Bookmark with:

              

Leora W. Isaacs, Ph.D.
Vice President for Programs and Organizational Learning
Director, Learnings and Consultation Center
Leora began her tenure at JESNA in 1986. During that time she has served as Founding Director of both the Berman Center for Research and Evaluation in Jewish Education and the Learnings and Consultation Center (LCC), holding the latter post since 2007. Prior to her work at JESNA, Leora was Research Specialist for the Jewish Communal Affairs Department and William Petschek National Jewish Family Center of the American Jewish Committee. She has taught for over 35 years at all levels in Jewish formal and informal education programs, from early childhood through college, and in family education. Dr. Isaacs has held several academic appointments including Assistant Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Psychology at the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, NJ; Visiting Assistant Professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America; and Visiting Lecturer in Education and Jewish Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently a faculty member and co-director of her congregation's Hebrew high school in Bridgewater, NJ. Leora brings special expertise in the fields of Jewish identity development and Jewish family education. Dr. Isaacs earned her Ph.D. in Educational and Developmental Psychology at the City University of New York Graduate Center and her BA in Psychology at the University of Michigan, summa cum laude.

Steven Kraus, M.A.
Education Consultant
Steven joined JESNA in September of 2000. He has used his extensive practical experience in all areas of Jewish education to great advantage in his consulting work at JESNA's LCC. Steven is the Staff Liaison to the Association of Directors of Central Agencies (ADCA), the Project Manager for the Alliance for Continuing Rabbinic Education (ACRE), the director of the Coaches Training Institute and the facilitator of its two Communities of Practice. Prior to coming to JESNA, Steve worked for 20 years as a day school teacher and administrator, congregational education teacher, director of religious education, pre-school director, family education director, high school director, and adult education director in Minneapolis, Miami and Philadelphia. Steve holds an M.A. in Jewish History and Jewish Education from The Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

Devorah Silverman, MSW, M.A.
Education Consultant
Devorah joined JESNA in 2000. During her time at the agency she has developed a series of professional and volunteer leadership networks across North America. Devorah brings to her work expertise in the development of local-national partnerships and facilitates several topical "Communities of Practice," including NAACHHS (the North American Association of Community Hebrew High Schools) and the PD Network for professionals in central agencies for Jewish education. Devorah is also the lead staff person for JESNA's Publications and Dissemination Project, which produces and disseminates research and evaluation-based publications about Jewish education, focusing on "lessons learned" and best practices. Before joining the JESNA team, Devorah worked for 10 years in the Baltimore, New York and Detroit Federations, where her portfolios focused on strategic planning, community allocations, Israel experience programming and Jewish continuity. Devorah earned a Master's in Social Work from Columbia University and a Master's in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Jenny Aisenberg, M.A.
Knowledge Development Manager
Jenny joined the Learnings & Consultation Center at JESNA in 2009. She is responsible for the overall management, development, and improvement of JESNA's online resources, including the Sosland Online Resource Center and allied sites such as the Professional Development Center (www.jesnapdc.org) and the Alliance for Continuing Rabbinic Education (www.allianceforcre.org).  She works closely with program staff from JESNA's LCC, Lippman-Kanfer Institute, Berman Center for Research and Evaluation, and technical consultants to enhance JESNA's dissemination of learnings through the web. Before joining JESNA, Jenny earned her Master's in Media Studies from The New School University, while working as an educator in her synagogue's Children's Learning Program in Brooklyn. She earned her B.A. in Women's Studies from Smith College, where she served on the Hillel Board, directed the Kosher Co-op, and received the Gemillut Chassidim Award for her years of service to the Jewish community.

Ada Maradiaga, B.S.
Administrator
Ada joined JESNA's Learnings & Consultation Center in 2009. She is Administrator for both the Berman Center and the Learnings & Consultation Center (LCC). She also serves as the Administrator for The Network for Research in Jewish Education (www.NRJE.org). Prior to her JESNA experience, Ada worked in the Community Education Outreach Department/Speakers Bureau at Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. Ada earned a B.S. in Marketing and Multinational Business from Florida State University and is currently working on a degree in Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City.