Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Beth Katz — President
Lynn Roy — 1st Vice President
Jeff Fox — 2nd Vice President
Jodie Silberman — Secretary
Joshua Davis — Treasurer
Pamela Harlem — Member-at-Large
Board Members
Suzan Berns
David Cohen
Angela Giacomini — President, Women of Rodef Sholom
Pat Goldman
Ed Grossman — Immediate Past President
Jennifer Harris-Marks
Darell Krasnoff
Ellen Levin
Gerri Miller
Caren Orum
Jeff Stone
Edward Zimmerman
Board biographies in alphabetical order
Suzan is a public relations professional and a freelance writer who worked in the Jewish community for 25+ years. She was Associate Director of Public Relations and Marketing at the Jewish Community Federation for 18 years and followed it with a seven-year stint as Director of the Marin region of Jewish Community Relations Council. She served on the board of the Marin Interfaith Council where she was Secretary and President. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism from Pepperdine University and as a freelancer wrote “Faces,” a bi-weekly column about people in the J Weekly for 13 years.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Suzan was among the first bat mitzvahs at her conservative synagogue and an active USY-er. She moved to Marin County in 1985 and joined Congregation Rodef Sholom as the new JCC was being built and saw the CRS membership grow. She was a member of the CRS board for two terms, where she served as secretary and was a member of the Search Committee that hired Michael Kamler as Executive Director. She wrote and edited The Voice (the paper edition of the temple newsletter) for several years.
Now retired, Suzan is completing her 12th year as a reading tutor in the first grade at San Pedro Elementary school. She’s on the leadership team of Friends of Golden Gate Village, a group that works to improve life for residents at the Marin City public housing complex. At Rodef Sholom, she has been involved with the Immigration Rights Team and Community Fridge and works in the gift shop. She hikes (well, walks) and plays the ukulele (badly) for fun.
Suzan is honored to be asked to serve on the board again and eager to be a part of another exciting transition.
David has worked for over 30 years in various insurance underwriting and management roles, first at Fireman’s Fund and now at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty. Currently, he has product management responsibilities for commercial property insurance. David holds the Chartered Property-Casualty Underwriter designation and has spoken at numerous conferences about the unique risks and sustainability-related benefits associated with green buildings.
David grew up in suburban New York and holds a B.A. in Economics from Williams College. After college, he spent several years working at ski areas in Colorado prior to moving to the Bay Area, and skiing remains a passion to this day.
David grew up in an engaged Reform Jewish family with parents who held leadership roles at their synagogue and with national and global Jewish organizations. He appreciates their example and is grateful to have the opportunity to follow in their footsteps by giving back to organizations and communities which bring so much value to his life.
David and his wife Toni live in Terra Linda. Toni is an active member of the Women of Rodef Sholom, and David served on the Cantorial Search Committee and the organizing committee for the inaugural Rodef Sholom Summer Jam. David also recently served on the Brandeis Marin Board of Trustees. Their daughter Rosie graduated from Brandeis Marin, was co-President of CRuSTY her senior year in high school, and found tremendous meaning in participating in the REST program. David, Toni and Rosie appreciate the warm, inclusive and musical nature of the Rodef Sholom community and enjoy volunteering in various capacities at the synagogue.
Josh was born in New York City, raised in Teaneck, N.J., and has lived as an adult in Israel, Japan, Manhattan, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. He came to the Bay Area in 1997, resided in San Francisco for over a decade, and now lives with his family—Jessica, Hannah, Abby and their dog, Charlie—in Mill Valley.
Josh is a professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law where he directs the Center for Law and Ethics. He publishes on various topics and is currently writing a book for Cambridge University Press titled, “Unnatural Law: AI, Consciousness, Ethics, and Legal Philosophy.” He also consults as a legal ethicist and litigates class actions on behalf of victims of antitrust violations, and serves on the Board of Directors of Canal Alliance in San Rafael.
Josh and his family are delighted to have found a home at Rodef Sholom. The temple fits their values, providing them a sense of identity, a warm and thoughtful community, and a framework for discussing issues related to family, friendship, social justice, and living a meaningful life. Josh has helped to organize Sunday events at Rodef for children and parents, combining arts and crafts with efforts to make our community and society more just and caring.
Jeff Fox is a practicing gastroenterologist in Marin at Kaiser Permanente, where he has served as the department chief since 2006 and as the Chair of Gastroenterology for the Northern California Kaiser Permanente region since 2014. In these roles, he has developed significant organizational leadership skills necessary to coordinate and deliver compassionate digestive disease care for over 4 million Kaiser members. He has a passion for teaching and is excited to be the associate director of Kaiser Permanente's new GI fellowship this summer. Jeff has also been a volunteer with Operation Access, where he has organized and performed hundreds of medical procedures for no cost, to Marin and Sonoma County residents who could not otherwise afford them.
A Bay Area native, Jeff, his wife Rena, and their children Natalie and David have been engaged with Rodef Sholom through Jewish education and by forging new friendships. He has been an active participant over the years in the High Holy Day services. Jeff believes that the Jewish faith provides so much of his family’s identity that devoting increased energy to Rodef Sholom feels like a natural choice. He plans to bring the same dedication that he has given to raising his children and building his career to the Rodef Sholom community. Jeff feels that with many transitions on the horizon, it is an important and exciting time to be part of the team that steers the congregation in the right direction.
Angela grew up in Marin County, and is a proud member of Congregation Rodef Sholom. Her parents joined the synagogue in the 1970s. At Rodef Sholom, Angela went to Religious and Hebrew school, celebrated her B’nai Mitzvah, Confirmation and joined the youth trip to Israel.
Angela graduated from Sonoma State University, with a degree in Liberal Arts from Hutchins School. She spent a year in Sweden, as an exchange student, where she attended a folkhögskola and lived with a weekend host family.
Angela spent her professional career at the Stanford Hospital and Clinics, as a registered Sleep Technologist and Manager at the Sleep Center. She transitioned to become a licensed Health and Wellness coach and is now retired.
Angela joined the Women of Rodef Sholom’s Board of Directors in 2018, appointed first, as a Member at Large, then elected as (Co) VP of Programming and as First Vice President. Angela is currently the President and is serving her second term. It has been a full-circle experience for Angela to join her childhood synagogue. Being of service is a way for her to give back to her community!
Angela cares deeply about people’s well-being, nurturing friendships and creating a welcoming community that leads to creating a sense of belonging. In addition to volunteering with the Women of Rodef Sholom, Angela is actively involved in political causes and campaigns. She enjoys creating art, Israeli folk-dancing, singing, swimming, and connecting with her family, friends and caring for her beloved dogs.
Pat Goldman grew up in Vermillion, South Dakota. For years, she traveled the forty miles to and from Sioux City, Iowa every Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday morning to attend Synagogue. Her fondest memories are of attending different Jewish summer camps in Wisconsin as a camper and as a counselor. The community she found at camp made her never want to leave.
Pat received her BA in Judaic Studies from Yale University, and her JD from Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Since 1992, she has represented only employees in employment law matters, initially with a firm in San Francisco, and then opening her own practice in San Rafael in 2011. She has been active and on the boards of various employment law and trial lawyer organizations, mentoring law students and new lawyers, and involving herself in various social justice activities.
Pat and her wife, D’vora Tirschwell, initially bonded over their love for Jewish summer camp. In 2006, they moved to Greenbrae with their two children, Sydney and Nathan. They enrolled their kids at Rodef Sholom’s Sunday School, and, subsequently, Brandeis Marin. Both children are now seasoned Camp Newman-ites and have found their mischpacha at Rodef, Brandeis, and Newman.
Likewise, Pat and D’vora have found their mischpacha in the Marin Jewish community. Pat has been a member of Rodef’s Nominating Committee for the past three years, regularly has assisted in Rodef’s Pride services and is very excited to be joining the Rodef Board!
Jennifer is a Marin County native, born and raised in Novato, graduating from San Marin High School in 1987. She earned a B.A. in Theatre from UC Davis in 1991, and then a professional degree in Screenwriting at UCLA in 1994. Jennifer continued to reside in Southern California until 1998, working on the lot at Universal Studios on various television productions. In 1999, she returned to the Bay Area to raise a family. She became a licensed Realtor in 2004, and has enjoyed an 18+ year career with Coldwell Banker Realty here in Marin.
Jennifer has been a part of the Rodef Sholom community for more than 40 years. She has special memories of hearing her father, Michael, sing in the High Holiday choir. Her eldest and youngest children had their b’nai mitzvot at Rodef Sholom, and in 2022, she and her husband completed the adult b’nai mitzvah program as well. Jennifer was very active in the Marin chapter of B’nai B’rith Girls (BBG) known as Hannah Senesh. She credits BBG with shaping her Jewish identity and passion for social justice. This is also where she met her husband, Joey, so is eternally grateful to BBYO for all it provided during her high school years. In recent years, she’s played a recurring role in the Rodef Sholom Purim Spiel as Vashti.
Jennifer has served on the Parent Association at each of the schools her three children have attended, including serving as President at both Mary Silveira Elementary School and Brandeis Marin Day School. Volunteering in her children’s schools has always been a high priority.
Jennifer currently sits on the board of the Parnow Friendship House as a real estate consultant. She is honored to be considered to serve the Rodef Sholom community during this exciting time in our congregation’s history.
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Pamela has participated in various volunteer activities through our beloved temple. For years she cooked for and dined with guests of the REST program with a group of friends, self-dubbed the "Mitzvah Mommas”. She co-leads the Mitzvah Day project for Marin Community Clinic where congregants of all ages make no-sew baby blankets for the young patients visiting the clinic. She deepened her understanding of our temple’s history through participation in the Visioning weekend and more recently in interviewing some of our oldest, founding members. She enjoys making and delivering meals and challah and supporting the new community pantry. Pamela is grateful for our incredible clergy and staff who cultivate a sacred and welcoming space. She is honored to help us move forward in this transitionary time of preparing our new temple building and shaping what it means to be part of this holy community.
Ed is the CEO and Co-Founder of Activate (Activate Marketing Services, LLC), a startup focused on combining deep buyer insights with a content-led nurturing methodology to engage prospects and convert them to customers. Ed’s background includes media, digital and editorial experience. Most recently he was the President of Business Technology Media at UBM Tech, where he was responsible for market-leading content brands such as InformationWeek.
Ed is the son of a Jewish father and a (non-practicing) Catholic mother; he was raised Jewish but without a regular temple. He says that while he grew up feeling “culturally” Jewish, he didn’t connect with Judaism in deeper, more spiritual ways. As Ed and his wife Kris have raised their children Zev, Leo and Sol, they have connected more deeply with Judaism - both spiritually and as a family.
Ed and his family live in Mill Valley and are regularly involved in and around Rodef Sholom. Some of the activities they are involved with include REST, Leadership/Nominating Committee, Gesher, Sunday School, Midrasha, Chavurah, and more.
Beth was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Boston University prior to attending law school at George Washington University. She practiced law at Baker & Hostetler in Washington, DC before moving to Mercer Consulting to work in healthcare and employment law consulting in Washington, DC and later in Chicago.
She moved to Marin 18 years ago to marry her husband, Marty Katz, and served as the director of the Marin office of Jewish Family and Children’s Services. In her position at JFCS, she had the opportunity to oversee services and programming for children and seniors. She was instrumental in bringing Cafe by the Bay to Marin for Holocaust survivors and collaborated with community partners to expand services for this special group of seniors.
Beth’s family has a long tradition of Jewish communal life. Her extended family has belonged to Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh for over 80 years and served on their Rodef Shalom board in various capacities for many years. Beth feels fortunate to be able to continue this legacy on the West Coast. While living in Chicago, Beth was actively involved with Jewish Federation. She served on the board of Jewish Child and Family Services and was a member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet. She traveled to Israel, Russia and Eastern Europe on several Federation missions and had the opportunity to see the reemergence of Jewish life in these parts of the world.
While at Rodef Sholom, Beth has served on the Nominating Committee, Moreh Derech team, and is a member of the Campaign Cabinet with her husband. Together, Marty and Beth have shared many life cycle events with Rodef Sholom, including the celebrations of the B’nai Mitzvot of their children, Aaron, Rebecca, Nate and Rachel. She is passionate about building community and is excited to have the opportunity to bring her time and dedication during this exciting time of transition.
Darell is a founding member of Bel Air Investment Advisors LLC. Prior to starting Bel Air, he was a Managing Director at Goldman, Sachs & Co., overseeing Private Client Services for the Los Angeles office, where he started his investment career in 1981. Darell is on the Board of Directors of the Music Center Foundation in Los Angeles, where he is a member of the Investment Committee, and is a past Chairman and current member of the Board of L.A. Team Mentoring, an organization that provides mentors for approximately 1,200 students at 10 middle schools in challenging urban neighborhoods in Los Angeles. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Darell holds a B.A. from Occidental College, and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Management.
Darell is passionate about being part of and contributing to Jewish community, learning, and religiosity. He grew up with the temple community at the center of his family life. His parents were Presidents of the Young Couples Club and Sisterhood, members of the choir and on the Board of Directors. Darell sang in the junior choir, was a junior cantor, attended services most Friday nights as well as three-day-a-week religious school. He also attended several Jewish Camps, including Camp Ramah. Unlike many of his friends and siblings, he loved all of it.
Darell, his wife Elizabeth, and their son Eli moved to Mill Valley from LA in 2013. While in LA, Darell graduated from the Wexner Heritage Program in 2002. Shortly after their move to the Bay Area they became members at Rodef Sholom. In the last year at Rodef Sholom, Darell’s connections with the synagogue have grown deeper; Eli will become a Bar Mitzvah in 2020, and Darell joined Rabbi Elana’s course on Martin Buber. Currently, Darell serves on the Development Committee and Sacred Space Committee at Rodef Sholom.
Marin County has been a wonderful home for Ellen and her daughter Sofie for three decades. Shortly after moving here, she realized how disconnected she felt from a Jewish community and found Rodef Sholom. It was an answer to a prayer. She had never experienced services and Jewish life in such a joyous way. It brought back feelings from camp of being part of an uplifting and inclusive Jewish community. She became involved quickly and did two terms of service on the Rodef board. The highlight of her second term was co-chairing the Senior Rabbi search committee and securing our future with Rabbi Stacy. She recently participated in the Executive Director search.
Ellen is very excited to become part of the Board of Directors, especially at a time of such great change.
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Over the years Gerri has been involved with the temple in a variety of committees. She has been on the Nominating Committee and is helping with the newly formed Cemetery Task Force to help beautify Sharei Shalom. She is incredibly grateful for the support she has received from our community since the passing of her husband. Participating on the Board is a way of giving back and she is eagerly hoping to do that.
Caren is in her second term as a Board Member at CRS and finds joy in helping community members feel connected to the synagogue and to one another. Caren runs their family’s new wine business, Arborum Napa Valley and volunteers actively in the community. Beyond the synagogue, Caren is involved with the Center for Reproductive Rights, has volunteered actively in her children’s schools, served on the board of the Mill Valley Library Foundation and founded the Storybook Committee, among other activities.
Prior to having children, Caren was Managing Director, Equity Research at Bank of America Securities, having moved to Montgomery Securities from PaineWebber in 1996. Her area of focus was financial services.
Caren grew up in the rural South and her family worked hard to have a Jewish identity, driving 90 minutes to Sunday School each week. Caren grew up valuing her Jewish identity and valuing the role of synagogue in her family's life.
Caren, her husband, Nick, and their three children live in Mill Valley.
Lynn began her working career as an assistant professor of finance at Brooklyn College and an adjunct professor and teaching assistant at Rutgers University. She has worked at Prudential Diversified Investment Strategies as a quant researcher and portfolio manager, Vestek Systems as Director of Research and Product Management, and as an Investment Strategist at Barclays Global Investors (BGI). Lynn left professional life and became an active volunteer at Marin Academy High School while she helped transition her two children to college.
While at Rodef Sholom, Lynn has served on the Sisterhood Board, Women’s Mikvah Committee, co-facilitated a Mussar Group, and participated in Elul retreats and the REST program. She currently serves on the Finance Committee.
Lynn spends most of her time nurturing her spiritual life, volunteering at CRS, and with families experiencing difficult life events. She is also a devotee to movement; dancing West Coast Swing, hiking, mountain bike riding, and practicing yoga. She continues to be delighted with what she is learning, who she is meeting, and the practice of Judaism here at Rodef Sholom.
Jodie was raised in New York and graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in Marketing and Statistics. Much of her career was spent in the retail industry leading sourcing, strategy and operational initiatives. She moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she met and married her wife Donna, and together they raised their son, Lucas.
Jodie became a stay-at-home mom and turned her passions and efforts towards volunteerism, focusing on mentoring youth, educational reform, and civil and community advocacy. Jodie has sat on the boards of The Sonoma Valley Education Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Hamaqom (formerly Lehrhaus Judaica), The Osher Marin JCC, and The Parnow Friendship House.
Jodie was raised in a Jewish home that was not synagogue or ritually centered. She always felt that there was something more that she hoped to explore in her Jewish journey. The stars were aligned perfectly when she and Donna moved to San Rafael in 2015. They became members of Rodef Sholom. Since then, Jodie often remarked that her soul is entrenched in her Judaism. Jodie has an unbounded curiosity and quest for learning. She has been involved in many synagogue programs. Highlights include REST, Criminal Justice Reform, Immigrant Rights, Chevra Kadisha, Welcoming and Greeting New Members, and as many learning opportunities as possible. Jodie was called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah, which was a life changing event.
Jodie is an advocate for social justice, racial equity, LGBTQ and all Human Rights. While this has not been her primary vocation, it has always been her avocation and passion. She cares deeply. Jodie is deeply honored to be given the opportunity to give her all and serve on the board.
Jeff and his family moved to Marin in 2013 from Irvine, CA after selling his marketing agency of 29 years. He accepted a position with a long-time client and is National Sales Manager for a division of Emerson Electric Co. Jeff holds a BA in Political Science and Business Administration from Michigan State University. He was elected delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business under two administrations.
When Jeff was young in Detroit, his parents belonged to an Orthodox shul. When he was five his family joined Temple Israel, now the largest Reform congregation in North America. His fondest memories at Temple Israel were Shabbat and High Holiday prayers and beautiful melodies many which are included during our Rodef Sholom services.
He served 5 years on the Board of Trustees at Temple Bat Yahm in Newport Beach. He is a graduate of SKILLSET NPO® Values- Vision-Leadership for a flourishing Jewish community, Jewish Federation of Orange County.
Jeff is co-chair of Rodef Sholom’s High Holiday Civic Center Welcome Committee, a facilitator for the Wise Aging Program, and a member of the Security Task Force. Jeff strives to obey the Jewish commandment “thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children…”. For many years his daughters Danielle and Sarah have joined him at Torah Study first at Temple Bat Yahm and now at Rodef Sholom. Jeff and his wife Marianne live in Mill Valley.
Edward Zimmerman has been a Rodef Sholom member since 2004. He is married to Debi Geller whom he met through Rodef Sholom when they served on the Visioning Committee together. Ed’s son attended Brandeis Marin, K-8, which led Ed back to explore his own Judaism.
Ed regularly attends Shabbat services and plays the bass guitar in the temple band. He has volunteered for several committees including the Board Nominating Committee and he serves as the co-chair of the Cantor Search Committee that will help find Rodef Sholom’s next cantor when Cantor David retires at the end of June 2024.
Ed grew up in Baltimore, MD and moved to Marin in 1995. He and Debi are active hikers in Marin and enjoy good food, good wine, and time with friends and family. In his work, Ed is the founder and CEO of the Food Connector, a marketing company that serves the needs of wholesale food companies around the United States. He has a B.S. in Economics and an M.S. in Managerial Administration.
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