!) 

JODI KERPER

Jodi Kerper is a Training Program Coordinator with the Professional Development Program at the Research Foundation for SUNY Albany. Jodi joined PDP in 2002 and currently manages a team of staff providing training to thousands of state program staff and social services caseworkers and providers who use proprietary computer systems to track and manage casework and clients. As such, Jodi leverages her “geek-like” affection for databases and computer systems and love of language to translate complex systems and technical terminology into relatable concepts for users. 

Although born in Brooklyn, Jodi grew up in Richmond, Virginia, where she was active in B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, serving as local chapter president and regional president. She returned to her northern roots for college, receiving her BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and has lived in the Northeast ever since. As an adult, Jodi found her Jewish identity in the Reform movement and embraced its traditions of spirituality and study married to community services and Tikkun Olam. A current member of B’nai Sholom Reform Congregation in Albany, NY, Jodi served as board member and president of the Board of Trustees. 

Jodi credits URJ and Eisner Camp with providing the formative experiences for her son’s Jewish identity; as the child of an interfaith marriage, he found his spiritual home at camp, attending from third grade through Olim, Machon, and later on as staff. Jodi serves on the Eisner and Crane Lake board as a way of thanking the camp community for this incredible gift and helping other children and families share in the camp experience. She firmly believes her family could visit any city in the Northeast and find families with a connection to Eisner and Crane Lake; her family even successfully tested this out during a ski trip to Whistler, B.C.!

Jodi currently resides in Delmar, NY with her husband R. Karl. Rethemeyer, the dean of University at Albany’s Rockefeller College and the School of Criminal Justice. Their son, Ben is studying Mechanical Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, where he immediately bonded with other students who attended URJ camps.

MICHELE KLAU

Michele is thrilled to serve on the Eisner/Crane Lake Board. She is a proud mother and grandmother who never attended Jewish Camp herself but has been deeply impressed by the impact of Crane Lake on 4 nephews and nieces and especially on her daughter Susan, who attended Camp for 13 years and continues lasting friendships with co-campers who have remained by her side through college and beyond. Michele believes that Camp can be one of the most influential factors in the holistic development of young Jews in terms of its unique promotion of loving kindness and inclusion.  Michele follows in the footsteps of her in-laws, Sue and Jimmy z’l Klau as well as her husband of 40 years, Mike, who have all been active supporters of Camp. Michele has been a member of Temple Sinai in Brookline, MA for more than 30 years, serving on the Board for 10 years. She is also a Board Member of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

Michele is a psychiatric nurse practitioner, therapist and psychopharmacologist who graduated from BU in 1987.  She specializes in the treatment of psychological trauma and worked for the Victims of Violence Program in Cambridge for 17 years. She has extensive experience working in mental health on behalf of the Haitian community in Boston and was awarded the Swartz Center Compassionate Care Award and UDS (University of Haiti) Award for her work treating victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010. She is currently a senior staff member at the Danielsen Institute at BU, a nationally recognized center for long term therapy that incorporates spirituality with psychotherapy.

HEIDI KLOPFER

Heidi Klopfer’s connection to the URJ camps began in 1981 when she was an Ofarim camper at Camp Eisner. Over the course of 8 years, Heidi experienced some of her favorite summers at Eisner first as a camper and later as a camp counselor. Her three daughters Talia, Halle and Jordyn also have been campers and counselors at Eisner for a combined 13 years and counting. They all share a love of camp and the Berkshires.

Heidi is passionate about early childhood education and Judaism. Working at the Rashi School in Dedham, MA, a Reform Jewish Independent School, as a second grade teacher for the past 15 years allows her to live her passion every day. Heidi has volunteered for several non-profits and is especially proud of her partnership with the non profit, Facing History and Ourselves, for which she helped to write curriculum for their ‘Choosing to Participate’ program.

Heidi has been an active Jewish community member both in and out of synagogue and is a member of Hevreh in Great Barrington. Heidi loves spending her weekends and summers in the Berkshires.

With her affinity for education, the Berkshires, and Jewish camping, Heidi is thrilled to be part of the Eisner Crane Lake Board.

MARCIA LANDESMAN

Marcia Landesman attended Crane Lake Camp as a camper and a counselor in the 80s, back when it was owned by Ed and Barbara Ulanoff. When it came time to find a summer home for her two children, she was delighted that her beloved alma mater was now a URJ camp.

Marcia lives in Woodbridge, Connecticut with her husband, Oren, and their children Ben (aka Noodles) and Abby. They are members of Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven.

Since 2013, Marcia has served as Director of College Counseling at Choate Rosemary Hall, a boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut. Prior to that, she was Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission at Yale University for twelve years. Before switching careers to college admission counseling, Marcia was a corporate litigator at Sidley & Austin in New York City.

Marcia holds a BA in Political Science from Swarthmore College and a JD from New York University School of Law.

JONAH LOVENS

Jonah grew up at Eisner Camp from 1998 to 2010, attending first as a camper, then counselor and eventually senior staff. He attributes those years at camp as formative to his Jewish identity and is thrilled to be serving on the URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Board. Having joined the board in 2019, Jonah is excited to support Alumni engagement and scholarship fundraising for the camps.

Jonah graduated from Trinity College – Hartford in 2011 where he earned a BA in Political Science. Since graduating he has spent his career in Digital Marketing and Internet Advertising, currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Revenue at Fluent where he oversees the company’s sales, client services and advertiser operations. Jonah is eager to find ways to bring his experience in digital marketing and to foster alumni engagement and scholarship fundraising for Eisner and Crane Lake. 

Jonah and his wife, Alissa, live in Tribeca with their French Bulldog Zola. In his spare time, he likes to spend time in the great outdoors on the golf courses, ski mountains, exploring new corners of the world.

EVAN MALLAH

Evan Mallah is a long term member of the board and executive committee at URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camps, serving for many years as the Development Chair.

Evan is a founding principal of Edge Principal Advisors, LLC, a real estate private equity firm headquartered in New York City. He received his BA from the University of Rochester and his JD from the University of Pennsylvania.

Of particular interest to Evan is the health and wellness of our broader community, as well as providing all of our various constituents with opportunities to seek and experience Jewish spirituality. To that end, Evan and his wife Jb have supported and led our mindfulness efforts at the camps. Further, Evan enjoys counseling our teams on leadership development, and mentoring future leaders of the Reform Jewish movement.

Most important, Evan and Jb have two children that are 3rd generation Eisner campers. Evan’s parents, aunts, uncles, brother, children and nieces and nephews have all attended Eisner over the years, and this is one of his proudest accomplishments in life.

BILL NADEL

Bill Nadel is VP of Business Development and Strategy for Bergner US Inc., a European Housewares manufacturer.  Previously he spent over 20 years in various retail buyer roles across several retailers.

Bill's involvement with the camp communities grew out of his years at Eisner as a camper and counselor.  He has enjoyed watching as his 2 children experience the same sense of friendship and community during their summers at Crane Lake.  Bill is committed to supporting the Eisner and Crane Lake communities and helping them continue to thrive.

Bill, his wife Jen, and their children are active members of Temple Sholom in Scotch Plains, NJ where he serves on the Executive Committee.  He is a graduate of the University of Delaware.  

 

LISA PASCETTA

Lisa Pascetta is excited to be a part of the URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camp board.  Having grown up in Pittsfield, MA, she loves that her daughters, Molly and Sammy, also have a special connection to the Berkshires through their summers at Crane Lake Camp.  Molly and Sammy have been Crane Lake campers since 2015 and are delighted to be coming back to camp in 2021 – their Olim year!  

Lisa works at MassMutual where she is responsible for programs that manage the risks associated with cyber-threats.

Lisa and her husband Jonathan Siegel live in Larchmont, NY and are members of Westchester Reform Temple.

LARA PERLSTEIN

Lara (she/her) grew up attending Crane Lake Camp from 1997-2010 as a camper, staff member, and programming director.  Her love for camp and the bubble has brought her back to join the advisory board as a proud CLC alumnus.

Lara graduated from Lehigh University in 2010 with a B.A. in Psychology and a Jewish Studies minor.  She has spent the past 10+ years working in the strategy and operations fields and traveling internationally during her time at WeWork.  Lara is currently the VP of Operations at Teal, a tech startup that helps individuals find career clarity, land jobs they love, and continue growing their careers.

Lara lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Mark and their dog Australian Labradoodle Ringo.  In her spare time, she likes to travel to new places, scuba dive, spend time outdoors hiking and camping, and also curl up on the couch to watch a good movie.

KELLY RAMOT

Kelly Ramot is the Executive Director of Thanks To Scandinavia, an organization that provides scholarships to students from Scandinavia and Bulgaria to study in the United States and Israel in appreciation for the heroism showed by the people of those countries in protecting their Jewish citizens during the Holocaust. Prior to this position, Kelly worked for AJC for 12 years in a variety of roles, including the Associate Director of the AJC San Francisco office and the National Program Director of ACCESS, AJC’s new generation program, in AJC’s New York headquarters.

Kelly has been committed to serving in the non-profit world for as long as she can remember, both personally and professionally. This commitment to helping others was formed during her many years at URJ Greene Family Camp where she was a camper and counselor.  She is thrilled her three children are now being exposed to the same Jewish values at URJ Crane Lake Camp.  Kelly is honored to serve on the ECL Board.

Kelly received an MSc in Nonprofit Management from The New School and a BA from Colby College.  A native Texan, Kelly has traveled extensively around the world and lived in Israel for many years. She lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and is a member of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.

RABBI RENA RIFKIN

 Rabbi Rena Rifkin (also known as Triple R) grew up at Eisner Camp, and is now a proud Eisner Mom! Rena serves Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan as the Director of Youth Education, overseeing all K-12 programming and serving as clergy for the community. She began working at Stephen Wise in 2016. Prior to that, Rena worked at Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York for three years and North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, NY for three years. Rena was ordained by Hebrew Union College in 2010, and received her master’s in Jewish Education also from there in 2008.

Rena’s relationship with Jewish camping started before she was able to be in a bunk, and continued through her years as a staff and faculty member. She is a strong believer in the power of Jewish camps and is honored to serve on the Eisner Crane Lake Board.

DANIELLE SCHMELKIN

Danielle Schmelkin is Chief Information Officer for Madewell, a premium denim brand for women and men. Prior to Madewell, Danielle was the Head of IT for Coach, part of the Tapestry family of global brands. She previously held leadership positions at Barnes & Noble, Campbell Soup Company, and Pepperidge Farm with additional experience at PepsiCo and Andersen Consulting. Born and raised in New York, she is a graduate of Cornell University.

Danielle brings her background in Information and Technology to the Eisner and Crane Lake Camp community and enjoys working to ensure that our ECL campers and wider community continue to be nurtured in an open and inclusive environment that allows them to grow and challenge themselves. 

She is a member of the Society for Information Management and also serves as a mentor to women looking to develop their skills and grow their careers in the fields of STEM.Danielle and her wife, Mary, have 3 children who all attend Crane Lake Camp. They are members of Central Synagogue in New York City, NY. They discovered the magical Crane Lake Community through friends and clergy at Central and are so thankful to be part of these amazing communities.

RACHEL SCHNOLL

Rachel has had a career in asset and wealth management for over two decades and is currently a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management 

Rachel is passionate about promoting financial wellness and is also committed to her Judaism and her community. She has served on various financial services industry associations and is currently a trustee of the Foundation for Financial Planning and on the advisory council of the Kellogg Finance Network. She has also served on the board of her synagogue and her local community association.  She is thrilled that the Jewish values she has holds so dearly are reinforced to her children through their experiences at URJ Eisner Camp. Rachel is honored to serve on the ECL Board.  

Rachel received a BA in Politics from Brandeis University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.  She and her husband and their three children currently reside in Brooklyn, NY where they are active members of the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue.

AMY MARGOLIN SOMMER

Amy grew up in Larchmont New York, where she was a member of Larchmont Temple (and still is).  At 8, she first attended Eisner Camp with the help of a Larchmont Temple scholarship.  Starting in Bonim Bunk 1, Amy spent six summers at Eisner, one at Kutz Camp, and then one in Israel before going off to college.  After college, Amy sent her three children to Eisner, two of them for 10 summers each.  While Amy’s husband Bob was not an Eisner kid himself, he got so caught up in the camp “ruach” that he served as the camp doctor for two summers.  Amy remains very active in her synagogue, and has joined the Board of Eisner and Crane Lake Camps.

 

Professionally Amy is an Executive Coach and a Human Resources consultant.  In her work, Amy is known for her innovative and practical problem-solving approach. Her corporate career included Executive HR positions with Fortune 500 companies including: IBM, American Express, Grey Advertising and Time Inc.  In 2007, Amy founded AMS Strategic Talent Consulting, a private firm focused on delivering talent solutions to drive business results.  With her new firm, Amy has worked across a broad array of industries including: Media, Education, Technology, Healthcare, Fashion Retail and at number of non–profit organizations focusing on conservation, social entrepreneurship, religion, and volunteerism.  In addition to her consulting, Amy’s has helping to shape the next generation of leaders.  She has been a mentor in the prestigious AmEx Fellows Program sponsored by the National Council for Research on Women, and has served as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

 

Amy earned her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from SUNY Albany, and a Masters in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. She is a graduate of the iCoach NY Executive Coaching Program at Baruch’s Zicklin Graduate School of Business.

GABBY SPEAR

Gabby Spear is thrilled to join the URJ Eisner Crane Lake Board.  Her connection to camp started when she was in CRaFTY and continued as a counselor and Unit Head at Eisner.  Gabby continued her involvement as an ambassador for her congregation, Temple Beth Shalom, where she could continue to reminisce with anyone who would listen.  Now she gets to continue to enjoy Eisner through the eyes of her two daughters, who spend their summers in the bubble and like every camp parent, waits by the mailbox every day throughout the summer for a letter letting her know how much fun they are having.

Outside of camp, Gabby is the Senior Director of Human Resources and Total Rewards for an immuno-oncology company in Cambridge, MA.  In addition to her professional work, Gabby volunteers her time representing the patients voice in the cancer community and helping grow and sustain an affordable after school program in her local community.

Gabby is most looking forward to bringing her knowledge of employee and team development as well as advocacy work to the Eisner Crane Lake Board, Staff and overall community.  She’s most looking forward to leading the initiatives around building and providing an even more diverse, equitable and inclusive community at Eisner.   

Born and raised in Staten Island, NY, Gabby attended SUNY Buffalo and received her BS in Business Administration.  Moving to Boston for a job over 20 years ago, she met her husband, Andy, and has called MA her home ever since.  

CORY STERN

 Cory Stern is a diversified Human Resources executive and Executive Coach who has been building, coaching, and leading teams and organizations across Johnson & Johnson since 2004. In his current role, Cory serves as VP, Global Head of HR for J&J’s Ethicon Medical Technology business, a $9B business providing surgeons around the world with innovative and trusted surgical technologies and solutions.  He is also the Founder and President of CJS Leadership Pathways, LLC.

Cory’s experiences span both established and entrepreneurial start-up businesses across healthcare and finance. He has built and scaled commercial models, driven business model transformation across, developed and executed talent acquisition strategies, orchestrated multiple acquisition integrations, and launched new B2B business models.

Prior to joining J&J, Cory spent 6 years in finance working in investment banking, capital markets and sales before making a career transition into the HR profession. Cory leveraged his Master of Industrial and Labor Relations degree from Cornell University as a platform for building his career across HR. He earned his B.A. in Russian Studies from Tulane University.

Cory, his wife and two daughters live in New York City and enjoy every moment experiencing the vibrancy and chaos of the city. Outside of his “day job”, Cory serves as a Mentor Coach for America Needs You (ANY), an organization which invests in economic empowerment and leadership development for first generation college students. He is an Advisor & Founding Member of TroopHR, an Advisory Board member to the Cornell University School of Industrial & Labor Relations MILR Program, a Trustee at Temple Israel of the City of New York, and is President of the School Leadership Team at Public School 183 in NYC.

STACI WOSKA

Staci Woska started her time at Eisner Camp in 2001 and returned summer after summer until 2010, when she was an Olim Counselor. Eisner Camp has left a lasting impression on Staci, where she formed friendships for a lifetime. When she got married, 6 of her bridesmaids were her camp friends. She is thrilled to be part of the URJ Eisner Camp and Crane Lake Board, supporting alumni engagements. Staci has her Bachelors in Science and Masters in Business from the University of Maryland and has spent her career in Supply Chain since graduating. She currently works for the planned Consumer Health company of Johnson & Johnson. She leads Strategy and Performance Management for Procurement and is very involved in the Women’s Leadership Initiative as well as supporting young talent development.

Staci and her husband Will live in Bucks County, PA, where they spend their weekends golfing, baking treats, and exploring local restaurants. They love to travel and got to visit eight new cities on their honeymoon. Staci also loves to spend time with her niece and 3 nephews.