Leaders Assembly

Melissa Weinberg Spence, MA, MBA, ACC is a leadership coach focused on helping individuals accomplish meaningful change in any aspect of their lives – professional or personal. Incorporating her love of the outdoors and her pursuit of mindfulness, Melissa’s approach involves partnering with her clients to help guide them down a path of self exploration that encourages them to identify their own strengths, uncover what motivates them, and discover they already have many of the answers they’re seeking inside themselves. In addition to her coaching, Melissa serves as Senior Director, Training and Development at the American Jewish Committee where she manages, designs, and delivers training and professional development to a global staff of 350. In 2022, she founded Adamah Coaching and Consulting, serving primarily early- and mid-career professionals in nonprofits and values-based businesses. Initially focused on the visual and performing arts, Melissa moved into higher education as Director of the Holocaust Awareness Institute at the University of Denver, and then as Associate Director of Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization. Melissa earned her MA in Arts Administration from The School of the Institute of Chicago, an International Executive MBA from Georgetown University, and coaching certification at George Mason University. Melissa is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, a certified Sivanada Yoga Instructor, Master Gardener, outdoor enthusiast, beekeeper, and chicken mom.

Michael Mellen, PCC, rabbi, is an executive and organizational coach and facilitator, who works with individuals and values-driven organizations to create space for growth, innovation, and possibility. His work with top executives, high potential team members, entrepreneurs, clergy, educators, camp teams, and boards moves people to see their work, organizations, and lives more holistically, enabling them to better tap into the strengths that can propel them towards a vibrant, equitable, and impactful future. Michael is interested in the knotty problems of leadership, the power of vision, and the joy of creativity.  With many years of camp and youth program experience, his current work with summer camps includes executive coaching for camp leaders, staff training, speaking about risk management, and coaching and facilitation related to mission, program, and strategy. Prior to launching his company, Iron and Sage, Michael served as a congregational educator and rabbi, as Director of Youth Programs and Director of NFTY for the Reform Movement, and as an innovation consultant with the Jewish Education Project.

Working with some of the most extraordinary leaders today, Angie Lieber has emerged as an exceptional advisor for brave-hearted individuals looking to go deep to move forward. With over 30 years of experience in Jewish nonprofits at the intersection of fundraising, marketing, and leadership development, Angie supports her clients in becoming authentic leaders who communicate effectively, lead fearlessly, and achieve meaningful work-life balance. Trained in both the Co-Active Coaching model and Internal Family Systems, she combines deep compassion with inspiring rigor, tailoring her approach to each client’s unique journey. Angie holds an M.Ed. in adult development from Harvard and a BA from Oberlin, which complements her extensive practical experience. Today, she serves as chief advisor and trusted ally to select clients worldwide, guiding them toward profound personal and professional transformation.

Lisa Handelman is a camp kid first and foremost.  She is a coach, consultant, workshop facilitator, youth mental health first aid instructor and is the Director of Inclusion and Belonging at the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. Lisa has over twenty-five years’ experience in Jewish camping and education. She is the former Director of Capital Camps where she implemented programming to meet the physical, social, emotional, mental health and Jewish identity building needs of both campers and staff. She built a model disability inclusion program at Capital Camps and works with Foundation for Jewish Camp and her local community to advance disability inclusion. Lisa creates and leads bridge-building and team building workshops specializing in how to have civil conversations about polarizing topics.  More information about her “restorative inclusion” approach can be found on her website https://www.lisaloebhandelman.com/

Lisa and her husband live in the Washington DC area and have four grown children.

For more than 25 years, Amy Schiffman has partnered with nonprofit organizations to develop effective fundraising campaigns, build strong leadership teams and empower them with tools to visualize and achieve mission impact. Since 2008, Amy has co-founded two full-service consulting firms and helped over 300 schools, camps, synagogues, community, and human service organizations raise hundreds of millions of dollars, create growth strategies and recruit exceptional executives. Amy serves as a trusted fundraising coach and advisor to professional and volunteer leaders across North America.

Amy has a robust background in fundraising and nonprofit management, holding leadership positions at Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Jewish Council for Youth Services, Hillel and United Jewish Communities. She is a sought-after presenter at local and national conferences, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Forefront, Jewish Federations of North America, Legacy Heritage Fund, Hillel International, JCC Association of North America, JCamp 180, Prizmah, and Life & Legacy. Amy is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), The Association of Consultants to Nonprofits (ACN), Professionals in Development North, and Chicago Women in Philanthropy. She serves on summer faculty for the HUC/USC Zelikow School of Nonprofit Management in Los Angeles and the Spertus Institute in Chicago.

Judy Gadiel boasts over 30 years of nonprofit expertise alongside a decade as a leading fundraising consultant. With a track record spanning nearly a hundred diverse organizations, Judy is known for her ability to fortify fundraising efforts and drive organizational growth. Clients appreciate her authenticity and ability to craft innovative solutions to complex challenges. Judy’s portfolio showcases her mastery in orchestrating successful eight-figure capital and endowment campaigns, including a capital initiative for a youth circus organization and a transformative campaign for a prominent JCC in Nashville. At Evolve Giving Group, Judy leads the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice committee, infusing every project with a collaborative spirit and a focus on social justice.

Prior to her fundraising career, Judy’s roles as a teacher, counselor, and caseworker provided her with an understanding of nonprofit intricacies and the vital role of a strong partnership between program and development teams. Beyond her professional endeavors, Judy actively serves as a board member for Neighbor by Neighbor, a Michigan nonprofit, and as a trustee for the Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, embodying her dedication to community upliftment and lasting change.

Jamie Perry offers nearly 15 years of expertise in nonprofit fundraising, programming, and search. With firsthand experience working in fundraising and programming, Jamie recognizes the crucial role talented team members play in advancing the work of mission-driven organizations. Jamie’s clients value her authenticity, ability to build consensus, and willingness to roll up her sleeves to get the job done. She specializes in finding skilled candidates for Executive Director, Chief Development Officer, and Director of Development positions, and has deep experience with Jewish organizations and social service nonprofits.

Prior to joining Evolve Giving Group, Jamie managed fundraising as Director of Community Engagement-Midwest for BBYO and Director of Development-Southeast Region for Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). She is proud to be a member of the Network of Nonprofit Search Consultants. Outside of work, Jamie volunteers with FIDF and Nourishing Hope, one of Chicago’s largest hunger relief organizations.

With almost two decades of fundraising experience, Pam Lookatch brings a unique blend of nonprofit expertise and strategic for-profit consulting to her role at Evolve Giving Group. With a proven track record of transforming fundraising initiatives, Pam leverages her deep experience to help schools achieve their annual campaign goals. Notably, she revamped Seattle Jewish Community School’s annual campaign, surpassing their target goal in the 2023-2024 school year. She also played a pivotal role in San Diego Jewish Academy’s success, establishing a robust major gifts program and doubling their annual campaign.

Pam excels at cultivating deep, lasting relationships with her clients. She is genuinely committed to their success, providing constructive feedback and holistic recommendations that impact both fundraising efforts and organizational effectiveness. Pam’s flexibility and adaptability ensure that she and her team meet each client’s evolving needs.

Prior to joining Evolve Giving Group, Pam advised top corporations and law firms in New York, enhancing organizational efficiency and service delivery. Her decade-long tenure as a professional volunteer, serving on boards and managing executive searches, underscores her commitment to community engagement and strategic leadership.

Alex Goldstein founded 90 West in 2016 with a commitment to help the highest impact and most innovative companies, organizations, and leaders make a greater impact on the world. Prior to founding 90 West, Alex served for eight years in numerous key leadership roles with former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, including as senior advisor and executive director of Governor Patrick’s political committee, as press secretary and spokesman for the Patrick-Murray administration from 2011-2012, and as press secretary on Governor Patrick’s successful 2010 reelection campaign.
Before starting 90 West and his service with the Governor, Alex served as press secretary for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development during the heart of the economic recession, and as spokesman for the Massachusetts Democratic Party during the 2008 presidential cycle. Alex has served on the adjunct faculty at Emerson College, Northeastern University, and MIT’s Global Founders’ Skills Accelerator.

Nadav Ziv is a writer, editor, and researcher who frequently works with politicians, civil society leaders, scholars, and individuals to develop and share their ideas — from a famous rock climber to the parents of a young woman murdered on October 7th to a U.S. Senator. Nadav has written frequently about antisemitism and Israel for The Los Angeles Times and The Forward, and his pieces on misinformation, mental health, and other topics have been published in outlets including The New York Times, TIME, The Boston Globe, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Nadav recently graduated from Stanford University, where he received the university’s highest academic award in the humanities and sciences.