Staff

Rabbi David Kessel, Chief Program Officer

Rabbi David Kessel served as Assistant Director for Campus Strategic Services at Hillel International in Washington and then re-located to Austin, Texas as Executive Director of the Texas Hillel Foundation at UT. Under Rabbi Kessel’s leadership, Texas Hillel opened its new Topfer Center for Jewish Life/Abe & Annie Seibel Building in December, 2005. As Chief Program Officer at BBYO, Kessel oversees all program operations of the international organization, including BBYO’s international travel brand, Passport to the World, and the PANIM Institute of BBYO, which launched in September, 2009.

Rachel Meytin, Director

Rachel originally joined PANIM in 2004. While at PANIM, Rachel has worked with thousands of teens and professionals, helping them make the connection between Judaism and social justice – and feeling empowered make change happen. Rachel also developed an intensive 5-day training program for Jewish service-learning professionals, through which she has trained more than 75 professionals. Rachel holds an MAEd and an MBA from the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and a BA from Boston University as well as graduate-level advanced certification in service-learning through NYLC and the University of Wisconsin. She is finishing up a two year fellowship through the Jim Joseph Foundation's Leading Educators Online program. She currently lives in the DC suburbs with her wife, two children, and two cats.

Mikah Goldman, Program Associate

Mikah, a Rutgers University graduate, joined PANIM in November 2008 as a Program Associate. An experienced educator, Mikah serves as a coordinator and lead faculty on Panim el Panim seminars. Prior to working for PANIM, she worked for the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Center at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. In 2008 Mikah was selected to attend the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous Summer Institute for Teachers, making her a JFR Alfred Lerner Fellow.

Rae Krucoff, Program Associate

Rae is a recent graduate from Duke University with a BA in International Comparative Studies and a Certificate in Policy Journalism & Media Studies. While at Duke, Rae worked for three years as an office assistant at the University Hillel, working hard to help promote innovative programming within the thriving community of Jewish Life at Duke (JL@D). As a former North Carolina Council Aym Ha-Chaverot and alum of Shaina BBG, she is excited to join the BBYO team once again. Rae’s portfolio will focus on field support, Panim el Panim, and all Program Team initiatives.

Ayelet Oser, Program Associate

Ayelet is a recent graduate of Goucher College in Baltimore, MD with a BA in Communication and Media Studies. While at Goucher, Ayelet was involved with the Student Government Association as the Vice President of Programming and the college’s Communication Office. She has also worked as a part of the Youth/ Teen Departments of the JCC of Greater Washington as well as their day camp. While attending high school she had the opportunity to attend a Shabbaton-style Panim el Panim seminar and is excited to join the BBYO/PANIM team. Ayelet’s portfolio will focus primarily on J-Serve, Stand Up!

Natalie Sukienik, Program Associate

Natalie is originally from East Windsor, NJ, and graduated from Dickinson College with a psychology major and political science minor. After graduation, Natalie relocated to Louisiana to participate in City Year Louisiana, a program that allowed her to work with students affected by Hurricane Katrina. Prior to joining the PANIM team, Natalie worked at KaBOOM!, a national non-profit committed to building playgrounds in low income areas using a community build model. Natalie became a member of the PANIM family in November 2008 as a Program Associate working on Impact: DC, Panim el Panim and J-Serve.