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JCLP Students & Alumni

Class of 2025

  1. Julia Diskin Julia Diskin

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2025

    Julia Diskin was born and raised in the Jewish community of metro-Detroit. In 2023, she graduated with honors from Michigan State University and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Judaic Studies. Julia is now attending the University of Michigan to pursue her Master’s in Social Work. She is pursuing the Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health and Substance Abuse pathway in addition to being a part of the JCLP cohort of 2025. Julia’s interests in the field of social work are broad. She will be completing three field placements; in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, at a JCC summer camp, and as a therapist. Though she has not narrowed down precisely what population she will work with, she is confident that she will be well equipped upon graduation. In her spare time, Julia sees friends and family who keep her going and are always cheering her on.

  2. Max Richardson Max Richardson

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2025

    Max Richardson was born and raised in Michigan. After having spent his youth in the metro-Detroit area, Max received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minor in Civic Engagement from Cornell College in 2021. Post graduation, Max worked as an educator at a boarding school for neurodivergent youth in Asheville, North Carolina. Then, he took a job as a Registered Behavior Therapist for an Applied Behavior Analysis therapy company in Denver, Colorado. After relocating to his home state, Max worked as a Behavior Specialist for the overnight YMCA camp in Jackson, Michigan that he had grown up attending as a camper. Max is excited to be a part of JCLP and to be pursuing a Master’s of Social work through the Welfare of Children and Families Pathway. He is also interested in pursuing the Social Work in School Settings Specialization. When not in school, Max enjoys spending time with friends and family, camping, playing video games and reading comic books.

  3. Shayna Danto Shayna Danto

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2025

    Shayna Danto was born and raised in Metro Detroit. She joined JCLP after working as a Registered Dietitian in Detroit since 2016. Prior to her clinical work, she worked for Jewish non-profits in the Metro Detroit area such as Friendship Circle and Adamah (known as Hazon while she was there). Shayna has learned about the value of community through her work and personal life. Working in Detroit in conjunction with her personal hobbies has helped her through a personal healing journey. She hopes to become a therapist, serving individuals in the Jewish community and giving them the opportunity to thrive through their own healing experiences. When she is not busy with work or school, Shayna enjoys spending time in nature, engaging in self-care, practicing yoga and meditation, going to concerts, cuddling with her cats, planning her dream wedding, traveling, dancing with friends and having meaningful conversations with members of the community. She is looking forward to contributing to a more peaceful world for all.

Class of 2024

  1. Ben Shovers Ben Shovers

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2024

    Ben Shovers was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He comes to the JCLP program after completing a Master of Management at the U-M Ross School of Business in 2022. Before completing his Master of Management, Ben graduated from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and minors in psychology and sociology. Ben hopes to eventually become a CEO of a Jewish Community Center or an Executive Director of a Jewish Federation, combining his business knowledge of finance, accounting, marketing, and overall business strategy with his social work education to optimize social services for his community. When Ben is not in school, he loves working at his Jewish summer camp (Camp Interlaken JCC), watching NBA basketball (particularly the Milwaukee Bucks), going to Michigan football games, trying new restaurants, and spending quality time with his friends and family.

  2. Marie Aiudi Pattipati Marie Aiudi Pattipati

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2024

    Marie Aiudi Pattipati (she/her/hers) was raised in Connecticut and has been living in Michigan for close to ten years. She received her undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan in 2021. Marie is excited to return to U-M to study social work through the Program Evaluation and Research pathway as part of the JCLP cohort. Prior to attending U-M, she served eight years in the military as a member of the Army National Guard. This has played a strong role in her research as she examines group identity, values, and structures within white nationalist groups. She is proudly autistic, and is passionate about advocating for marginalized communities. She is the creator of the social media page "Ela Asherah author/advocate", which shares creative works that push back against ableism and supremacy. She is the mom of four amazing individuals whom she greatly admires, and enjoys spending time with her family swimming, hiking, and traveling. She is also an avid foodie and the co-creator of the page "Introverted and Hungry", which shares mostly local food recommendations.

Class of 2023

  1. Abby Calef Abby Calef

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2023

    A Dallas, TX native who was raised in Ann Arbor, Abby Calef is studying interpersonal practice. She completed her MSW field work at Friendship Circle in West Bloomfield and at Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County's Thrive Counseling Services. . Prior to joining JCLP,, Abby worked for Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan, where she served Hillels at 10 different college campuses across the state. Her work included program planning, interfaith work, antisemitism education, partnerships with faculty and staff and meetings with university presidents. She also supervised the Nefesh (women and wellness) Engagement internship programs. Abby’s involvement with Hillel  began during her time at Kalamazoo College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Jewish Studies. During college, she helped reinvigorate “Hillel @ K” where she served in leadership positions all four years, including president. She was also the appointed Department Student Advisor for the Jewish Studies program and taught Sunday and Hebrew school at the Okun Kalamazoo Community Jewish School. Growing up in Ann Arbor, Abby was very active in the local Jewish community, working at and volunteering with Jewish Family Services and assistant teaching at Temple Beth EmethAbby is passionate about sexual health education, racial justice and interfaith dialogue, making leadership development accessible, and will sing in any a cappella group she can find.

  2. Caroline Strauss Caroline Strauss

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2023

    Caroline Strauss is originally from Farmington Hills, Michigan. She is studying interpersonal practice and completed her first field placement with Jewish Family Servies of Washtenaw's County's Thrive Counseling Services, where she worked with adult clients She is currently working on her second field placement at the Anxiety and OCD Treatment Center of Ann Arbor. Caroline completed her undergraduate degree at Michigan State University, where she majored in Psychology with minors in Human Behavior and Social Services and Health Promotion. During her time in undergrad, she was involved at Michigan State Hillel as the Vice President of Administration, where she planned programs for students and interacted with the greater campus community on behalf of the Jewish community. She also held research positions in the Department of Psychology, which furthered her passion for and interest in helping people. Caroline’s Jewish background includes five summers at Camp Tamarack, as well as involvement at Adat Shalom Synagogue. She became particularly interested in the intersection of social work and Judaism after completing a summer internship at Jewish Family Services of Metropolitan Detroit. Caroline is specifically interested in working with children and families surrounding mental health and breaking the stigma around it. She is excited and honored to be a part of the JCLP and the University of Michigan School of Social Work!

  3. Elana Lambert Elana Lambert

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2023

    Elana Lambert is studying within the management and leadership pathway and completed her field work at U-M Hillel and Avodah. Prior to joining JCLP, she served with AmeriCorps for two years as a college success coach supporting students to and through college graduation and then moved to a career access role supporting high school seniors in year-long internships and planning for after high school. The close relationships with her students from these roles inspired her to pursue a Masters of Social Work degree.Elana plans to combine her interests of religious identity development, higher education, and social work to support students on college campuses.

  4. Ellery Rosenzweig Ellery Rosenzweig

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2023

    Ellery Rosenzweig was born and raised in Metro Detroit with a strong connection to her close-knit Jewish community. She studied at the University of Michigan where she received her B.A. in Psychology and minor in Community Action and Social Change. Ellery is so excited to be returning to Ann Arbor to study Social Work on the Interpersonal Practice track and be a part of JCLP. After undergrad, she worked at Repair the World Detroit as their Youth & Family Engagement Associate running PeerCorps Detroit, their teen service-learning program, and supervising Repair fellows in their year of service at Detroit nonprofit organizations. Outside of work, Ellery is the co-creator of an Instagram account, @___Shelle___, where she shares size-inclusive clothing and resources on combating diet culture and fatphobia. She is passionate about empowering young people, swimming in lakes, knitting blankets, and eating bagels!

  5. Jorgen Reberg Jorgen Reberg

    Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2023

    Although an erstwhile resident of Australia, Scotland, and most recently Norway, Jorgen Reberg has been a permanent fixture of Michigan’s flora and fauna since July of 2014. Six years later, he graduated from Grand Valley State University with a BS in Psychology and minors in Human Rights and Middle East Studies; his years in Grand Rapids were filled with many meaningful experiences, but few could compare with the opportunity to collaborate with the USC Shoah Foundation. Jorgen’s fluency in Norwegian meant that he was able to translate their collection of Norwegian Holocaust testimonies, which had been virtually untouched for more than twenty years. His chosen pathway in the MSW program is Program Evaluation and Applied Research, which he hopes (nay, is certain!) will provide him with both the knowledge and understanding of how to best improve the lives of today’s Norwegian Jewish community.

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