HGF
The PJ Library®
Grinspoon Institute

The Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) is a supporting foundation governed by a nine-member Board of Trustees, four of whom are appointed by Harold Grinspoon and five by representative supported organizations. The Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF) is a private family foundation. Both the HGF and HGCF are located in Western Massachusetts.

Trustees

  • Harold Grinspoon
  • Michael Bohnen
  • Ed Greenbaum
  • Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg
  • Winnie Sandler Grinspoon
  • Dan Backer
  • Dr. Arlen Lichter
  • Jeremy Pava
  • Diane Troderman

HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION
& HAROLD GRINSPOON CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

GRINSPOON INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH PHILANTHROPY STAFF & MENTORS

PJ LIBRARY

HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION & HAROLD GRINSPOON CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Joanna S. Ballantine is the Executive Director of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF/HGCF), located in Western Massachusetts. Joanna has been at the helm of the HGF enterprise for ten years. Prior to her engagement with HGF, Joanna was the Director of Community Planning for the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts and a Senior Planning Associate for the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco. Joanna has an MSW from the University of Maryland and an MA in Jewish Studies from Baltimore Hebrew University and is a graduate of the Baltimore Institute for Jewish Communal Service, now the Darrell Friedman Institute for Professional Development. Joanna received the 2007 Distinguished Alumna Award from Baltimore Hebrew University and is the 2008 recipient of the JJ Greenberg Award from Jewish Funders Network.

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Ed Kline is the Chief Operations Officer of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, where his focus is the enhancement of computer systems, operations and financial planning, and the implementation of synergies among the Foundations many programs. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ed worked for thirty-six years at, and retired from, the MassMutual Life Insurance Company, where for eleven years he served as Corporate Vice President and Treasurer. Ed holds a degree in Engineering and an MBA.

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Bonnie Aitchison is the Data Coordinator for the Voices & Visions Project. After participating with the talented contributors, she transforms ideas and information into processes, data collections, and research projects. She is also the chief copyright procurer. Holding a B.S. in Education and an M.S. in Information Management and Communications, Bonnie previously worked for MassMutual's Brokerage Division in Regulatory Operations as an Analyst and on the Data Management team.

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Lisa Balicki is the Administrative Assistant for the Family & Teen Education Initiative and B'nai Tzedek programs of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. With her extensive background in events planning, Lisa provides the Foundation with program support and manages logistics. She is the driving force behind the program's move to "go green," using electronic registration and reporting. Lisa earned a degree from Westfield State College.

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Madeline Calabrese is the Project Manager for the Voices & Visions project. This project will merge sayings from the wealth of Jewish thought with the beauty of Jewish art to create prints meant to facilitate discussion, exploration, and engagement among curious Jewish adults. Madeline spent 18 years on a team growing and shaping the computing environment for the Mount Holyoke College community. From there, she earned her Coaching Certification and wove that together with her project management skills to start her own business, Calabrese Consulting in 2004. This led to a long-term project overseeing Puzzle development at Hasbro Games. She joined the Harold Grinspoon Foundation in April 2010.

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Cari Carpenter is the Director of the Entrepreneurship Initiative for the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. Cari brings to her work more than 20 years' experience working with colleges in the Pioneer Valley. Her most recent position was with the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where she was the director of MBA programs. Cari earned a bachelors degree from Boston University and holds a master's degree from Syracuse University.

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Mia Cogliantry is a Grants Associate and Manager of Grants to Individuals for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Mia's work with the Foundation began in 2003 as Office Manager. She then transferred to the Grants Department, where she began managing the Grants to Individuals program. Mia has been working in the nonprofit field for more than 10 years, having previously worked for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving in Hartford, CT after studying Anthropology at Central Connecticut State University.

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Amanda Doster is the Director for the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival, as well as the coordinator for Jewish Culture Connect and the Unsung Heroes Awards Program at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. A long-time resident of the Pioneer Valley, Amanda's professional background is in the arts, education, and community service organizing. She holds degrees in Literature and Writing from Brown University and the University of New Hampshire.

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Valerie Gintis is the Director of B'nai Tzedek and Family & Teen Education for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. In her role at the HGF, Valerie  provides technical assistance to grantees, offering individual program development and consultation, supporting innovative collaborations, and building effective partnerships between lay leaders and professional staff. Valerie has worked with HGF since 2005.

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Ginny Grossman is the Program Director at the Resource Center for Jewish Education, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. From 1998-2010, Ginny was the Confirmation Principal and teacher of grades 4-10 at Temple Beth Hillel in South Windsor, Connecticut. She also led extensive work there on the "La'atid: Synagogues of the Future" initiative, including leadership training with the Commission of Jewish Education and Leadership in the Greater Hartford area. In addition to her post at RCJE, Ginny teaches 7th grade at Temple Beth El in Springfield, Massachusetts.

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Mary Anne Herron is the Director of Education Initiatives for the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, a position she has held for eight years. Prior to her work with HGCF, Mary Anne taught school at the elementary, secondary, and college levels and was a school principal for sixteen years. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with an EdD in School Administration.

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Sylvia Kamowitz-Hareven is the Director of Education for Sifriyat Pijama, an Israel-based flagship program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Sylvia is responsible for professional supervision and teacher training throughout Israel for preschools of the TALI enriched Jewish education network. She holds a masters degree in Early Childhood Studies from Hebrew University.

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Sue Kline is the Director of Create a Jewish Legacy, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Sue previously served HGF as a Board Trustee and as Director of the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. She has 30 years' experience as a business trainer and consultant in corporate communication skills and as a high school English teacher. An active lay leader, Sue serves on the executive board of Jewish Geriatric Services and of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts and on the National Women's Philanthropy Board. Sue is a past president of Federation and Kodimoh synagogue and a recipient of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation's lay leadership award in education. She holds a BA and MA in Teaching from Harvard University.

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Matt Motyka is Director of Accounting for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. Matt earned his CPA designation working with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, specializing in investments, private equity valuations, and initial public offerings. In 1999, he chose to focus on nonprofit operations and endowment management; upon leaving PwC, Matt held financial positions with several educational institutions. Matt has also acted as a managing partner of two computer peripheral and software ventures and currently serves as a trustee and committee member on several non-profit boards.

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Geoffrey Oldmixon is the Director of Web Communications & Online Services for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. He helps steer, develop, and maintain the organization's Internet-based marketing communications efforts. Prior to working at HGF, Geoffrey served as a Web Content Specialist and Marketing Copywriter for Jordan's Furniture and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Before that, he was a professional journalist, having served as managing editor of three monthly magazines, a daily newspaper, a weekly newspaper, and several corresponding websites. Geoffrey has a BA in English-Writing and Public Relations from Bridgewater State University and a Web Development career certificate from North Shore Community College. He is a licensed English Language Arts teacher and a MS, Interactive Communications candidate at Quinnipaic University.

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Beverly Pava is the Director of Community Relations for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.  Beverly was the first staff member of the HGF at its inception in 1995 and was instrumental in creating the Foundation's campership program, B'nai Tzedek, Year Round Youth Initiative, and several other programs. She is a graduate of the Leland Powers School of Radio and Theater in Boston and received her BA from the University of Massachusetts. Beverly served as a Special Education Educator in the Wilbraham and Longmeadow Public Schools. She was a private drama instructor and for many years taught for the Longmeadow after school drama program for many years. She is a published freelance writer.

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Denise Selkirk is the Bookkeeper for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Prior to working for HGF, Denise worked in both the public and private sectors as an accountant, primarily in the area of food/hospitality. Denise attended Roger Williams College and Southeastern Massachusetts University with a major in accounting and a minor in computer science.

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Neta Shapira is the Director of Operations for Sifriyat Pijama, an Israel-based program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. A biblical scholar, Neta also teaches and serves as Academic Director at Matan, an institution dedicated to preparing women for positions of educational leadership by assuring they learn Torah at the highest level.

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Pattie Sroka is the Program Coordinator for the Resource Center for Jewish Education, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Pattie has served the Western Massachusetts community for more than a decade. Prior to joining the Foundation staff, she was an accounting manager for a Western Massachusetts insurance agency.

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Galina Vromen is the Director of Israel Operations for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation as well as Director of Sifriyat Pijama, the Israeli version of PJ Library . Before joining HGF, she was an international journalist for 20 years. Galina joined HGF in 2002 in Massachusetts, overseeing the foundation's grant-making in Israel, where she has lived since 2008.

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Peter Wansick is the Director of Information Technology for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation  Peter has more than 20 years' experience in information technology, having founded several software development and IT consulting companies. Peter studied Energy System Technology at STCC and Computer Science at Clark University.

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Dyan Wiley is the Director of Jewish Arts & Culture Initiative for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Dyan brings to her work at the Foundation more than two decades of service, locally and nationally, in arts and culture, as an agency director, program presenter, grants maker, board member, and management educator and consultant. Her diverse career also includes work in broadcast journalism at CBS News and corporate market research with Sprague Electric.

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Shalhevet Zohar is the Office Manager for Sifriyat Pijama, an Israel-based flagship program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. She has worked as a breaking news editor for the Jerusalem Post. She has also done translating and editing work in Hebrew and English. Shalhevet holds a bachelor's degree in International Relations and East Asian Studies from the Hebrew University.

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GRINSPOON INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH PHILANTHROPY STAFF & MENTORS

Natasha Dresner is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Since joining the Institute in 2005, Natasha has provided consulting services in governance and board development, fundraising, strategic thinking and planning, as well as leadership coaching. Natasha has 20 years' experience working in the Jewish nonprofit world. She co-founded the first Reform synagogue established in Kiev since the Russian Revolution, Congregation HaTikvah. Natasha also worked in various capacities at a Jewish summer camp in Belarus that brought together children from the entire Former Soviet Union. Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Natasha immigrated to the U.S. in 2001 and worked in the for-profit and consulting world in New York City and as Executive Director of Congregation Knesset Israel in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. She holds a BA in management and an MBA in finance from The Ukrainian-Finish University of Business and Management in Kiev, Ukraine.

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Kirstin Gadiel is an Administrative Assistant for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Kirstin focuses on the day-to-day running of the office and provides all necessary support for the Institute's services, conferences, team meetings, and events. She is the main administrator for PJ Goes to Camp!, an incentive grant program that successfully launched in 2010. Since her graduation from Mount Holyoke College in 2005, Kirstin has been involved in the nonprofit world. She spent four years as part of the administrative staff of an immigration reform group, focusing on social justice and human rights.

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Mark P. Gold is the Director of the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. A New England native, Mark has lived and worked in Western Massachusetts for the past 34 years, where he has been an active member of the local Jewish Community. Prior to retiring from the Solutia (formerly Monsanto) Company in 2009, Mark served in management positions in the company's Research and Development and Market Development organizations. Mark has an advanced degree in Engineering as well as an MBA.

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Royster Hedgepeth is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. He is Principal Consultant with CWC/Hedgepeth Group, an organizational development firm serving universities and other social service organizations. Royster specializes in creating vibrant, performance-based boards of directors and increasing organizational fundraising capacity. He has 26 years' experience in educational fundraising for universities and has helped reposition organizations in the competitive marketplace. Royster received his BA from Wake Forest University, his MEd from the University of Florida, and his PhD in Educational Administration from Cornell University.

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Laurie Herrick is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Laurie has more than 25 years' experience in fundraising, community organizing, board development and strategic planning and has served in a variety of professional and volunteer roles in social profit organizations. She joined the Institute in 2007 and has since worked with numerous camps and day schools. In 2003, she started RAINMAKER Consulting and is currently co-launching an online educational course series, Quantum Jump. The emphasis of her work is empowering organizations to create a culture of resource abundance leading to a breakthrough in fundraising.

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Dan Kirsch is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Dan has devoted his career to increasing the capacity of nonprofit organizations to fulfill their missions through fundraising, planning, recruitment, and board development. He is the co-founder of KirschLeuchs, a fundraising consulting firm serving education, arts and culture, healthcare and human services markets. He has also worked with nonprofits to recruit executive talent and has coached private sector professionals transitioning to nonprofit careers. Dan received his BA in Government from Dartmouth College.

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Kevin Martone is the Technology Program Manager for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. He focuses on how organizations can effectively use technology for fundraising and outreach. He has more than 15 years' experience helping organizations utilize technology solutions to meet their goals. Kevin holds a BS in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering from Cornell University.

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Michael Miloff is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. For 30 years, Michael has been an entrepreneur, executive and consultant to the private, public and nonprofit sectors. He has overseen 200-plus projects in areas such as strategic planning, marketing, and governance. Michael also helped to found and lead several major business enterprises. He currently serves as Co-President of the Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School in Toronto, Ontario, a consultant to the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (PEJE), and a co-facilitator of a community of practice for heads of Jewish day schools in Boston. Michael holds a bachelor of Psychology from McGill University and a master's degree in Environmental Studies from York University.

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Jill Paul is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Jill came to the Institute after a successful 25-year career in nonprofit management and fundraising as the CEO of Girl Scouts of Pioneer Valley. During her tenure there, Jill completed a successful capital campaign, with new construction and modernization of the oldest Girl Scout camp in the nation. Before coming to New England, Jill established West Pacific Girl Scouts for military families in Japan, Korea and the Philippines, living in Japan and Korea for five years. Jill holds a BA from Whittier College, an MA in Asian Studies from San Diego State University, and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.

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Julia Riseman is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Julia is a consultant, executive coach and fundraiser to non-profit organizations. She has co-founded two nonprofit organizations, served as the development director for a private elementary school, and has helped raise more than $200 million for organizations with which she has worked. Julia has a breadth of experience that includes youth leadership and community service-learning programs, international environmental, and human health programs, peace and social justice organizations, universities and independent schools. Julia earned a BA in Psychology from Reed College and received her MBA at the Simmons School of Management.

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Joe Ruotolo is a Business Systems Analyst for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Joe has a wide range of technology experience, including 10 years of web design and web management and a passion for social media. At the Institute, Joe researches new products and services that organizations can utilize to more effectively manage fundraising, alumni outreach, and governance efforts. Joe holds a BS in Information Systems Management from Quinnipiac University.

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David Sharkenis a Mentor and Director of the Camp Legacy Initiative for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. David has been with the Institute since June 2006, after completing 13 years as Executive Director of The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. David has consulted on organizational development with nonprofits and small businesses for 25 years. He has been a keynote speaker and presenter on topics of nonprofit management, fundraising, board governance, strategic planning and program development. David is the lay chair of the Jewish Community of Amherst, Massachusetts' legacy initiative. David earned a BA in Organizational Development from the University of Michigan and holds a master's degree from Claremont Graduate School in Public Policy Analysis.

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Marcus Simon is the Project Administrator for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Marcus has worked in the nonprofit sector with Beit Ahavah, the Reform Synagogue of Greater Northampton, Massachusetts, and with the Safe Schools & Communities Project at Greater Boston PFLAG (Parents, Friends & Families of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people). Marcus has a background in management consulting in the insurance industry; he is a former project manager at 21st Century Management Consulting, Inc. in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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Herb Tobin is a Mentor for the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. In addition to his work as an Institute Mentor, Herb is the founder of Herb Tobin Consulting, a Boston-based firm dedicated to helping non-profit organizations reach their potential and maximize their financial resource base. He currently serves a number of start-up philanthropic organizations, as well as those undertaking significant new projects. He acts as senior consultant to Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, where he was the architect of a successful $200 million comprehensive campaign addressing capital, endowment, and current-use funds on a local, regional and national basis. Prior to his work with Hillel, Herb was an executive with two Boston-area medical centers and with several Jewish federations. A Reconstructionist rabbi, Herb holds a doctorate in theology from Boston University.

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PJ LIBRARY

Marcie Greenfield Simons is the Director of PJ Library. Before working at the HGF, Marcie taught at Sinai Academy of the Berkshires and Knesset Israel Hebrew School, both in Pittsfield, MA. She is a founder of Sinai Academy, the first and only Jewish day school in the Berkshires. Marcie was the recipient of the National Harold Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education in 2000 and served on the Board of Directors of the HGF from 2001 to 2004. She holds a BA from Wesleyan University and a Master of Education degree from Boston University. 

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Adrian Bailey is Director of Operations for PJ Library . In her position, Adrian works with more than 40 publishers, purchasing books for PJ Library in North America and Israel. Before coming to PJ Library , Adrian worked in research at the Austen Riggs Center, a private psychiatric hospital in Western Massachusetts. Adrian holds a bachelors degree in Psychology and an MBA.

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Chris Barash is Director of the PJ Library  Book Selection Committee. She is also Writing Specialist for the organization, having penned the PJ Library Reading Guides. Before her work at HGF, Chris taught various elementary grades in Jewish day schools for 25 years and was Head of School at Sinai Academy of the Berkshires, a Jewish day school in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Chris holds a B.A. in Russian Literature and History.

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Michele Becker is the Marketing Associate for PJ Library. She works closely with PJ Library communities across North America, supplying them with marketing materials and support. Michele is passionate about children's literacy, and is eager to help local PJ Library programs promote reading in their communities. Before coming to PJ Library, Michele worked in the Undergraduate Admissions Office of Saint Joseph College, helping to create a variety of marketing plans and materials. Michele graduated from Saint Joseph College in Connecticut, with a BA in English and a secondary education teaching certification.

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Jordanna Birnbaum is a Director of Community Development for PJ Library. Jordanna recently graduated from New York University, where she earned a B.A. in Public Policy & Social Justice at the Gallatin School for Individualized Study. Jordanna was recently named one of NYU's 15 Most Influential Students by the university's student-run newspaper. While at NYU, Jordanna served as President of Hillel, which was awarded the NYU Presidential Service Award. On campus, she was actively involved in Muslim-Jewish interfaith programming and co-founded the BRIDGES Dialogue Group, which brings together and engages Muslim and Jewish students from various New York colleges. For her work building community at NYU, she was awarded the Exemplar of Excellence award by the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life & The NYU President's Service Award. In her time off campus, Jordanna interned at MyJewishLearning.com, The Charter School Office of The NYC Department of Education, and Tuckner, Sipser, Weinstock & Sipser, a women's rights and worker's rights law firm.

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Wendy Blondin is a Data Analyst for PJ Library. She continues her work in the non-profit sector after being employed for almost 25 years as a systems analyst in the Information Services department of a local hospital. Wendy is a member of the Board of Trustees for her congregation, and she also volunteers at the local animal shelter. Wendy graduated cum laude from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in Health Systems Management.

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Diane Michalowski Freedland is a Director, Community Development for PJ Library. Prior to her role at PJ Library, she was Executive Director of Young Audiences of Massachusetts, an affiliate of one of the nation's largest arts education organizations. Freedland is a seasoned nonprofit leader, and has extensive experience developing and improving the operational, programmatic, marketing, publications, and philanthropic health of community programs. She has written and developed numerous exhibitions, programs, and projects -- throughout the U.S. and Asia -- about topics ranging from contemporary art, art and civic dialogue, and social justice. She holds a Master of Education degree from Harvard University.

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Rosalie Eisen is a Director of Community Development for PJ Library. She has held professional positions as a teacher, non-profit director, life coach, and financial consultant, with more than 20 years' experience in Jewish professional leadership.  She co-founded Basherte, an international network of workshops focusing on Jewish relationships. Rosalie holds a special smicha (ordination) as a Jewish Relationship Counselor and Master of Blessings and has an MA in Early Childhood Education.

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Dena Glasgow is a member of PJ Library Book Selection Committee. Dena is Education Director at the Boston-Area Jewish Education Program (BJEP), a religious school that meets on the campus of Brandeis University. Dena has many years' experience in curriculum development, teaching, and storytelling in Jewish settings. Dena holds a BA from Yale University in Judaic Studies and History. She received a masters degree from the Hornstein Program at Brandeis University in Near East Judaic Studies and Jewish Communal Service.

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Beth Grafman is a Director of Community Development for PJ Library. Most recently, Beth served as librarian and Judaic Studies teacher at Solomon Schechter Westchester, spreading her passion for Jewish continuity. She is a Board Member and Sisterhood President at Temple Israel Center in White Plains, NY, serves as Board Secretary for Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake, and is a member of Hadassah's National Camp Committee. Beth's corporate experience includes marketing and business development for GE Capital. Born in Chicago, Beth holds a BS in Psychology and an MBA from the University of Illinois.

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Lauren Harvey is the Director of Data Management for PJ Library. Prior to joining the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Lauren worked for a company that promoted energy efficiency and spent many summers working at a Jewish day camp in St. Louis. Lauren holds dual bachelors degrees, one in Statistics and one in Religion, both from Mount Holyoke College.

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Iris Koller is the Project Director of PJ Goes to School, a new aspect of PJ Library being piloted in seven PJ Library communities across the country. Prior to this, Iris served as a Jewish educator in Syracuse, NY and as the writer of many PJ Library Beyond the Books programs. Iris currently serves as a Vice Chair of the URJ Joint Commission for Worship, Music, and Ritual Life and as a member of the URJ Commission for Lifelong Learning. She is a member of the Professional Advisory Board of the Jewish Outreach Institute and served as the President of CAJE, the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education. Iris holds a bachelor's degree in early childhood, elementary, and special education, a master's degree in Special Education and Reading, and an Advanced Certification in School Leadership and Administration. Her experience as a secular educator and educational leader in congregational and community settings spans over 20 years.

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Lisa LaFortune is an administrative assistant at PJ Library. Prior to joining PJ Library, Lisa worked as an office manager for a construction company, serving as administrator of payroll/benefits, job-costing, and billing. Lisa has over 20 years of experience in office administration, payroll & benefits, and human resources. She holds an AS Degree in Executive Office Administration.

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Eva Lee is the Data Analyst for PJ Library. She works with the data team in processing, maintaining, and analyzing database properties for all participant enrollments. Before joining PJ Library, Eva worked as financial analyst for different investment companies. She holds a BS in Finance from the University of Florida.

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Adrianne Levine is a Data Analyst for PJ Library. Prior to her work with PJ Library, Adrianne spent three years working with the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy. Prior to joining the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Adrianne spent seven years working with Elms College in their Institutional Advancement office as the manager of prospect research. Adrianne holds a BA in Liberal Arts from Elms College and a master's degree in Communications and Information Management from Bay Path College.

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Paul Lewis is a Director of Community Development for PJ Library. He travels the country to launch the program in new communities and grow it where it already exists. Paul joined PJ Library in 2009 after more than 30 years in journalism. He was an on-air TV reporter, investigative producer and news executive. Along the way, he won numerous awards for journalistic excellence, including multiple Emmys and a Peabody. Paul is passionate about storytelling and loves to tell the PJ story.

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Vivian Newman is a member of PJ Library Book Selection Committee. She shares books with children, parents, and teachers in order to gather feedback on current and prospective PJ Library books. In addition to her work on the Book Selection Committee, Vivian also creates PJ "Beyond the Book" program guides, which are designed to assist PJ Professionals in their development of family education programs. Vivian holds an M.S. in Education from Bank Street College of Education. She serves as an adjunct faculty member of Hebrew College, where she teaches on-line courses and conducts webinars on ways to use PJ Library books to explore Jewish concepts and values with young children and their families. Vivian is an experienced early educator who has taught in a variety of childcare settings including: the Bank Street College Family Center, the Springfield (MA) Jewish Community Center, and Teacher's College Center for Infants and Parents.

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Tamar Remz is Director of PJ Library's New York office. Prior to her work with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Tamar completed an MPA in Nonprofit Management at New York University. She has experience in the nonprofit and consulting sectors working in development, communications and program development. Tamar received an award from the National Crime Prevention Council for her work with Safety Zone, a crime prevention program in the Bronx that creates a network of local businesses working together to promote safety.

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Michelle Scott is the Operations Associate for PJ Library . She works closely with new PJ Library communities, walking them through the initial steps to launch the PJ program in their local areas. Prior to joining the PJ team, Michelle managed nonprofit organizations and worked in the publishing industry. She holds a BA in English with a minor in Religion Studies from Lehigh University and a master's degree in Information Science from SUNY Albany.

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Liron Shoham is a Director of Community Development for PJ Library. Prior to working for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Liron was part of the Major Gifts and Foundation Relations division of The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science. Liron holds a master's degree in Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford in the UK, and a dual-concentration bachelor's degree from Brown University in cultural anthropology and arts-semiotics. PJ Library ties together a selection of Liron's long-standing interests, including the use of cultural creativity to build community and the historical relationship of Jewish philanthropy to both Israeli and American Jewish communities.

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Nicole Sobel is the Special Projects Manager for PJ Library. Prior to joining HGF, Nicole worked as the Website Developer and Social Media Coordinator for the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts as well as an editorial assistant for a top travel website in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Nicole is actively involved in her local and global Jewish community, both as a steering committee member of the Young Adult Division of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts and as an active member of Jewish Federation of North America's National Young Leadership Cabinet. Nicole holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Judaic Studies from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

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Dyan Wiley is a Director of Community Development for PJ Library. Dyan brings to her work at PJ Library more than two decades of service, locally and nationally, in arts and culture, as an agency director, program presenter, grants maker, board member, and management educator and consultant. Her diverse career also includes work in broadcast journalism at CBS News and corporate market research with Sprague Electric.

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Judi Wisch is the Community Outreach Consultant for PJ Library, supporting PJ program professionals in developing strategies to connect and engage families with young children to Jewish community. Her past endeavors include running a Jewish supplementary school, coordinating the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival, and teaching Judaic Studies at the local day school. Before moving to the Pioneer Valley, Judi founded a havurah and a small Jewish school in rural New Hampshire, served as director of the Conference on Judaism in Rural New England, and facilitated conflict resolution workshops for Arab and Jewish Israeli teens at the Neve Shalom/Wahat al Salaam School for Peace in Israel. She received a BA from Hebrew University and an MA from the School for International Training.

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Shauna Zomek is the Administrative Assistant for PJ Library and answers customer service inquiries. Previously, she worked for several years as an assistant for The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. She received a B.A in Communication from Vanguard University of Southern California.

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