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Director of Jews of Color Field Building Initiative
Ilana is the Director of the Jews of Color Field Building Initiative, a national project housed at the Leichtag Foundation. The initiative, inspired by a team of racially diverse Jewish community leaders and motivated funders, informed by racial equity and justice, and anchored by the voices and experience of Jews of Color is focused on grant making, research and field building, and community education.
As a guest on NPR’s Code Switch, with pieces featured in eJewish Philanthropy and The Foundation Review, and an Eli Talk titled Who Counts, Race and the Jewish Future with 16,000 views, Ilana is passionate about all things at the intersection of Jewish Community/Racial Justice/Jews of Color/Education/Philanthropy.
Prior to joining the Jews of Color Filed Building Initiative Ilana was the Public Affairs and Civic Engagement Director, East Bay for the San Francisco, Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council.
Ilana, a Schusterman Fellow who is always searching Jewish Text for discussion of equity and justice received her B.A. in Sociology from California State University-Humboldt, and her M.A. in Educational Pedagogy from Mills College.
Director of Jewish Engagement
Chaya Gilboa is the Foundation’s Director of Jewish Engagement, where she’ll be responsible for Jewish integration and education across all entities at Leichtag Commons with an emphasis on: The Hive at Leichtag Commons, Coastal Roots Farm and the Leichtag Foundation.
Chaya was born in Jerusalem to an ultra-Orthodox family. Her B.A. in Jewish Philosophy from Ben Gurion University (2008) was followed by a stint as a Hillel International Israel Fellow at Berkeley University and an M.A. in Public Policy from Hebrew University (2013), where she wrote her thesis on Haredi women, religion and state. In 2012, she was scholar-in-residence at the Paideia Institute in Sweden, where she taught Talmud and established an educators’ track.
In 2014, Chaya became Founding Director of Hevruta, a pluralistic, integrated gap-year program for Israeli and North American post-high school students at the Hartman Institute. Chaya is committed to creating alternatives within the realm of religion and state, establishing Hashgacha Pratit, an alternative kashrut system and active in crafting egalitarian wedding ceremonies and other initiatives that combine feminism and Jewish identity. Chaya is the mother of Michael and Avshalom and partner to Marek.
The San Diego Botanic Garden is a neighbor and partner of Leichtag Foundation utilizing greenhouse space to cultivate plants for their education, conservation, and Garden development.
Phoenix Agrotech is an agricultural biotechnology and services company specializing in date palm, arid and semi-arid crop tissue culture.
More information coming soon
Cibus leads in the responsible development of sustainable, nature-identical plants to help feed the world, using the most advanced technologies to precisely target and direct a plant’s natural gene-editing processes. This approach accelerates natural breeding that has been a staple of farming for thousands of years and has resulted in a rapid, versatile and low-cost way to improve nutrition, increase crop yields, and reducing waste.
Vice President of Philanthropy
Sharyn Goodson is Leichtag Foundation’s Vice President, Philanthropy. In April 2010, Sharyn joined the Leichtag Foundation as its first Program Officer. Beginning in 2012, she also began managing the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego’s philanthropy programs and served as the lead contact for major family funds and foundations. Her most recent role at the Jewish Community Foundation was as its Vice President of Philanthropy. Previously, Sharyn was Director of Grants of Jewish Family Service of San Diego and Program Director of the Aspen Community Foundation in Aspen, CO. Sharyn served on the board of San Diego Grantmakers.
Executive Vice President
Charlene Seidle is Leichtag Foundation’s Executive Vice President. She is a frequent speaker, presenter and writer about topics pertaining to philanthropy, Jewish community trends and social change. Charlene served on the boards of the Jewish Funders Network and San Diego Grantmakers and has served on many committees and councils. Charlene spent 18 years working for the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego in increasingly responsible positions including serving as President and CEO of the organization. Charlene won the 2013 JJ Greenberg Memorial Award, an international prize given annually to one outstanding philanthropic professional under the age of 40.
Pure Biomass is cultivating algae to propel the algae industry into surplus production to innovate on bio-products.
Locus is operating a fermentation system that transforms validated microorganisms into reliable, cost-effective products for growers.
Hubbs-Sea World Institute is a nonprofit scientific research organization conserving and renewing marine life to ensure a healthier planet.
Go Green Agriculture is an organic hydroponic lettuce grower that utilizes 80% less water and 1/5 of the land as traditional farming techniques.
Fox Point Farms, Inc. (Dramm & Echter) is one of the largest flower producers in San Diego County.
Dümmen Orange Inc. is a breeder and developer of cut flowers, plants and perennials that acquired the Ecke Ranch poinsettias.
Butterfly Farms is promoting native butterflies and their habitats through education and conservation. The Vivarium located at Leichtag Commons is open to the public April through November 10am-4pm.
Coastal Roots Farm is a Jewish community educational farm that integrates sustainable agriculture, food justice, and ancient Jewish wisdom.
A Growing Passion is an award winning TV show that airs on public television and is online at www.AGrowingPassion.com. Host Nan Sterman is one of the west’s leading experts in climate appropriate and sustainable plants and gardens, which is our starting point. The show goes beyond gardening to explore the ways plants power our planet. We introduce viewers to farms and native habitats, urban forests, plant breeders, green rooftops, backyard gardens, endangered plants, and much more.
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter
The 101 Artists’ Colony seeks to foster an awareness of all forms of art and encourages the interaction between artists and the community at large. We accomplish this by showcasing music, poetry, dance and theater events, participating in community art projects, and serving as a conduit between the artists and the community.
Tree San Diego is a 50l(c)(3) tax-exempt organization which works to benefit the greater San Diego region by helping provide a healthier place to live, work and play. TreeSD’s mission is to significantly impact the quantity of quality urban forest in San Diego County and beyond. Quantity means increasing the percentage of urban forest. Quality means the right trees, in the right places, properly maintained.
Tarbuton creates new entry points for Jewish community by supporting grassroots Jewish and Israeli micro-community development in San Diego, CA. Cafe v’Ivrit, Moadon Sefer and Bira v’Nashira are active communities in which Jewish adults learn, strengthen relationships, and build and maintain connection to Israel through Hebrew, Israeli literature, film and music. New micro-communities are supported through the Startup18 Jewish Engagement Lab which provides an open door for guidance and support and fiscal sponsorship for founders of Jewish and Israeli grassroots initiatives. Tarbuton also offers fellowships. Activities and groups appeal to all denominations, interfaith families and unaffiliated and build relationships between local American Jews & Israelis.
Support The Enlisted Project (STEP) builds financial self-sufficiency among junior active duty enlisted service members and recently discharged enlisted Veterans and their families in Southern California facing financial crisis through counseling, education and grants.
Website – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter –LinkedIn – YouTube
Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School is a welcoming, diverse learning community that fosters love for knowledge, Torah, Israel, attachment to the Jewish people, models respect for all others, and provides a foundation for living a successful and meaningful Jewish life in the 21st century.
Shabbat San Diego is an independent grassroots level community-wide, inclusive and egalitarian organization of volunteers dedicated to encouraging the entire San Diego Jewish community to participate in a unique, international Jewish identity event that inspires all Jews to experience Shabbat together. The International Unity Shabbat will take place in more than 1200 cities and 90 countries around the globe. For the first time, we’ve turbocharged our Shabbat San Diego into a full week of exciting activities designed to strengthen our growing Jewish Community. Now known as Jewish Xperience Week, this concentrated week will enable all Jewish Organizations to offer numerous spiritual, cultural and social activities throughout the week.
San Diego Hunger Coalition leads coordinated action to end hunger in San Diego County supported by research, education and advocacy.
The San Diego Food System Alliance is a collaborative of groups and individuals organized to effect positive change in San Diego County’s local food system. The purpose of the San Diego Food System Alliance is to develop and maintain an equitable, healthy and sustainable food system for the benefit of all people in San Diego County.
ProduceGood is dedicated to reducing waste, feeding the hungry and promoting sustainability while building community and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable — children and the elderly through agricultural self-sufficiency. Our flagship program, CropSwap, is a gleaning group that harvests excess fruit in San Diego county and delivers it to food banks. Since 2010, we have harvested over 90,000 pounds of fruit, while building and educating our community of volunteers about food recovery, sustainability and waste. We have partnered with Feeding America and San Diego Food Bank to expand our operation and increase our impact. With 1 in 6 people in San Diego County going hungry and 40% of all food going to waste, we are reducing both hunger and waste in one sweet step.
Shalom Baby and PJ Library are both nationally recognized programs housed at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. We offer several classes and programs for new mothers and their infants such as Infant Massage, guest speakers, celebrate the Jewish holidays and much more. We are mostly recognized for our playgroups. Our PJ Library is an amazing program that offers a free age appropriate book or music CD every month by mail for children 6 months through 8 years. This program is a gift from our community to you.
The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) was founded by and for a new generation of farmers in the United States. We work in coalition with farmers, consumers, organizations, and government to tackle the many challenges that young, independent, and sustainable farmers face in their first years operating a farm business. Mai Nguyen is the California Organizer and is based in San Diego.
At M² we believe that captivating experiences infused with Jewish values serve as evolving foundations for Jewish growth, and that the creation of such experiences requires intentional, knowledgeable and trained educators. M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education is dedicated to advancing the field of experiential Jewish education through a broad range of training and consulting services in North America and Israel. By drawing from Jewish wisdom and academic research, modeling innovative methodologies and practical applications, and cultivating collaborative learning experiences, M² provides educators and organizations with knowledge, tools, skills and traits to advance the theory and practice of experiential Jewish education, ultimately strengthening its reach and impact.
What do you do?
Jewish Interactive is a Nonprofit and we aim to enhance Jewish life by making quality Jewish education available for all children at school and at home. We continually embrace technological advances for optimal engagement. When using our platforms and creation tools, Teachers, students and parents engage with Jewish Arts and culture and through creative means, express their own interpretation of Jewish philosophy and culture.
Visit their website here.
What do you do?
Hillel of San Diego encourages students of all backgrounds to form deep, personal connections to Jewish life, learning and Israel, through Jewish exploration, leadership, and a sense of belonging. We provide opportunities for students to build lifelong connections – to their Jewish life, to each other, and to Jewish communities worldwide. Our four programs – Hillel at UCSD, Hillel at SDSU, CSUSM Hillel, and Hillel at USD – each take a unique approach to a common goal of inspiring and enabling young Jews to find their place in the world.
Visit their website here.
What do you do?
Hands of Peace is an interfaith organization that empowers young people to raise their voices as leaders of change. Through the power of dialogue, Palestinians, Israelis and Americans partner to pursue peace, equality, freedom and justice. Hands of Peace believes the future depends on the leadership of the next generation.
Visit their website here.
What do you do?
Fitz Nonprofit Consulting empowers nonprofits organizations to bring the best version of themselves and their work to their staff, their boards, their donors, the end users, and the community. We specialize in consulting on capital campaigns, major gift fundraising and board development. Through our work, we create trusted relationships and partnerships that bring greater impact and success to nonprofit organizations, and in turn the community as a whole.
Visit their website here.
What do you do?
The San Diego Center for Jewish Culture (CJC) is housed at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS, and is the largest local institution solely dedicated to exploring the Jewish experience through the arts. The CJC offers a wide variety of programs that explore arts and ideas, cultural identities and perspectives, promote cross cultural understanding, foster ideas of cultural appreciation and respect, and highlight human themes of family, tolerance, compassion and hope. Our signature program in North County is The San Diego Jewish Film Festival.
View their website here.
What do you do?
Ecology Artisans creates productive & beautiful landscapes, farms, & developments that harmonize & align with natural ecosystems. We offer landscape design, installation and maintenance services, as well as comprehensive site, land, and farm design consultations. Our team is dedicated to providing the highest level of customer service and deliverables in our industry.
Visit their website here.
What do you do?
Blue Star Families strengthens military families every day. Through career development, caregiving, and our leading research on military family life, we’re striving to better understand and provide solutions to the challenges facing today’s military families.
Visit their website here.
ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. A leader in the development of materials, programs and services, to protect core civil rights, ADL builds bridges of communication, understanding and respect among diverse groups, carrying out its mission through a network of 25 Regional Offices in the United States and an office in Israel.
Visit their website here.
Chair, Audit Committee
Board Member 1991-2012
Sheldon S. (Shep) Scharlin served on the Leichtag Foundation Board since its inception in 1991 until 2012.
Mr. Scharlin’s professional and personal relationship with the Leichtags dated back to 1970. He served Lee Leichtag as a financial advisor for many years. Mr. Scharlin was instrumental in facilitating the sale of MD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 1991 as well as the establishment of the Leichtag Family Foundation later that year.
Mr. Scharlin earned his undergraduate degree from New York City College in 1951 followed by his Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School. He worked in the accounting profession for more than five decades. Early in his career, he worked for mid-sized accounting firms.
After moving to the San Diego area in 1970, Mr. Scharlin opened an accounting partnership that evolved into the Sheldon S. Scharlin C.P.A. sole proprietorship. He served companies and individuals in diverse fields, including businesses, partnerships and trusts. Throughout the years, he also was actively involved with and served on the boards of faith-based organizations.
Vice Chairman
(2011-2013)
Murray L. Galinson was a manager of La Jolla M.J. Management, LLC. He was a member of The Galinson Group, an investment and real estate holding company.
He was the Former Chair of the Board of San Diego National Bank; former partner in The Price Group, a real estate investor group; formerly on the board of Price Legacy Reit, a public real estate investment company; formerly on the board of PriceSmart, a public retail and wholesale company with real estate holdings and stores in Central America and the Caribbean.
He was the chair of Jewish Funder’s Network and past chair of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego. He also served on the boards of First Dental Health Company, Price Family Charities, The Galinson Family Foundation, The Weingart Foundation and San Diego Grantmakers. Mr. Galinson was a past chair of the board of trustees of California State University System. He also served on the board of trustees of California Western School of Law. He served as chair of The San Diego Advisory Board for Police Community Relations, The San Diego Citizens Review Board for Police Practices, UCSD Chancellors Associates, United Jewish Federation of San Diego, The San Diego Blue Ribbon Task Force on Violence, and The Museum of Photographic Arts of San Diego. He also served on numerous other boards and commissions.
Mr. Galinson formerly practiced law in Minnesota, was a federal prosecutor, a law professor and a banker. Since 1964, he served on numerous political campaign committees, both national as well as local. Mr. Galinson received a B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, a J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. degree from United States International University. He is survived by his wife Elaine, three adult children, and eight grandchildren.
Director of Programs
(2012-2018)
We are so deeply saddened and heartbroken by the passing on March 5 of our beloved colleague, our Director of Programs, Naomi Friedman Rabkin, z”l. Naomi began her tenure with the Foundation in early 2012 shortly after moving to San Diego from Atlanta. She quickly transitioned to a staff role and served as our Director of Programs until her passing. Naomi’s impact spans every element of the Leichtag Foundation work, from Encinitas to Jerusalem and back again. She was the creative architect of our programs, played a critical role in grantmaking and philanthropic strategy, was integral to the design and development of Leichtag Commons and provided important counsel and direction as a senior leader of the Foundation. Naomi was an exemplary manager. She championed and supported her team, and her devotion to making a difference in the community inspired everyone around her to devote themselves as well.
We are processing this devastating news as a team as we try our best to live up to Naomi’s strong example, and we join her friends feeling her loss around the world. We will not let her down. We continue our work in her name and for her name. Our sincere condolences to Naomi’s husband Michael Rabkin, her daughters Jolene and Talia, her mother Marcia Friedman and her brother Daniel Friedman. They are all already part of the Leichtag community, and we hope to hold them closer and tighter in the days, months and years ahead. May Naomi’s memory be for a blessing and may we all be comforted in our tremendous grief among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
As the Foundation’s Director of Programs, Naomi developed new programs to stimulate Jewish life and community at the Leichtag Commons and in the region. She also helped to support Jewish North County residents, organized events at Leichtag Commons, oversaw the Hive and coordinated ongoing community engagement, research and conversation.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, Naomi worked to build Jewish community through experiential education in a number of positions including at Spark: Partnership for Service, Jewish Funds for Justice and Project Otzma. Her other professional experiences included Teach for America, The Service Learning 2000 Center and The Wexner Heritage Foundation. She was the first Executive Director of Limmud Atlanta + Southeast and founded the Jewish Food Alliance, a volunteer run organization which organized people around community supported agriculture, workshops and an annual community wide Sukkot festival. Naomi also launched Pachie’s Place, a parenting program at Jewish Family Service of San Diego.
Naomi held a Master’s in Education from Stanford University where she focused her thesis on the intersections between Jewish Values of Social Action and Service Learning Education.
Security Manager
Dan is the Security Manager where he runs the overall security programs and day-to-day operations for the security and safety of the Foundation.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, Dan was a reserve police officer for the City of Carlsbad and a Security Director for multiple organizations.
Dan holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the Union Institute and five associates degrees in Investigative Security, Fire Technology, Law Enforcement, Industrustrial /Residential Security, and Retail Security from Palomar College. Dan was once a powerlifting champion, but now enjoys his life as a family man.
Director of Engineering
Dempsey is the Director of Engineering where he oversees the overall development, rebuilding and construction on the property of Leichtag Commons.
Prior to joining Leichtag Commons, Dempsey worked at the former Paul Ecke Ranch on the same location developing a plan to incorporate renewable energy.
Dempsey holds a B.S. in Geology and a Minor in Crystallography from Texas University.
Maintenance Crew Member
Lorenzo is a Maintenance Crew Member where he performs general maintenance, carpentry, plumbing, and landscaping.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, he worked at nursery planting and maintaining the nursery.
Lorenzo is a proud father. He loves to go to the park and play basketball.
Maintenance Crew Member
Rudy Macias is on the maintenance crew where he performs general maintenance repairs, carpentry, painting, plumbing, and landscaping.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, he worked at a estate ranch as a landscaper.
Leichtag Commons Assistant Operations Manager
Mil is the Leichtag Commons Assistant Operations Manager where he helps keep everything running.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, he worked as an advisor to small farms in the area and on many different construction projects.
Mil’s accomplishments include being one of the original organizers and managers at Tierra Miguel Foundation Farm in Pauma Valley. He has consulted and taught classes at numerous farms, gardens and schools on organic, sustainable and biodynamic food production. Mil is also a retired building inspector for Los Angeles Power and Water. This experience lead to his passion for designing, building and researching practical and interesting structures and power resources.
Director of Jerusalem Partnership
Brachie Sprung is the Director of the International Office of Jerusalem Partnerships, a new initiative spearheaded by the Jerusalem Mayor’s office and the Leichtag Foundation. In this capacity Brachie serves as a point of contact to help expand the city’s reach and impact globally, connecting between the city of Jerusalem, the Mayor’s office, the Jerusalem Municipality, organizations around the world that are working to promote Jerusalem, and the international community. The Office serves as a platform to advance important philanthropic projects for the City of Jerusalem.
Prior to assuming this role, Brachie served as Mayor Nir Barkat’s Senior Advisor for International Affairs from 2013 through 2016. Before joining the Mayor’s team, Brachie was the Associate Director of Business Development at PresenTense Israel.
Brachie is married to Ari and they live in New York City with their three children.
Executive Vice President
Charlene is the Foundation’s Executive Vice President of the Leichtag Foundation, a private independent foundation which works to honor the legacy of Lee and Toni Leichtag through igniting and inspiring vibrant Jewish life, advancing self-sufficiency and stimulating social entrepreneurship in coastal North San Diego County and Jerusalem.
Charlene won the 2013 JJ Greenberg Memorial Award, an international prize given to one outstanding philanthropic professional under the age of 40 each year.
Charlene is a frequent speaker, presenter and writer about topics pertaining to philanthropy, Jewish community trends and social change. She is on the board of the Jewish Funders Network, formerly served on the board of San Diego Grantmakers and has served on many committees and councils. Charlene spent 18 years working for the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego in increasingly responsible positions including serving as President and CEO of the organization.
Hive Events Manager
Email Makana
Makana is the Foundation’s Hive Events Manager where he is responsible for event logistics and assisting to create and organize events held at the Leichtag Commons.
Prior to his current role at Leichtag Foundation, Makana spent the last 2 years as the Hive Animator, where he was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Hive.
Makana’s background is in creative writing. He is a published song writer who has had songs on a number one album. He has also written treatments for many music videos and has published several essays.
Facilities Manager
Anthony Romanowski is the Leichtag Foundation’s Facilities Manager where he is responsible for management and maintenance of Leichtag Commons. In this role, he is accountable for all aspects of services in relation to structures and premises including project management and overseeing all repair and maintenance for day-to-day operations. Anthony will manage a team for the landscaping and horticultural elements upkeep, safety, security, and equipment installations.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation he worked for numerous defense contractors for the U.S., developing and manufacturing ceramic components for aerospace, industrial and military applications. He also aided in building machinery for the creation of net-formed products.
Anthony has a degree in Architectural Design and Mechanical Engineering technologies, and has a background in Material Sciences of ceramic/glass component development.
In his free time, Anthony likes to spend time with his wife, two grown children and granddaughter. His hobbies include visits to small towns in America, photography and woodworking. Anthony is also an avid Detroit Tigers and Red Wing fan.
Vice President, Finance and Operations
Leilani is the Foundation’s Vice President of Finance and Operations, where she oversees financial management and analysis including human resources and risk management. Leilani also supervises operations at Leichtag Commons.
Prior to joining the Leichtag Foundation, she spent nine years at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, a place-based, community building operating foundation.
Leilani holds a B.A. in Business Administration, graduating with Magna Cum Laude, from National University. Leilani served as Treasurer of the Mana de San Diego Board. She enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering for local community youth sports organizations, and is actively involved in her church.
Program Associate
Mitchell is the Foundation’s Program Associate where he splits his time between the Philanthropy Department and Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative (MGSDII). The goal of the MGSDII is to strategically promote, support and catalyze discourse and interaction on the modern state of Israel through scholarship, engagement and collaboration. He is responsible for program management and implementing all logistical details associated with outreach and events for the MGSDII. His role within the Philanthropy Department allows him to exercise creativity in event planning, grant processing, donor stewardship, and database management.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, and before managing earlier stages of the San Diego-Israel Initiative at the University of California, San Diego, Mitchell worked at the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties as a Development Associate. In this role he identified and devised strategies for cultivation of prospective donors, oversaw donor recognition, planned donor and membership events, and managed annual giving campaigns.
Mitchell holds a B.A. in Political Science from Point Loma Nazarene University. He is actively involved in his church, San Diego First Church of the Nazarene, volunteering his free time to mentoring high school students. He enjoys going to concerts and experiencing new cultures, nearing his goal of traveling to 30 different countries before he turns 30 years old.
Events Assistant
Michelle joined the Foundation as the Events Assistant, where she is responsible for the execution of the various community events that take place at Leichtag Commons. Before joining the Leichtag Foundation, she was the Marketing & Events Director for Golden Coast Mead, a conscious alcoholic beverage company that aims to transform the beekeeping industry for the benefit of the bees and the earth.
Michelle grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and holds a B.S. in Organizational Communication from Ohio University. In 2015, she got rid of most of her possessions and moved to California in a tiny house on wheels. She currently serves on the board of Slow Food Urban San Diego, an organization dedicated to the betterment of the local food system, where she leads the production of the annual event, the Good Food Community Fair.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening, seeing live music and spending time with her dog, Maui.
Human Resources and Operations Manager
Vanessa is the Foundation’s Human Resources and Operations Manager where she oversees administrative processes from concept to evaluation, analyzes strengths and limitations of grantees and prospects, monitors performance of active grants and prepares funding analyses that capture the program rationale and expected measurable outcomes, and prepares and participates in the assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of program strategies.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, Vanessa served as Grants Manager at The San Diego Foundation responsible for managing donor-advised grant making for the organization. In this role, she also worked with donors to align their philanthropic goals with community needs.
Vanessa holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Irvine and a Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from University of San Diego. She is also an active member of Emerging Practitioners of Philanthropy (EPIP), serving on the steering committee for the San Diego Chapter.
Administrative Assistant, Human Resources and Operations
Cassandra is Leichtag Foundation’s Human Resources and Data Entry Administrator where she is responsible for supporting the organization’s human resource and data management efforts, including recruiting and onboarding, performance management, benefits administration, and all data application implementations and maintenance.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, Cassandra worked as a field marketing specialist and team manager where she created and managed Hansen’s Natural Soda’s San Diego program and traveled the U.S. with another major company in the beverage industry. Cassandra is a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a service-based fraternity whose cardinal principals are leadership, friendship, and service. She has a passion for volunteering and helping others.
Cassandra moved to San Diego from San Jose and has been enjoying the slower pace and extra warm days San Diego has to offer. In her spare time, she enjoys constantly learning new things, especially when it comes to health, fitness, cleaning, and beauty; eating good food; dancing; and attending concerts and sports games.
Executive Assistant
Eileen is the Foundation’s Executive Assistant where she helps handle the smooth operations at Leichtag Commons as it grows.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, Eileen worked in hotel management, accounting and human resources departments.
Eileen holds an Associates in Hotel/Restaurant Management from Johnson & Wales College in Providence, Rhode Island. Eileen currently resides in North County and enjoys living in this beautiful community with her husband and two children.
Senior Manager of Philanthropy and Communications
Jessica is Leichtag Foundation’s Senior Manager of Philanthropy and Communications, responsible for developing giving opportunities for community members, overseeing a new giving circle initiative, building the Foundation’s philanthropic consulting practice and looking at ways that the Foundation can increase its impact and leverage across funding areas.
Jessica most recently served as Managing Director of Foothold Foundation, an initiative dedicated to supporting collaborative efforts in San Diego’s social sector. Prior to that, she served as Communications Officer at the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego and Program Coordinator at Temple Emanu-El of San Diego.
Jessica currently serves as a steering committee member of the San Diego Chapter of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy. She is a former advisory board member of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network San Diego and was a 2012 San Diego Leadership Alliance Institute Fellow. Jessica received a B.A. in International Studies from UC San Diego, a M.A. in International Conflict Studies from King’s College London, and a M.B.A. from the University of San Diego.
Hive Program Associate
Paige Milgrom-Hills is the Program Associate for The Hive at Leichtag Commons where she is responsible for managing the day-to-day functions of the Hive’s event and co-working space.
Before joining the Leichtag Foundation, Paige worked for San Diego First Church of the Nazarene in Point Loma. In this role, she managed church programming, schedules, and communication, as well as planned events, and oversaw volunteers. She currently still volunteers as a leader in the college group and enjoys giving back to the place that taught her so much.
Paige received her B.A. in International Studies from Point Loma Nazarene University where she further cultivated her love for travel. She and her husband attempt to go abroad at least once a year and are always open to destination recommendations.
Accountant
Janine is the Foundation’s Accountant where she records financial information and performs accounting functions for the Foundation.
Prior to joining Leichtag Foundation, Janine spent eleven years as the controller for Seven Hills Resorts Corporation, a golf resort which included a restaurant/bar and a forty-unit senior apartment complex overlooking the golf course. Janine holds a B.S. in Accounting as well as a M.S. in Accounting/Managerial Finance.
Janine is originally from New York but loves the San Diego Coast. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her two sons, loves being outdoors and has a passion for organizing and leading fun social events which promote getting people together to try new things, make new friends and have lots of fun!
Vice President of Philanthropy
Sharyn Goodson is the Foundation’s Vice President of Philanthropy, where she manages Foundation grantmaking and its philanthropic consulting practice, leads funder partnerships, and develops giving opportunities for community members.
In April 2010, Sharyn was hired as the Leichtag Foundation’s first Program Officer. Beginning in 2012, Sharyn also began to manage the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego’s philanthropy programs and served as the lead contact for major family funds and foundations. Her most recent role at the Jewish Community Foundation was as its Vice President of Philanthropy.
Previously, Sharyn was Director of Grants of Jewish Family Service of San Diego and Program Director of the Aspen Community Foundation in Aspen, CO. Sharyn also held professional positions at Jewish Family and Children’s Service in Pittsburgh.
Administration and Accounting Assistant
Laura Diede is the Administration and Accounting Assistant for the Leichtag Commons property, where she is responsible for assisting our VP of Finance and Operations in all aspects of the Leichtag Commons administration and accounting needs.
She has lived in Virginia, California, Costa Rica, New Jersey, Connecticut and Colorado, where she received an Associate’s degree in Photography, with a minor in Graphic Arts from Colorado Mountain College. Her home is now in Encinitas where she and her husband (who was her high school sweetheart) moved to be closer to their grandchildren. Her passion has always been non-profit work and being a part of the Leichtag Foundation is a dream come true. Her hobbies include painting, golf, skiing and making people happy.
Communications Associate
Jordan is the Leichtag Foundation’s Communications Associate where he is responsible for continuously designing and adapting social media, websites, emails and other communications tools to grow Leichtag Foundations network, provide effective communications through ongoing data analysis and utilizing those crafted communications to help advocate for social impact within the San Diego community.
Prior to joining the Leichtag Foundation’s staff, Jordan worked as a social media strategist for several nonprofits in Long Beach and obtained his Bachelor’s in Journalism & Public Relations from California State University, Long Beach. Jordan is also a freelance photographer and writer for social commentary and fashion. His work has been published in notable publications such as Los Angeles Magazine, Ravishly and Wear Your Voice Magazine.
Director of The Hive at Leichtag Commons
Jenny is the Foundation’s Director of The Hive at Leichtag Commons where she is responsible for facilitating connections between the Hive members and the Farm, recruiting and on boarding new Hive and Hot Desk members, and managing the Professional Development program offered to Hive members.
Prior to joining Leichtag, Jenny worked for Jewish Family Service of San Diego as the North County Outreach Social Worker where she worked to reduce the barriers to accessing both local Jewish life and community resources.
Jenny holds a M.S.W. from San Diego State University and a B.A. in Human Development from Connecticut College. She started her social work career at the Community Resource Center in Encinitas where she provided individual, couples and group therapy for community members as well as residents of the agency’s domestic violence shelter. She is a proud Encinitas resident where she lives with her husband and two children.
CFO and Treasurer
Robert F. Brunst, M.D., Ph.D., has served on the Leichtag Foundation Board since its inception in 1991. As Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, he oversees the Foundation’s financial operations and accounting processes.
Dr. Brunst practices adult medicine in Encinitas and is affiliated with Scripps Memorial Hospital’s Encinitas and La Jolla facilities. He has been Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Medicine at the University of California San Diego’s School of Medicine since 1986 and is the Medical Director of InnerVision Wellness Imaging in Carlsbad, California. Dr. Brunst has authored a number of publications; most recently on the subject of anti-aging.
Dr. Brunst earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry and his M.D. at the University of Southern California. Over the years, Dr. Brunst was a physician at La Costa Resort and Spa from 1979 to 1992 and Chief of Staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital, Encinitas from 1992 to 1994. He also was Founder and Medical Director of Hospice of the North Coast in Carlsbad, California and Medical Director of Tri-City Hospice in Oceanside, California. In addition, he has served as Community Advisory Board Chairman of Scripps Memorial Hospital, Encinitas, and as a member of the Scripps Foundation Board.
Dr. Brunst’s professional and personal relationship with the Leichtag family dates back more than three decades, when Lee and Toni Leichtag engaged Dr. Brunst as their family physician. Throughout the years, he served them and members of their immediate family.
Robert Brunst was born in Amsterdam, Holland. He and his wife have one son. They reside in Olivenhain, California.
Vice Chair
Dr. Jeffrey R. Solomon is the President of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, a group of foundations operating in Canada, Israel and the United States. Among the foundations’ innovative launches are Birthright Israel and Reboot, two initiatives aimed at connecting young, assimilated Jews to their tradition, The Gift of New York, a powerful response to September 11, helping to heal families of victims through the power of culture, and Project Involvement, an educational reform program serving some 265,000 Israeli elementary school students.
He previously served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UJA-Federation of New York. Other past positions include executive positions at Altro Health & Rehabilitation Services, Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged and Jewish Family and Children’s Services in Miami. Dr. Solomon also served with the City, State and Federal Governments. An author of over 100 publications in both professional journals and outlets such as The Financial Times and Wall Street Journal, he served as an adjunct associate professor at New York University. He sits on numerous nonprofit and foundation boards including the FJC, a community foundation in New York, the Jim Joseph Foundation in San Francisco, and the Leichtag Foundation in San Diego, where he serves as Vice Chair. He also served on the Board of the Council on Foundations, where he chaired the Committee on Ethics and Practice and sat on its Executive Committee. He is a founding trustee of the World Faiths Development Dialogue and has received a number of honors from professional associations and universities.
His widely acclaimed book, The Art of Giving: Where the Soul Meets a Business Plan, co-authored with Charles Bronfman, was published by Wiley/Jossey-Bass in October, 2009. It has been awarded the Axiom Gold Medal in philanthropy and has been translated and published in South Korea. They completed a sequel, The Art of Doing Good: Where Passion Meets Action, also published by Wiley/Jossey-Bass (September, 2012), which explores the principles and practices of nonprofit social enterprise, extracting the lessons from the journeys of eighteen social entrepreneurs.
Vice Chair
Emily is a businesswoman with involvement in numerous ventures. Since 1993, she has been Chairperson of the Board of Summit Properties which is one of the top ten owners and developers of industrial real estate in Portland, Oregon.
Emily is co-owner of Chella Textiles, a world leader in the design, development, and sales of luxury performance textiles for the hospitality industry and for residential use. The company has developed world-wide distribution through showrooms and representatives.
Since 1993, Emily has owned and managed the Silverado Apartments, a senior apartment complex in Solana Beach, California. She is also part owner of Turf Paradise, the 300 acre Phoenix horse racetrack which operates nine months per year. Emily also is an investor in Huya Biosciences where she served on the business advisory board. Huya identifies and licenses promising Chinese pharmaceuticals for commercialization in Western markets. She has invested in dozens of other private businesses and real estate related ventures.
In 1982, Emily graduated from Harvard College receiving her BA in Economics. She worked at MA/ACOM Linkabit, the predecessor company to Qualcomm. She received her CPA in 1987 having worked at KPMG Peat Marwick in both the auditing and private business consulting areas. From 1987 to 1990, Emily worked at Grubb and Ellis, a national real estate brokerage firm where she specialized in apartment and industrial investment properties.
Emily is extremely active and involved in the Jewish philanthropic community of San Diego. She is a Wexner Fellow graduate and is the past Chair of the Board of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego. Since joining the board fifteen years ago, the Foundation has grown from $25 million in assets to over $260 million. She has served as chair of finance, human resources, and audit, and as a member of the strategic planning group, among other functions. She also was the founder of the Jewish Day School Scholarship fund helping all five of the Jewish Day Schools in San Diego. Emily is also on the Board of 2-1-1 San Diego and has previously served on the boards of Soille Hebrew Day School and Congregation Beth El.
Emily is married to Dan Einhorn, a physician specializing in Endocrinology. They have two children, Max, and Estee.
Chairman
Bernard A. Reiter has served the Leichtag Foundation since 2007, when he was asked by Lee and Toni Leichtag to take the Board position previously occupied by their late daughter, Joli Ann Leichtag. Mr. Reiter had been a close personal friend of the Leichtag family since 1999 when he moved to Rancho Santa Fe, California from Houston, Texas.
In Houston, Mr. Reiter was an attorney and businessman for over 35 years. He initially was Patent Counsel for the Manned Spacecraft Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and thereafter a partner in the law firm of Hyer, Reiter, Matthews, and Eichenroght until 1993. The practice of the firm was primarily in intellectual property law and dealt with the acquisition of employer/employee inventions, improvements, innovations and the protection and sale and licensing of those rights to others. The firm also engaged in federal patent litigation and licensing throughout the country.
In 1995, Mr. Reiter acquired an ownership interest in the American Transcriber Corporation of Texas. Ultimately, he became the principal owner and Chairman of the Board. The company, which was engaged in medical transcription for hospitals, expanded to offices throughout Texas, Florida and New England. In 1999, Mr. Reiter sold the company and moved to California. After moving to North County San Diego, he became active in the community. He served on the Board of Directors for Seacrest Village Retirement Communities and later as Chairman of the Community Advisory Board for Scripps Memorial Hospital, Encinitas.
Mr. Reiter graduated with a Bachelors degree in engineering from Ohio State and a Juris Doctorate in law from Georgetown University Law School in Washington D.C. Currently, he resides in Rancho Mirage, California. He has three daughters and three grandchildren.
1947-2007
Joli Ann Leichtag served as Vice President of the Leichtag Family Foundation until her death from cancer at age 60. Her life revolved around education and children; initially as a kindergarten teacher, then as a single parent to her daughter, Heather.
As sole proprietor, first of Looking Marvelous and later of Polished Professionals, Ms. Leichtag specialized in enhancing workplace performance and success through business etiquette training. She developed and led corporate training seminars for high-ranking companies in diverse industries, including General Motors, Farmers Insurance, the U.S. Postal Service and Disney Properties. She also served as Director of Protocol and Public Affairs on a U.S. trade mission to China.
Upon her death, the Leichtag Family Foundation pledged $6 million in Ms. Leichtag’s name to the San Marcos Unified School District’s Partners Advancing College Education (PACE) PromiseTM, a joint program with California State University San Marcos (CSUSM). PACE Promise guarantees admission to CSUSM for every District student who meets admission criteria. In recognition of the grant, the District named its newest K-5 school the Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School.
1913-2009
When asked to name his most significant accomplishment in life, Lee Leichtag said, “My marriage to Toni.” Toni and Lee Leichtag were married on December 25, 1941 and were full partners in life. Mrs. Leichtag served as a corporate officer in MD Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Divinity Religious Products, Inc. Formerly Chairwoman of the Board of the Leichtag Family Foundation, she later held the position of Chairwoman Emeritus.
Over the years, Mrs. Leichtag was generous with both her time and money. She served on the Board of Directors of several organizations, including Scripps Memorial Hospital, Encinitas (Scripps Encinitas); Hospice of the North Coast; Seacrest Village Retirement Communities; and Voices for Children, Inc. She was a founder of the Circle of Life 100 at Scripps Encinitas.
After her husband’s death, Mrs. Leichtag donated their Fairbanks Ranch property, valued at $3.8 million, to Scripps Encinitas, capping 25 years of family support to the facility. In 2009, in recognition of a $500,000 Leichtag Family Foundation grant, San Diego Botanic Gardens in Encinitas named its new Hamilton’s Children’s Garden climbable feature “Toni’s Tree House.”
Born in Canada and raised in Washington, Mrs. Leichtag was a blues singer early in her life who was featured with several orchestras.
1919-2007
Lee Leichtag was a pharmaceutical industry entrepreneur who transformed his stunning financial success into a second vocation as a visionary philanthropist. This son of Hungarian immigrants was born in Pittsburgh and moved to Southern California as a young man. He and his family eventually resided in the upscale rural San Diego community of Fairbanks Ranch.
Mr. Leichtag began his career as a mercantile sales representative, progressing to vitamin sales and later founding the American Vitamin Company. In 1973, Mr. Leichtag established MD Pharmaceutical, Inc., a company that manufactured generic drugs and vitamins.
Upon the company’s sale in 1991, Mr. Leichtag and his wife formed the Leichtag Family Foundation. In 1992, he founded Divinity Religious Products, Inc. Divinity created and marketed Catholic learning games designed to inspire families to play and pray together.
Throughout his life, Mr. Leichtag possessed an exuberant life spirit and unquenchable optimism. He joked that his extraordinary financial success was motivated by “fear of poverty.” His earnest motivation for establishing the Leichtag Family Foundation was to improve the quality of life of people and the community by ameliorating the poverty that exists on many levels throughout human existence.
President and CEO
Jim is the Foundation’s President and CEO, a position he has held since 2007 when the Foundation became independent. Prior to that appointment, Jim served as General Counsel of the Foundation from 1995 – 2007 when he was practicing as an attorney.
Jim’s professional background and diverse community leadership experience catalyzed the Foundation’s purchase of Leichtag Commons. He is a mentor and takes particular pride in being a champion of young leaders. He is a frequent presenter about the power of place in community engagement and in developing new models of social change.
A longtime San Diegan whose community activism dates back to his youth, Jim draws upon many years of volunteer leadership experience in the nonprofit sector. Currently, Jim serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Funders Network, an international organization dedicated to Jewish philanthropy and social enterprise. In past years, he served as President of the Board of Seacrest Village Retirement Communities and the Quail Botanical Garden Foundation doing business as San Diego Botanic Garden and as a member of The San Diego Foundation’s Board of Governors.
Jim is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. He earned a law degree from California Western School of Law and a Master’s in Taxation from New York University. He practiced law for 33 years. He and his wife live in Carlsbad, California. They have two married children and six grandchildren. Jim is a passionate horticulturalist, an avid reader, and a lover of music.