Meet the Team
JEWISHcolorado Senior Leadership

Rabbi Jay Strear
President & CEO
Rabbi Strear joined JEWISHcolorado in 2018 after 23 years at American Jewish University in Los Angeles, where he served as special assistant to the president, director of development, chief advancement officer, and senior vice president. Originally from Colorado, he is a fourth-generation Denver resident. Rabbi Strear received his undergraduate degree from CU-Boulder and earned his MBA with a focus in non-profit management, and MA in rabbinic literature, and is ordination from the University of Judaism.

John Stilwell
Chief Business & Finance Officer
Stilwell came to JEWISHcolorado in September 2021, after 30 years serving in various roles, including chief of staff, CFO, and COO, for nonprofit, corporate, and entrepreneurial organizations across the country, where he helped to start, manage, and scale their businesses. Most recently, Stilwell worked for Project Sanctuary, supporting veterans and active-duty military families. Before his move to the nonprofit sector, Stilwell worked with a Wall Street hedge fund.

Dr. Julie Lieber
Chief Jewish Life & Engagement Officer
Dr. Julie Lieber is the Chief Jewish Life and Engagement Officer at JEWISHcolorado. Formerly, she served as the Director of the Pardes-Kevah Teaching Fellowship as well as the Interim Executive Director and Director of Education at Kevah, a national non-profit facilitating home-based Torah study groups. After receiving her PhD in European history with a focus on Jewish women, gender and sexuality, Julie moved to Colorado, where she was a Professor of European History and Jewish Studies for many years. Julie has taught for the Wexner Heritage Program, the Melton program and is a frequent guest lecturer throughout the Colorado Jewish community and beyond. When she’s not teaching, you can find her on the Colorado slopes skiing with her family.

Renée Rockford
Chief Advancement Officer
Rockford, who joined JEWISHcolorado in May 2021, brings a wealth of experience as a journalist and communications professional with expertise in crisis management, reputation and brand management, strategic planning, community partnerships, fundraising, donor relations, and stewardship. Most recently, she was assistant head of school for advancement and external affairs at Colorado Academy. Prior to that, Rockford served for 7 years as the school’s director of communication and strategic planning. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism at the University of Wisconsin, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

Stephanie Geller
Senior Director of Operations
Stephanie Geller is the Senior Director of Operations at JEWISHcolorado. Previously, she was the Director of Events at Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado and Director of Catering for Sage Hospitality, managing the catering sales and service teams at the JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek. She is a Colorado native and spends her free time at the baseball field with her son and at the dance studio with her daughter. She also enjoys tennis in the summer and the ski slopes in the winter with her family.
Advancement
Benjamin Einhorn
Director of Annual Campaigns
Rolando Kahn
Digital Media Manager
Jill Katchen
Director of Donor Engagement
Jason Oruch
Director of Jewish Life Philanthropy
Jenna Raimist
Director of YAD
Susan Weinberger
Donor Relations Manager
Roberta Witkow
Director of Women’s Philanthropy
Finance
Carla Allen
Director of Finance
Patricia Carroll
Senior Account for Contributions & Investments
Zach McAnally
Finance Manager
Krista Nieves
Gift Processing & Donor Services Coordinator
Alex Utecht
CRM Specialist
Operations
Aaron Claflin
Operations Manager & Accounting Specialist
Kara Washburn
Executive Assistant to President & CEO
Events
Sarah Springer
Director of Events
Jewish Life & Engagement
Cindy Coons
Director of Family Engagement & Jewish Explorers
Itai Divinsky
Israeli Emissary / Shaliach
Jillian Feiger
Director of Jewish Student Connection & the Joyce Zeff Israel Study Tour
Bethany Friedlander
PJ Library Manager
Heather Flowers
Jewish Life & Engagement Administrator
Madeline Snow
Jewish Student Connection Education Coordinator
Michael Kahn
Jewish Student Connection Education Coordinator
Michelle Schwartz
Director of Israeli Teen Emissaries & Education
Edina Segal
Director of the Israel & Overseas Center
Dr. Dan Leshem
Director, Jewish Community Relations Council
Marissa Greene
YAD Manager

JEWISHcolorado Board of Directors
Rob Kaufmann, Board of Directors Chair
Ben Lusher, Board Chair Elect
Ruth Malman, Immediate Past Board Chair & Nomination Committee Chair
Lisa Mintz, Campaign Oversight Chair
Hirsch Neustein, Secretary & Chair of Governance Committee
Steve Kaplan, Treasurer & Finance Chair
Adriane Greenberg, Jewish Life & Engagement Chair
Elizabeth Barrekette, Boulder Rep
John Chanin, Israel Engagement Committee
Gil Selinger, Planning & Grant Making Committee Chair
Justin Jaffe, Investment Committee Chair
Ross Chotin, Audit Committee Chair
Carla Kutnick, Women’s Philanthropy Committee Chair
Matt Most, Jewish Community Relations Council Chair
Ginna Rinkov, Safety & Security Committee Chair
Adam Laarsen, Young Adult Development Committee Chair
Diana Zeff Anderson, Planned giving & Endowment Committee Chair
Jodi Cooper
Josh Demby
Dana Friedman
Joey Friedmann
Tiffany Glucksman Appel
Rabbi Emily Hyatt
Charlene Loup
Alon Mor
Neil Oberfeld
Mike Sophir
Jonathan Perlmutter
Jessica Pivar
Brian Ratner
Carly Schlafer