JCLP Students & Alumni
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Class of 2018
Erica Golden
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2018
Erica Golden is the first executive director of the groundbreaking Sherry and Alan Leventhal Family Foundation Center for Interfaith Families at the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans. She previously was the Youth Engagement Director at Temple Beth Am in Pinecrest, Florida. Originally from Tampa, Erica came to JCLP by way of New Orleans. She received her M.S. in Psychology from Tulane University in May 2016. Erica also earned her B.S. in Psychology and Jewish Studies from Tulane in May 2015. During her time in JCLP, she studied Management with a focus on Children and Youth and interned at the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit. As a JCLP student, Erica was excited to explore the intersection of Judaism and social work while continuing to be an active member of the Jewish community.
Essie Shachar-Hill
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2018
Essie Shachar-Hill is Programs Manager at Lifeworks Psychotherapy Center in Chicago, IL. Previously, they served as a psychotherapist at Youth Services of Glenbrook/Northview, the Midwest Education and Training Manager for Keshet and a curricula writer for Moving Traditions. Through JCLP, Essie examined how social justice and Judaism interact and inform each other in the field of social work. Born in Cambridge, England, they graduated with a B.A. in English and Judaic Studies from the University of Michigan in May 2015. As a member of AVODAH: the Jewish Service Corps in Chicago, Essie worked with "Girls in the Game" as an after school coordinator. As an undergraduate, Essie was involved with U-M Residential Life and also received the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award.
Ilana Soumekhian
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2018
Ilana Soumekhian lives in Nashville, TN and works as a Clinical Operations Lead at Therify. She previously worked as an oncology social worker and behavioral health specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, and as a Medical Social Worker at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. She completed her MSW field work at the Michigan Medicine's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant along with Von Voightlander Women's Hospital in Inpatient/Outpatient Obstetrics and Gynecology. Originally from Rockville, MD, she completed her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Community Action and Social Change (CASC) from the University of Michigan in May 2016.
Jacob Ehrlich
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2018
Jacob Ehrlich lives in Detroit and works as Operations and Engagement Manager for Congregation T'chiyahas well as the Music Enrichment Specialist at Jewish Hospice & Chaplaincy Network. Originally from Westhampton, NY, he holds a BA from Hampshire College, where he studied comparative religion and completed a thesis project exploring the philosophical and sociological resonances between Jewish and Hindu devotional movements. For his field placement, Jacob worked with the Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy Network, working to address the psycho-social and spiritual care needs of clients and their families as they navigate the end-of-life. As an activist and aspiring spiritual leader, Jacob appreciated the unique opportunity that JCLP affords to integrate social justice, spirituality, and Jewish learning into the practice of micro- and macro-level social work, and enjoyed two fulfilling years of intensive learning and fellowship.
Leah Josephson
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2018
Leah Josephson lives in Durham, North Carolina and is a consultant with Emergence Collective, a capacity building consultancy she founded with a group of former and recent Michigan graduates, where she helps organizations measure and communicate their impact. As a JCLP student, Leah appreciated the opportunity to connect with community members and local organizations working at the intersections of Judaism and social justice, including through her management field placement with Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit. Prior to graduate school, she worked as a fundraiser and communications strategist for nonprofit and political organizations, including at North Carolina Hillel as Director of Development. Leah was also active with the Carolina Abortion Fund, where she served as Board Chair, and was co-founder of Moishe House Triangle. In 2015, she completed the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies summer program in Jerusalem, Israel.
Class of 2017
Annie Shapiro
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2017
Annie Shapiro is the Policy Manager at Fair Food Network in Ann Arbor, MI. In this role, Annie leads public policy engagement in Michigan. She completed a dual degree in Social Work and Public Health. During her time in JCLP, Annie enjoyed thinking critically about the inclusivity of the Jewish community and how to engage those who are marginalized or on the fringe of the community. Originally from the Twin Cities, she received a B.A. in International Affairs and History from the George Washington University. Following graduation, Annie worked in DC on international HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment for the government. Annie is passionate about working to create a more equitable health system in the U.S. Annie's field placement was at Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit where she worked on health and wellness and healthcare navigation. Annie hopes to continue conversations about the intersection between the Jewish community and social justice movements and think of innovative ways to energize the Jewish community around increasing equity in our communities and nation as a whole.
Avery Markel
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2017
Avery Markel is the Director of Community Engagement at the Jewish Grandparents Network. She lives in Louisville, KY and will be relocating to Grand Rapids, Michigan in the summer of 2024 with her husband, daughter, and their menagerie of pets. A metro-Detroit native with stops throughout the midwest and mid south, Avery's interest in social work sparked during her year in Chicago with AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, and led her home to Michigan to matriculate in JCLP. While in the program, Avery studied Interpersonal Practice and completed field work at Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit. JCLP continues to provide a space for Avery to learn about the ever changing landscape of Judaism in America and explore roles she may play in the field.
Haley Schreier
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2017
Haley Schreier is the Assistant Director at Michigan Hillel. She is an Ann Arbor native and a super alum (she has her undergrad and MSW from Michigan). Her field placement through JCLP was at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, where she learned about organizational management and change, as well as community organizing. She considers herself an educator, an activist, and a mentor, and loves sharing her passion for Jewish life and learning. Every day, she enjoys helping students and supporting staff to discover how Judaism can intersect with a multitude of other identities.
Lauren Rouff
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2017
Lauren Rouff is a school social worker in Dearborn, MI and during the summer is the camp social worker for Camp Tamarack. Originally from West Bloomfield, Michigan, she graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Communications and Spanish. Before coming to the School of Social Work, she worked as a Program Associate for Hillel of Metro Detroit, working with Jewish college students around the Detroit area. Lauren is a long-time Tamarack Camps camper and counselor, and served on their Young Adult Advisory Board where she gained non-profit leadership skills. Her JCLP field placement was with Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit where she worked in various day schools facilitating social skills groups. She enjoyed being able to learn about so many different organizations and individuals by being part of the JCLP.
Mariel Schwartz
Jewish Communal Leadership Program Class of 2017
Mariel Schwartz is a social worker with Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care in Detroit, MI. She previously worked as a geriatric social worker at Jewish Senior Life of Metropolitan Detroit in Oak Park, MI. She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated with high honors from Lehigh University with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Economics. Following college graduation, Mariel relocated to Washington, DC to work first for United States Congressman Jason Altmire and then for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Mariel was also a member of the Jewish Women International's Young Women's Leadership Network and volunteered weekly with the Jewish Social Service Agency by visiting hospice clients in their homes. Mariel enjoyed learning about community organizing and social justice work in the American Jewish community. As a Geriatric Care Management intern at Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit, Mariel connected older adults with a myriad of resources available specifically to the geriatric community. As a Wexner Graduate Fellow, Mariel will furtherexplored explore the intersection of Jewish life and aging. She is passionate about understanding how the Jewish community can enrich the lives of older adults. In her spare time, she enjoys attending a book club and visiting Jewish communities around the world.