I am an advocacy and policy professional passionate about U.S. politics—especially the politics of New York City—global history, Jewish literacy, and Israel and the Jewish People.
Raised in Queens, New York, I was brought up in a political household and began my career canvassing for former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger at the ripe age of eight-years-old. I then worked as an intern for former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer as a high school student. During these formative years, I was also an active member of BBYO, where my penchant for social justice was nurtured alongside my Jewish values and enabled me to serve as the Bay Terrace chapter’s Sl’Licha, in which I oversaw and created social justice programs and outreach opportunities. While in college, I was a member of the Purchase College Hillel, an Avoda Arts fellow, and studied abroad in Italy. I received my bachelor’s degree from Purchase College in 2010 and I am currently a graduate student at Northeastern University where I am pursuing a master’s degree in Global Studies and International Relations with a concentration in Conflict Resolution and a regional focus on the Middle East.
I previously lived in Los Angeles for eight years where I was involved in the local Jewish community prior to returning to New York in 2019 to join AJC as the Coordinator of the New York Regional Office.
Two years later in 2021, I was promoted to Assistant Director of AJC New York, where I oversee the New York Region’s governmental outreach and political affairs and interreligious and intergroup relations, and meet regularly with key elected officials throughout New York City at the local, state and federal levels of government to advance AJC priorities: combating antisemitism and all forms of hate, strengthening Israel’s place in the world and cultivating new allies for Israel, and defending democratic values and promoting pluralism.
At AJC New York, I build and execute the programming and strategic visioning for:
- The Szabad Award winning regional Muslim Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC New York), which brings together high-level Muslim and Jewish leaders to advocate together for issues of mutual concern, focusing on combating antisemitism and Islamophobia through advocacy meetings with U.S. leaders;
- The Szabad Award winning Black-Jewish Clergy Roundtable in partnership with the Office of the New York State Attorney General, which brings together dozens of Black clergy and rabbis across the five boroughs as well as Long Island and Westchester to strengthen Black-Jewish relations;
- The AJC New York Latino Jewish Coalition, which brings together prominent leaders in the Latino and Jewish communities across New York City to advocate together to combat hate and to strengthen ties between the Latino and Jewish communities; and
- The newly-established AJC New York Asian Pacific Jewish Coalition in partnership with U.S. Member of Congress Rep. Grace Meng, which works to combat anti-Asian racism and antisemitism and advocates jointly to effectuate transformative change across New York, and promote understanding and collaboration between the Asian-Pacific and Jewish communities.
I also develop critical advocacy and educational programming as part of AJC New York’s Community of Conscience, a local arm of AJC’s national initiative launched in 2019 on stage at our Global Forum in Washington, DC. AJC New York’s Community of Conscience seeks to bring together members of New York City’s diverse ethnic, faith, and social justice communities to educate on issues of mutual concern and strengthen AJC New York’s signature coalition building.
In partnership with AJC’s William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life Department, I develop programming for the AJC New York Rabbis’ Roundtable, which convenes New York rabbis from across the five boroughs as well as Long Island and Westchester for in-depth discussions with AJC content experts, scholars, and community leaders, and engage in the planning and programming development for the AJC Tri-Regional Orthodox Jewish Relations Committee, which seeks to engage Orthodox Jews in the work of AJC, address issues of specific concern to the Orthodox community, and build bridges between AJC and New York Haredim.
I am currently writing an op-ed on Israel-Diaspora relations and Jewish peoplehood among young adults in the United States.
When I’m not working or studying, you can find me navigating the halls of the city’s countless museums, trying out new restaurants, or daydreaming about traveling the world once again.