Boards and Affiliates

In a stellar career, neuroscientist, researcher and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Ed was most recently President and Principal at King’s College, London and Chairman of King’s Health Partners board from 2014 to 2020. He joined the Global Executive board of Ramsay Health as Group Chief Medical Officer in February 2021.

He began his career in Adelaide after graduating with first class honours from the University of Tasmania in 1974. He was made Neurology Registrar at Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1978. He finished his neurology training and completed his doctorate at the Institute of Neurology Queen Square and in 1982 was awarded the Queen Square prize for neurological research. In 1983, he was appointed Director of Neurology at St Vincent’s Hospital and Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Melbourne in 1992.

Professor Byrne was a founding director of the Melbourne Neuromuscular Research Unit and the Centre for Neuroscience in 1993. He was also made Professor of Experimental Neurology at the University of Melbourne in 2001. His major research contributions have been in the field of mitochondrial medicine and neuromuscular disorders.

He first came to Monash University as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, a role he held from 2003 until 2007.

Professor Byrne was then appointed the Vice Provost (Health) at University College London (UCL). He held that position until becoming the eighth University President and Vice-Chancellor at Monash University in 2009.

The University of Melbourne awarded him a Doctor of Science, a higher degree conferred in recognition of a demonstrated record of research excellence. He completed a Masters of Business Administration in 2005.

He has been awarded…

• UCL, honorary professorship.
• Warwick University, honorary professorship.
• Peking University, honorary professorship.
• University of Adelaide, honorary degree.
• Warwick University, honorary degree.
• Western University, honorary degree.
• University of Sydney, honorary degree.
• Australian Academy of Science and Technology, fellowship.
• Australian Academy of Health and Medicine, fellowship.
• American Academy of Neurology, fellowship.
• American Neurological Association, fellowship.

He was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2019.

He was awarded a Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in October 2020.

He has wide interests in the arts and has published four books of poetry through Melbourne University Press and has recently co-authored with Charles Clarke, a former senior UK Cabinet Minister, a book, The University Challenge: Changing universities in a changing world.

Recreation: Poetry; fly fishing

Tim Costello is recognised as one of Australia’s leading voices on social justice issues, having spearheaded public debates on gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation, and substance abuse. 

Tim is also involved in…

• The Community Council of Australia. 
• Alliance for Gambling Reform
• Senior Fellow for Centre for Public Christianity 

Prior to World Vision, Tim served as a Baptist Minister in St Kilda and at Collins St Baptist Church.

Tim has authored Another Way to Love, Streets of Hope: Finding God in St Kilda, Tips from a Travelling Soul Searcher, Wanna Bet? Winners and Losers in Gambling’s Luck Myth (co-written with Royce Millar), and Hope (2013), Faith (2016) and in 2019 published a memoir called A Lot with a Little.

In 2004, Tim was named Victorian of the Year, made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2005, and named Victorian Australian of the Year in 2006.

He was the first and, to date, the only foreign-born US ambassador to Israel.

Born in London in 1951, Martin grew up in Sydney, Australia. He graduated from the University of Sydney in 1972. In 1973 he spent time volunteering on a kibbutz in Israel during the Yom Kippur War. He returned to Australia and enrolled at the Australian National University where he received a PhD in international relations in 1977.

Martin emigrated to the US in 1982 and began working as a deputy research director for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). From 1985, he served eight years as the founding Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

He has been an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and has also taught at Columbia University, the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, and Macquarie University in Sydney.

Martin has served Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama in various roles. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for the non-profit America Abroad Media.

After receiving his BA in Economics and International Relations from the London School of Economics, Mark took an MA in Political Science at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Following his studies, he performed his military service before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

His distinguished career with the Ministry has seen him posted to Peru, Norway, and New York, before being appointed as Ambassador to Ireland, and later as Ambassador to the Republic of India and, concurrently, Non-Resident Ambassador to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. His career also spans acting as a Policy Advisor to the then-Foreign Minister of Israel Shimon Peres, and heading a prestigious non-profit foundation, the Jerusalem Foundation.

Before his posting to Australia, Mark served as Deputy Director General of the Foreign Ministry and Head of Asia and Pacific Division.

Most recently, he was Vice President, Strategic Alliances for iPass (NASDAQ/IPAS) which provides remote and mobile workers secure and simple connectivity to their corporate network across wired and wireless providers in over 150 countries. Mr. Bob joined iPass following the September, 2004, acquisition of Safe3w, an international Internet security and anti-fraud company where he served as CEO and President.

Doron completed his LL.M. at the University of Michigan and Doctor of Law studies at the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Israel’s Security Council.

As a founder and chair of the Israel Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Division, Doron was a member of the delegation for negotiations with the Palestinians on trade and economic issues.

In 2000, Doron was granted an award for his activities promoting Israeli culture and music, and his assistance to artists in Israel, by the President of the State of Israel and the Chair of the Israel Union of Performing Artists. 

In recent years, Doron has devoted his time to projects advancing cooperation between communities in Israeli society, including Arab and Jewish youth.

Doron completed his LL.M. at the University of Michigan and Doctor of Law studies at the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Israel’s Security Council.

As a founder and chair of the Israel Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Division, Doron was a member of the delegation for negotiations with the Palestinians on trade and economic issues.

In 2000, Doron was granted an award for his activities promoting Israeli culture and music, and his assistance to artists in Israel, by the President of the State of Israel and the Chair of the Israel Union of Performing Artists. 

In recent years, Doron has devoted his time to projects advancing cooperation between communities in Israeli society, including Arab and Jewish youth

Jamal is a General Practitioner and prominent figure in the Lebanese Muslim community in Sydney, Australia. He is recognised for his work to prevent the radicalisation of young people by Islamic State.

In 2010 he was a National Finalist as Australia’s Local Hero for the Australian of the Year. Jamal is known for his efforts in promoting cohesion, courage and unity, winning The Australian newspaper’s Australian of the Year in 2015. He was praised at the time as “a great Australian” by current Prime Minister, Scott Morrison.

A feminist and human rights lawyer, Lee Ann is passionate about improving the status of women and girls and effecting social change for vulnerable populations. Lee Ann has both board and management experience in these fields as well as being an internationally recognised legal scholar.

Lee Ann served on the inaugural boards of the Human Rights Law Centre and the New Israel Fund (Australia) as well as other governmental and not for profit organisations. She was a Reader and Associate Professor of Law at La Trobe University from 2004 – 2016 and served as the Associate Head of the Law School in 2015-2016.

In 2016, Lee Ann was appointed CEO to the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia, Victoria Inc where she oversaw the transformation of the organisation into a modern, professional not-for-profit. Lee Ann worked closely with the Board, providing secretarial, policy and planning support to the board and the board subcommittees.

Lee Ann is Chair of the Project Rozana Governance & Risk Board Committee.

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She’s been working in the media for more than 15 years, the majority of that time reporting for the ABC’s flagship news and current affairs programs.

From 2015 – Eliza and her family lived in Indonesia and Lebanon where she worked as a senior communications consultant to the UN Deputy Special Coordinator of Lebanon.

She also undertook a similar role for a human rights NGO working with Syrian and South Asian refugees.

During her time in the Middle East region, Eliza travelled extensively throughout Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Eliza also reported on Lebanon’s political revolution and subsequent economic crisis.

Eliza has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney, majoring in history and politics. She’s a passionate consumer of international news and current affairs.

Eliza is Chair of the Project Rozana Communications & Media Committee.

Data Driven, People Centric.

An experienced senior director, Veronica has a unique background in operational leadership, strategy and planning. She has held leadership roles within public health, publishing, the pharmaceutical industry and the Australian Army.

Commencing her career as a pharmacist Veronica moved into business development within the pharmaceutical industry developing her commercial acumen and negotiation skills. Those skills were further honed by a move to human resource consulting where the power of network and influence became apparent. Expansive roles in publishing and strategic consulting followed.

The diversity of Veronica’s experience has resulted in an extensive skill set that has proven exceptionally valuable upon finding her true passion – equitable access to healthcare.

She has spent the past ten years in public health services of Queensland and Victoria. She’s gained a wide understanding of health issues across the varied cultures, in rural and metropolitan areas.

Veronica leads and mentors a diverse range of stakeholders in strategic planning to align health service delivery with changing patterns of need, to make effective use of current and future resources, to improve health and to safeguard equity of access. She believes the future lies in the use of data analytics and technology in conjunction with human collaboration and empathy to close the gap in health outcomes for disadvantaged communities.

Describing herself as a translator, Veronica brings together people of different perspectives and experiences across many disciplines, building trust, understanding and common ground to achieve improved health outcomes for the community.

Ruth (Ramone) Rosen joined Project Rozana in January 2018 after many years in the education sector in Australia and in Israel. Her undergraduate studies were in History and Politics and her master’s was in English Literature. During her years in Israel, she lectured in English and Comparative Literature at Tel Aviv University and worked as a translator-editor-writer for the Israel Labor Party, a freelance writer and translator and as private tutor to the first Egyptian Ambassador to Israel. Returning to Australia, Ruth moved into international education teaching and management. Her role covers a diversity of responsibilities across organization, including Board governance and communications.

Skilled in Management, Accounting, Financial Analysis, Finance, and Financial Reporting. Strong finance professional with a Bachelor's degree focused in Accounting and Finance from University of the Witwatersrand.

She is passionate about people and organisations, and ensuring to bring out the best outcome for both simultaneously.

In addition to postings abroad in Mexico City (1983-85), New Delhi (1989-92) and Washington (1997-2001), Mr. Allen spent his early career in the Legal Bureau where he represented Canada in disputes under the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and worked in the areas of human rights, humanitarian and environmental law.

Mr. Allen also held the positions of Director General, North America Bureau (2001-2004), Minister (Political Affairs) at the Embassy of Canada in Washington (2004-2006) and Assistant Deputy Minister, Americas (2010-2012).

From 2006 to 2010, he was Ambassador of Canada to Israel. From 2012 to 2016 he was Ambassador to Spain and Andorra. From December 2012 to July 2014, he was Chargé d’affaires a.i. to the Holy See.

Mr. Allen is currently a Diplomat in Residence at Fulbright Canada and a Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

He is married to Clara Hirsch. They have two sons, Jake and AJ and a precious grand-daughter, Olive.

With a BA from the University of Manitoba, an MA from Johns Hopkins University, and a Diploma in Divinity based on studies at Oxford University, she was ordained in 2007. She served for several years as Government Relations Advisor for the Anglican Church of Canada.

Now retired, she continues as Honorary Assistant at the Church of St. Bartholomew, Ottawa.

A founding Director of Project Rozana Canada, she is deeply committed to peacebuilding in the Middle East and to ecumenical and inter-faith cooperation.

She was cofounder and the first executive director of COTA, a community-based rehabilitation program bringing services to people’s homes and work with extensive mental health and addiction programs.

Karen has proven expertise in building businesses, driving growth, competitive position and value. Former CEO of JVS Toronto, Karen has been recognized for her leadership and excellence in leading JVS to become a preeminent career and vocational agent serving over 20,000 people annually.

Karen was formerly Director of Community Outreach at DebtCare Canada Team. She is a dynamic volunteer and community leader and was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2014 in recognition of a lifetime of achievement and commitment.

The CCC is comprised of 26 member denominations representing more than 85% of the Christians in Canada.

Karen is an Old Testament scholar, works nationally and internationally in the area of Interfaith Dialogue and teaches an interfaith course at St. George’s Anglican College in Jerusalem.

She co-chaired the global Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2018, is very engaged in refugee support and is studying Arabic as her eighth language.

Her award-winning Old Testament book was published in 2009 and she is honoured to be the recipient of a number of ecumenical and interfaith awards.

Most importantly, she is the thrilled grandma (Nonna) of Emmett and Gabriel.

CEO at Khouri Conversations, he was founding president of the Canadian Arab Institute and a ten-year commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

He is Canada Committee member of Human Rights Watch and co-founder of the Canadian Arab/Jewish Leadership Dialogue Group.

Raja is known as a bridge-builder and has served on several governmental and civil society bodies, including as president of the Canadian Arab Federation. He is the author of Arabs in Canada: Post 9/11.

Karen studied Political Science and Middle East Studies at McGill University, with a semester of studies at each of Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  Karen then went on to obtain her LL. B from Osgoode Hall Law School and, at the same time, maintained her connection to issues of social justice in the Middle East through independent legal study on Israel’s Basic Laws and an internship at the Israeli Ministry of Justice. 

Following her articles in Toronto at Goodman, Phillips and Vineberg, Karen moved to Jerusalem, became an Israeli citizen, articled for the law firm of Shimron, Molho, Persky and Co. and advocated for Palestinian rights through organizations like Peace Now. 

Upon returning to Canada, Karen began her career in the Ontario Public Service, working first in consumer protection policy and then lawyering for: Ontario’s Treasury Board Secretariat, the Local Health Integration Networks and finally, the Ontario Ministry of Health.  Karen provides legal advice in the areas of privacy, procurement, contract management, and other matters of public law.  Karen also supports health privacy legislative development.

Karen maintains her connection to the community through volunteer work, including becoming the founding president of a community nursery school (The Helene Comay Nursery School) in the early 2000s and now serving as Secretary on the Board Executive of her synagogue, The First Narayever Congregation.

When not lawyering or working on volunteer projects, Karen can be found outdoors hiking, biking and traveling with her partner, David Beutel or, with her 2 kids, Tevi and Orly Mandel, cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs with relentless optimism!

Vast personal and professional network and stakeholder relations in the corporate, academic, arts and culture, public civil society sectors across Canada. 

Held leaderships positions in organizations including: My Main Street, Institute for Canadian Citizenship, City of Toronto Innovation Community Initiatives, George Brown College, University of the People, Common Purpose, Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel), Check Point Software

 Amy holds a BA in Political Economy from the University of Toronto and is a graduate of Tel Aviv University's Executive Program in Organizational Behavior.

Doron completed his LL.M. at the University of Michigan and Doctor of Law studies at the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Israel’s Security Council.

As a founder and chair of the Israel Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Division, Doron was a member of the delegation for negotiations with the Palestinians on trade and economic issues.

In 2000, Doron was granted an award for his activities promoting Israeli culture and music, and his assistance to artists in Israel, by the President of the State of Israel and the Chair of the Israel Union of Performing Artists. 

In recent years, Doron has devoted his time to projects advancing cooperation between communities in Israeli society, including Arab and Jewish youth.

He is a Member of the Board of the Switch Center for the Promotion of Training and Employment among Women and Mothers in the Bedouin Population in the Negev. He is also the chair of the Al-Bakhur Association, which aims to raise access to and awareness of the importance of reading among children and mothers in Bedouin society in the south, by opening libraries at maternal and child health centers.

Dr. Foad believes that every person deserves an opportunity to maximize their potential, and that only if we work to strengthen the weaker elements in society can we be a better society, and cultivate a generation that accepts the ‘other’ and lives with themselves and others in peace and wellbeing.

Rabbi Ehud Bandel is a native of Jerusalem. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University in Jewish History and Jewish Philosophy and holds a Master degree in Judaic studies from JTS. In 1988, he graduated the first class of the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem and was the first native Israeli to be ordained as a Conservative Rabbi in Israel. For eight years he served as the President and CEO of the Masorti Movement in Israel.

In 2006, he moved with his family to Melbourne Australia and served five years as the rabbi of Kehilat Nitzan, Melbourne’s first Conservative congregation. Rabbi Bandel is very active in interfaith and human rights issues. He was the Founding Director of Rabbis for Human Rights and a Co-Chair of the ICCJ’s International Abrahamic Forum. In 2011, he received in the US, the Gandhi Peace Award for promoting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Rabbi Bandel is married to Avital, and father of Naama, Hadas and Ro’i.

Her focus has been on reconciliation, capacity building, empowering women in leadership, and coping with individual and collective trauma.

Chair of ‘Maarag’, an NGO working to promote multicultural education between Arabs and Jews in Israel, Iris was keen to get involved in Project Rozana’s Binational School of Psychotherapy.

She believes in working together on equal footing, and not simply transferring knowledge from Israelis to Palestinians.

She is also a researcher at the University of Haifa, chair of the Academic Committee at the Galilee College, Ghetto Fighters’ Center and academic Center for Conservation in Acre.

She is also author of ‘The Druze Woman’.

In 2003, she founded and managed the ‘Vision of the Women of Acre’ association to advance the status of women in Acre and the north. Recently, the association led a project to support Arab and Jewish diabetics, the first of its kind in Israel.

A firm believer in the power of women to change the destiny of humanity for the better, Janan established the Women’s House for Peace in Acre.

She was a recipient of the Rappaport Prize in 2016.

He went on to study medicine at the School of International Health at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev followed by a general surgery residency at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. After completing his residency he completed a fellowship in Trauma surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Currently he is the head of trauma surgery at Wolfson Medical Center.

His goal is to optimize trauma care to the community, strengthen access to care for neglected populations (immigrants and prisoners), and form bridges of communication and cooperation with Palestinian colleagues.

Iri has rich experience in two critical fields: management and education. His diverse professional experience includes ten years as a school principal, serving as National Director of the Israeli Scout Movement and as the Central Shaliach in the US for the Young Judea Movement. Iri held management and marketing positions in Netafim, a drip irrigation company. Iri served as the Executive Director of the Reform Movement in Israel and later on, headed the Ben Gurion Heritage Institute until his retirement in 2013. Iri is presently serving as the chairperson of his kibbutz and during his 50 years of membership in his kibbutz, Iri held various leadership positions.

He holds a BA in Education and Geography, and an MA in Management Communication.

He arrived in Israel as a lone soldier from France and remained in the army as a senior physician Lieutenant-Colonel (reserve). Prior to his appointment at Herzliya Medical Center, Eric was Deputy Head of the Rehabilitation Division and head of the orthotics and prosthetics department at the Ministry of Health Israel Rehabilitation Division from 2014 to 2016.

His previous appointment was as Director Rehabilitation and Geriatrics at the Bayit Balev Hospital from 2012 to 2014.

Eric is a strong believer in the inter-relationships between Israelis and Palestinians and sees Project Rozana as an opportunity to realize his way of thinking.

Following his last post of 14 years as Deputy Director General and Director of Medicine, Healthcare and Biotechnology of the Peres Center for Peace, Tel Aviv, Dan maintains his interest as social and medical entrepreneur. He dedicates time to support the development of Palestinian health infrastructure in partnership with Israeli medical institutions. Extensively involved with Rotary International and former President of the Jerusalem Rotary Club.

Dan is also a member and Coordinator for Peace and Conflict Resolution of the Cadre of Technical Advisers of The Rotary Foundation.

She is currently studying for a Ph.D. in Political Science.

During her time in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ruth served in the Ivory Coast, Toronto, Montreal and Washington. She handled Jordan-Israel relations, including participating in negotiations and the implementation of the Peace Accord (1995-1997). In 2002, she became spokesperson for the IDF with the rank of Brigadier-General.

As such, she was the first woman to be a member of the General Staff forum. She has served as the public representative in the public committee to expand health services over the past four years.

Michael Gale is a former Silicon Valley technology entrepreneur and venture investor turned investment banker whose current clients range from Australia to the Emirates. He is a principal of First Penny Investments and sits on the Boards of numerous technology companies. He has been involved in over 100 start-up companies in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Gale entered the personal computer industry in 1981 by importing educational software into Australia. He was later an executive at Computer Power and then Macromedia prior to its 1993 NASDAQ listing (later acquired by Adobe). He has been variously an angel investor, technology banker and venture capitalist since 1994. He was a cofounder and managing director of Double Impact Incorporated, an investment bank prominent in the 1990s in San Francisco.

Gale has written columns for the online magazine Australian Anthill. He is a frequent conference speaker and panellist and has been listed as a notable entrepreneur by Marquis who’s Who.

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She is currently a professor of nursing policy, having previously been the dean of the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, King’s College London. She is a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing and a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.  Her research interests combine history, health policy and health services research. She was appointed director of the Centre for Policy in Nursing Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1994, and subsequently head of the Health Services Research Unit.

Rafferty was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours for services to healthcare and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to nursing. She was elected President of the Royal College of Nursing from 2019-21.

As well as having been the Commercial Director for The Sun and the News of the World for 18 years, I was also the Commercial Managing Director of Trinity Mirrors National and Regional Publications, for both print and digital. With experience working in video production and regional commercial television I am also a partner in a creative advertising agency.

I am Campaign Magazine's resident "Agony Uncle” and also write a regular “Out to Lunch” column for Campaign, where I interview a media personality over lunch. 

I have two miniature schnauzers, Barclay and Mabel, who helped me launch the spoof web site “ Paw Response Media”- which strangely ended up receiving enquiries from a few companies interested in working with them! 

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Katie comes from a background working in higher education and the charitable sector. For 10 years Katie worked at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London where she ran the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation. Whilst at King’s College, Katie ran successful programmes for Arab-Israeli dialogue, this involved bringing young leaders to study together to learn more about themselves, the other and their narratives. 

Katie has a strong background in fundraising, project management and events production. In recent years she has been working freelance to help new charities to start up and achieve their early objectives including the Abraham Initiatives and Mavar UK.

Samuel is a leading educator on minority rights in Germany and his career has focused on Jewish-Muslim relations, peace education and academic exchanges. 

In 2016 Samuel founded a Humanitarian Aid Organization that was honoured with the Prize of the German Chancellor in 2018. 

He lectures on educational approaches to remembrance culture in Germany and Israel, religious radicalization, new forms of nationalism as well as racism, Islamophobia and Antisemitism.

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Most recently, he was Vice President, Strategic Alliances for iPass (NASDAQ/IPAS) which provides remote and mobile workers secure and simple connectivity to their corporate network across wired and wireless providers in over 150 countries. Mr. Bob joined iPass following the September, 2004, acquisition of Safe3w, an international Internet security and anti-fraud company where he served as CEO and President.

Prior to joining Safe3w in 2000, Mr. Bob served as Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business and Industry Development, for Descartes Systems Group (NASDAQ; DSGX), a global e-commerce logistics technology company. He joined Descartes in 1998, after its merger with The Lightstone Group, a leader in the logistics optimisation software market, which he co-founded in 1989 and served as its CEO. For the years prior to co-founding Lightstone Group, Ken lived in Israel.

During that time he held numerous management positions, including work as a business and marketing consultant, and served as CEO of an international adhesives manufacturer. During that period he also held elected office in local town and regional government. Since 2005 Bob has served as president of Ameinu the American progressive Zionist organisation. He serves on the J Street Board of Directors as Treasurer, and is a member of the Forward Association Board of Directors.

He serves on the board of a non-profit free health clinic and has hosted dental health fairs at his own clinics for people without health insurance.

Dr. Chaudhry contributes to and participates in many community and Interfaith activities in Northern Virginia and across the Greater Washington area.

As founder, trustee and past president of the McLean Islamic Center (MIC), he has arranged numerous Muslim-Jewish twinning activities, bringing together the members of MIC and Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, VA. For that effort, widely hailed as one of the most successful synagogue-mosque relationships anywhere in the United States, Dr. Chaudhry and Rabbi Jeffery Saxe of Temple Rodef Shalom received the prestigious Interfaith Bridge Builders Award from the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia commended Dr. Chaudhry for his work in interfaith relations and for receiving the Bridge Builders Award.

As the chief innovation executive for Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, Dr. Derman is responsible for managing the Northwestern Medicine Innovation Center. He has played several key roles in the health system’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including co-leading development of testing and vaccine distribution strategies.

In years past, Dr. Derman oversaw the Immediate Care Centers, MyNM Service Center (for staff Human Resources and IT support), and Occupational Health. Dr. Derman is the former president of Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group, which was acquired by Northwestern Memorial HealthCare in 1995. He earned his medical degree from University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1984. After training in internal medicine from 1984 to 1987 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Dr. Derman served as chief medical resident from 1987 to 1988. He grew up in Habonim, a Labor Zionist youth movement. He once was the head of one of their camps in the Midwest and still holds their values close to his heart.

Dr. Stillman was awarded his M.D. at Georgetown University School of Medicine; did his Residency at Duke University; his Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Harvard and did post Fellowship training at NIH. He is Founder and Managing Member of Fertility Space Consultants, LLC, offering industry/fertility practice consulting.

Besides his medical interests in Project Rozana’s mission, Dr Stillman held or holds Board leadership positions in several other Jewish philanthropies, including Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, AIPAC, AJC and ALLMEP (Alliance for Middle East Peace). His personal efforts supporting Israel and peace and reconciliation for the Jewish People Center on “a responsibility to maintain my link in our 3000 year chain” for his children and grandchildren.

After returning to the US, Steven started a successful shoe distribution company. Later, along with his wife, he purchased the global parent company based in Israel, where he currently serves as the chairman of the board.

Steven is actively involved with J Street, serving on the Finance Committee and is also active in New Israel Fund. He is the proud father of three powerful daughters and four wonderful grandchildren. Steve divides his time between New York and Israel.

She received these deep-held beliefs in her parents’ home and from her involvement in the Habonim youth movement.

She has worked primarily educating school-age children in innovative school settings. Today she lives outside of Washington, DC, and is fortunate to have the time to invest in causes like Project Rozana as well as to spend with her children and grandkids.

She was U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania from 2009-2012 and to Azerbaijan from 2006-2009. Earlier in her career, she held senior positions managing economic relations at the U.S. Mission to the European Union and at the U.S. Embassies in Korea, the Philippines, and Belgium, where she also acted as the last U.S. Commissioner on the Tripartite Gold Commission. She served as Special Assistant for Asia and Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs. Ambassador Derse worked as Director for Biodefense Policy at the White House’s Homeland Security Council from 2005-2006 and she assisted in establishing the new U.S. Embassy in Iraq, where she headed the Economic Section, in 2004-2005.  

Ambassador Derse attended the Deacon School at the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and the Wesley Seminary in Washington, DC, and was ordained in September 2018. She currently serves as Deacon and Minister for Community Engagement at St. John’s Norwood Episcopal Church in Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Maryland.  

She holds a Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the U.S. Department of State’s Herbert Salzmann Award for Excellence in International Economic Performance, the Cordell Hull Award for Senior Economic Achievement, and six U.S. Department of State Superior Honor Awards. In 2014, she received the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research Leadership Award and the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture’s Award of Excellence, and was admitted to the American Academy of Diplomacy. In 2020 she received  the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Individual Leadership Award for community service. 

Ambassador Derse received a B.A. in French and Linguistics from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota and an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). 

She speaks Azerbaijani, French, Italian, and Lithuanian.

Miki also serves as the National Director of Ameinu and in the past worked as the Director of Israelis Abroad at the Consulate General of Israel in New York. Miki grew up on a Moshav in the north of Israel and moved to the United States in 2011. He lives with his family in the Catskills area in upstate New York.

Since 2008, when he became Muslim-Jewish program director at the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, he has organized hundreds of twinning events, bringing together tens of thousands of Jews and Muslims in more than thirty countries on five continents, including members of mosques and synagogues and Muslim and Jewish organizations. 

Ruby has worked for American Jewish and Israeli publications, including the Jerusalem Post, London Jewish Chronicle, Long Island Jewish World, Forward, Maariv, and New York Jewish Week. In addition, he has published articles and op-ed pieces in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, Dallas Morning News, and many other venues. 

He serves as executive director of Jews, Muslims and Allies Acting Together (JAMAAT), a Washington area grassroots interfaith group, and lives in Washington, DC.