Adam Simon has worked in philanthropy in and out of the Jewish community for 15 years. He currently is Executive Director of a global family foundation advancing Jewish learning, Judaism in Israel, peace between Israelis and Palestinians, civic engagement in the US, Democratic politics, and children within the US welfare and education systems. Prior to his current roles, Simon advanced leadership in the Jewish community and Jewish engagement at the Schusterman Family Philanthropies. He launched integrated funding, thought leadership, and digital communications strategies to maximize the impact of investments in Jewish life, and led efforts to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional professional and volunteer leaders for causes central to the foundation’s mission. Earlier in his career, Simon was Executive Director at Northwestern University’s Hillel and a manager of warehouse operations at an industrial supply company.
His significant contributions to the field of philanthropy include presentations for the National Center for Family Philanthropy, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, and Jewish Funders Network, as well as board service, committee leadership, and technical assistance for numerous national and local organizations. Simon is a member of the Leap Ambassadors, a network of social change leaders seeking to maximize impact by focusing on data, leadership, and evidence. He is an adjunct faculty member at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education, and is a regular lecturer at Georgetown University School of Law and University of Maryland Graduate School of Public Policy, and has contributed to numerous publications.
Adam Simon attended Washington University in St. Louis, earning both a B.A. and an MBA in organizational design and marketing. He currently lives outside Washington, DC with his wife and is the father of two amazing children.
Mimi Lemay is an author and advocate for transgender rights. She has written for and appeared in media nationally and abroad since 2015, including a groundbreaking NBC Nightly News series: Jacob’s Journey: Life as a Transgender 5-Year-Old. Since then, Mimi and the entire Lemay family have fought for passage of equal protections for transgender individuals in Massachusetts and across the US. In 2019, her critically acclaimed memoir was released; What We Will Become: A Mother, A Son and A Journey of Transformation was recognized as a 2020 Massachusetts Book Awards finalist. In it, she weaves the story of her early struggle with her Jewish faith and her growing belief, as a mother, in her son’s journey as necessary and true. In 2020, she was also named a Commonwealth Heroine, an award granted by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. She is an emeritus member of the Human Rights Campaign’s Parents for Transgender Equality National Council. Mimi holds a Masters in Law & Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She lives on the North Shore with her family, that includes her three children, a potcake puppy and a pug, and she considers herself, gratefully, an eternal optimist.
Jewish practice, study, and community involvement have always been central to Louis’s life. Raised as an active member of the Jewish community in Detroit, MI and Boca Raton, FL, Louis graduated from the University of Florida where he was a leader at the Florida Hillel, Jewish Student Union, and Gators for Israel. After attending law school at the University of Pennsylvania, Louis worked for a firm in New York. He and his husband, Lane, then moved to Florida where they started their family and where Louis now serves as Vice President at a manufacturing company, Boca Systems, Inc. Louis and Lane are proud parents of twins, Hazel and Ezra. In recent years, Louis was a member of the LGBTQ task force for Jewish Family Services, as well as a board member at his synagogue, Congregation Shaarei Kodesh. He currently sits on the board of Sovev, a non-profit that is creating an open mikveh for the South Florida Jewish community. Louis enjoys trashy television shows, desserts of all kinds, exercise (to compensate for said desserts), and spending time with his family.
Kiyomi is an Afro-Latin, queer, Jewish, Marine Corps veteran and mother who works to ensure that all of the intersecting identities of her and her children feel at home in any space. If there is one word to sum up her life’s work it would be “inclusion.” Kiyomi’s social justice activism is centered on creating more inclusive spaces for Jewish people of all backgrounds as well as eradicating racism and antisemitism. To that end, she develops, produces, and facilitates panels, workshops, and discussions on the topics of race, racism, and antisemitism. She utilizes non-violent communication approaches to coach people through tough conversations and promote productive dialogues.
In 2020, Kiyomi co-founded Jewbian Princess, a Black, Jewish women-led organization to deliver corporate-level diversity and inclusion education to Jewish organizations through a Jewish lens. Kiyomi became a facilitator at Project Shema to help educate people on antisemitism and its root causes within movement spaces in 2021. In her role as the Vice President of Partnerships at Project Shema, Kiyomi works with the Jewish community and allies to foster communication skills and strategies that will help reduce anti-Jewish rhetoric and harm. She is also a facilitator at Ta’amod and “stands up” for creating psychologically safe Jewish workplaces through empathy, education, and equity.
In addition to her day jobs, Kiyomi serves as a board member of the Los Angeles section of the National Council for Jewish Women (“NCJW”) and the national board of Jewish Council of Public Affairs (“JCPA”). She has a degree in political science and a Juris Doctorate with an emphasis in public service. Kiyomi lives with her partner and two children in the suburbs of Los Angeles where she can be found watercolor painting, embroidering, and sewing pieces of flare to inspire a more just world. Learn more about her at KiyomiKowalski.com.
Ron lives in Washington DC with his husband, Yoni. His involvement in the Jewish community began in youth groups while growing up in Charleston, SC, followed by 11th grade in Israel, and then joining the student board of Tufts Hillel. He has been a board member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington since 2016, and has served on its executive committee, strategic planning and allocations committee, nominations committee, and Jewish education committee. Ron has spent most of his professional career at Capital One, in strategy and venture capital. He graduated from Tufts University and Georgetown University Graduate School of Foreign Service.
Neil has worked in the healthcare industry for most of his 30-year career as a business leader and strategic advisor to health systems, payers and pharmaceutical companies. In this role, he has led multiple commercial & operational projects and, most recently, has guided hospitals on how best to leverage telehealth to achieve improved clinical & financial outcomes. Outside of work, Neil has served as a Board of Governor in the New England region for the Human Rights Campaign, the largest organization committed to LGBTQ+ equality in the United States & across the world. Through his Governor position, Neil worked with HRC staff to raise awareness & commitment to Jewish issues within an LGBTQ+ identity.
Neil currently lives in Providence, RI, with his husband, Jason, and dog, Betty, after spending many years in Boston. Neil earned his B.A. in International Relations at Tufts University, his J.D. at Emory University School of Law and a M.A.L.D. from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Michael Davis is an educator, facilitator, and coach with over 20 years of experience, including 15 years as a Hebrew school teacher and 13 years in early childhood education. With a Psychology degree focused on child development from SUNY Empire State University, Michael is dedicated to fostering inclusive learning environments. As a facilitator and coach at Project Shema, he helps organizations address antisemitism and bridge divides through education.
For the past five years, Michael has co-facilitated Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) trainings, as well as sessions for religious schools, nonprofits, and Jewish camps across the U.S. He also serves on the North American Board of the URJ, contributing to initiatives that create more inclusive Jewish spaces.
Michael is passionate about uplifting marginalized voices and creating spaces where others feel inspired to take action.
Myriam Klotz is former senior core faculty at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS) and retired after 23 years there in November 2024. She was the Founding Director of IJS Kol Dodi Jewish Spiritual Director Training and of Bekhol Levevkha JSD training at HUC-JIR; the former Director of the Spirituality Initiative at HUC-JIR; led inclusivity work at IJS including creating the LGBTQ+ Beit Midrash and the monthly LGBTQ+ sit (co-sponsored by Keshet!); co-created and co-directed Yoga and Jewish Spirituality Yoga Teacher Training at Isabella Freedman; and served on the Spiritual Directors International board of directors. She lives in Philadelphia with her wife Margot, son Raffi, and dog. Another son, Samm, lives in CA with his wife and cat.
Liz Bloom is the former Director for Equality and Opportunity at the Biden-Harris White House, where her policy portfolio encompassed LGBTQI+ rights and antisemitism. Previously in the Biden-Harris Administration, Liz was a speechwriter and advisor to the White House Domestic Policy Advisors, Ambassador Susan Rice and Neera Tanden, and to Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler. Earlier in her career, she worked as a journalist at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she covered baseball and classical music, though not always at the same time. Liz has a joint MBA/MPP from Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government.
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