Meet Your Federation Team
President & CEO
Heidi Gantwerk
Heidi Gantwerk is president and CEO of Jewish Federation of San Diego. After acting as a consultant for Federation for a number of years, Heidi joined Federation as interim CEO in June 2021 before taking the reins full-time at the end of that same year. She brings to her role decades of expertise in strategic planning, community and stakeholder relations, and civic engagement.
Heidi has a deep connection to Jewish life in San Diego, having formerly served as the Board Chair of the San Diego Jewish Academy, and on the Boards of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, San Diego Center for Jewish Culture and Hillel of San Diego. She is also an active member of Congregation Beth Israel, lending her voice each week as part of the Chai Band.
Before joining Federation, Heidi founded HG Consulting Group, LLC, where she provided customized design and facilitation for the public and private sectors, with diverse clients including the San Diego Airport Authority, the Port of San Diego, the United Way of San Diego, the Jewish Community Foundation, Palomar Health, San Diego Grantmakers, Hillel of San Diego, the Municipality of Anchorage, and the Stennis Center for Public Service among many others.
Heidi holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Yale University.
Senior Management
David Fuhriman
Chief Financial
Officer
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Carly Ezell Lobenstein
Chief Operating
Officer
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Michael Rabkin
Chief Development
Officer
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Darren Schwartz
Chief Planning
& Strategy Officer
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Our Staff
Moy Arbitman
Director, Israel &
Global Peoplehood
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Ashley Bendas
Senior Director, Marketing & Public Relations
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Dustin Biton
Director, Major Gifts
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Candice Bucky
Senior Manager, Executive Office, Board and Special Projects
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Joanna Chiu
Controller
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Rabbi Ralph Dalin
Jewish Community
Chaplain
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Ronnie Diamond
Development
Officer
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Lorraine Fisher
Director,
Development
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Bill Ganley
Community Security Director
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Julie Gordon
Manager, Community Planning
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Matt Goldberg
Director, Caring & Community Relations
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Alisa Guralnick
Consultant, Human Resource
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Dana Koenig
Immersive Travel
Manager
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Jessica Kretzer
Manager, Holocaust Education
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Chelsea Levron
Manager, Women’s Philanthropy
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Deena Libman
Development
Officer
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Dr. Avi Marcovitz
Director, Holocaust Center
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Wendy McCreary
Community Program Manager
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Jessica McGregor
Donation Coordinator
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Henri Migala
Director, Research, Evaluation and Innovation
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Paul Sapiano
Director, Information Systems and Donor Operations
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Joey Schindler
Donor Operations
Associate
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Hailey Pryce-Shidler
Events & Programs
Coordinator
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Debbie Tirouda
Development & Events
Specialist
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Sharon B. Veksler
Marketing & Operations Coordinator
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Lee Weinstein
Director, Marketing
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Oded Wilson
Manager, Teen Immersive Experiences
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