Noam Fischman is a Partner in the DC office of Akerman LLP. Noam serves as the Firm’s Co-Team Lead for Health Care Litigation, with a focus on government investigations, fraud litigation, commercial litigation for health care companies, and managing legal risks related to merger and acquisition activity. Noam also counsels several area nonprofit organizations about corporate governance and risk-mitigation issues. Noam graduated from the Rutgers College Honors Program Magna Cum Laude and as an undergraduate associate for the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Noam received his Juris Doctor degree, with Honors, from the George Washington University National Law Center. Noam and his family are congregants at Shaare Torah. Previously, Noam served on Shaare Torah’s Board of Directors and as its Vice President of Operations. From 2015 - 2024, Noam served as the General Counsel of the Bender JCC Board of Trustees.

REBECCA STALLONE works in acquisitions and asset management at Polinger Company, a local real estate company. She has her bachelor’s in business administration from American University. Her children attend(ed) the Bender JCC preschool and Camp JCC.

STACEY WATSON is the Director of Member Experience for Main Street Connect, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Rockville, Maryland with a national reach. Main Street focuses on accessible living, a membership-based community and a spreading an ethos of inclusive communities. Stacey’s professional experience has focused on creating and strengthening communities through enriching and award-winning programming. Stacey is a proud alumna of Syracuse University, and earned her MSW, specializing in Management and Community Organizing with a concentration in Families and Children, from the University of Maryland in 2010. She lives in Kensington, MD with her husband, Andrew, and their two children.

DAVID HELFAND is a personal injury attorney focused on helping victims and survivors of accidental injuries. He has been a member of the bar for 30+years. He has also worked in a variety of management roles at his family's manufacturing and distribution company as well as a liquidation and distribution company that he founded. Additionally, he has served as the Chairman of the Board for United Force for Good, a non-profit that he founded with his daughters. He has been tied to this community for years having been raised in Rockville and Potomac, and he attended nursery school at the JCC in the early 1970's.

RAMI KANDEL holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and is the Regional Director at Hyro.ai, an Israeli based Healthcare AI Company. He has coached the Bender JCC boys’ soccer team at the Mid-Atlantic Junior Games. In 2005, Rami and his wife Melanie established the David Lev Kandel Memorial Endowment Fund in memory of their son. The purpose of the fund is to support the Camp JCC inclusion program. Rami has served on the Bender JCC Board since 2015.

JEFFREY KRAUTHAMER After graduating from Walter Johnson High School in 1991, I began my current job as a fulltime receptionist/legal assistant at the law firm of Krauthamer & Stahl in Chevy Chase. After taking some time off from school, I continued my education at Montgomery College, receiving an Administrative Support Technology Certificate in 2004. I received a Volunteer Service Award from the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes in 2007. I was a participant in a 2011 photography project for the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, portraying people with disabilities in the workplace. My photo was used, along with a written profile about me and my job, on the Department's website. I am a past board member of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes and the Jewish Social Service Agency. I have been a member of B'nai Israel Congregation, along with my family, since 1976.

BRUCE WIENER was born and raised in and around Detroit, Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan, where he received his undergraduate and law degrees. Bruce and his wife Rochelle moved the area in 1984, where Bruce began practicing law in Washington, D.C. He worked for several law firms and the federal government until he established Wiener Financial Management, an independent financial advisor business, in 1998.  Bruce joined MAI Capital Management LLC in 2023 as a Senior Wealth Advisor.  Bruce has been involved in various local Jewish organizations, including serving as the president of Beth Sholom in Potomac and participating in the Investment Committee for the Bender JCC of Greater Washington. Bruce and Rochelle have two sons – Daniel (who lives in Denver with his wife Rachel and their three children) and Ari (who lives in Potomac with his wife Francesca and three children).

HOLLY MENDELSON is the Vice President and co-owner of Potomac Publishing, Inc. She is the co- publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest, oldest, and most respected national diversity, equity, and inclusion magazine in higher education. Prior to owning INSIGHT Into Diversity, Holly worked in corporate marketing at companies such as Marriott International, Inc., and Bell Atlantic, Inc. She spent 20+ years shaping the way organizations communicated with their customers and was proud to help grow the Marriott Rewards program into the largest hotel loyalty program in the world by the time she left. When the opportunity arose in 2007 to transition to communicating about diversity, inclusion, anti-hate/bias, and the critical nature of the work being done in these areas, she embraced the opportunity. Holly believes her work supporting higher education access, employment, and social justice for people from all underrepresented groups through INSIGHT Into Diversity over the last 15 years has turned out to be her 'calling.' It is in line with her strong personal beliefs and values, and she feels it has been life-changing for her in innumerable ways. Since purchasing INSIGHT Into Diversity, Holly and her co-owner have completely revamped the publication to be the foremost voice advancing the national conversation about diversity and inclusion in higher education and beyond. Holly has focused on expanding INSIGHT's readership through partnerships with highly respected non-profit organizations in order to reach all underserved populations, and its Editorial Board to ensure that all voices are represented. INSIGHT Into Diversity is well known for its Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, the only national recognition for an institution's level of achievement of and commitment to diversity and inclusion throughout campus. Holly graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing, communications and psychology. She resides in Gaithersburg, MD, with her husband Brad, and has young adult children. To learn more about Holly Mendelson and INSIGHT Into Diversity visit www.insightintodiversity.com or (43) Holly (Benton) Mendelson | LinkedIn.

Aaron Kaufman joined The Jewish Federations of North America’s Washington DC office in January 2016. He is the Senior Manager of Legislative Affairs. He focuses on disability and poverty issues.  Aaron came from the Arc Maryland where he lobbied members of the Maryland General Assembly and the Maryland Congressional delegation on issues affecting Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. He worked in the offices of then Congressman (now Senator) Chris Van Hollen and former Senator Evan Bayh as well as the Easter Seals Office of Public Affairs. In addition to working at JFNA, Aaron is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates where he serves on the Judiciary Committee. Having Cerebral Palsy, Aaron feels he brings a unique perspective to his work in the House of Delegates and JFNA’s efforts on behalf of people with disabilities. Outside of advocacy, he was the instructor in Project SEARCH Montgomery, a job-training program for young adults with significant disabilities. Aaron graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a BA in American Studies and with several honors. He is on the Executive Committee of the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes and is the former Vice Chair of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council.  He also served on the Board of the National Association of Developmental Disabilities Council as well as the Board of Disability Rights Maryland. He is on the Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and former Board Member of the Union for Reform Judaism. Outside of work, Aaron enjoys following DC sports teams.  He is passionate about politics, enjoys movies, live theater, museum and travel as well as non-fiction books.

Elyse Lipan-Lash retired after a 34-year career at Accenture.  Elyse was an HR executive focused on helping people achieve  their best, personally and professionally. She believes the best outcomes result from working collaboratively and supporting each person’s unique contributions. Elyse met her husband, Steve, when they were undergraduates at Northwestern University. She is the proud parent of two young adults. Elyse has been a member of the Bender JCC for 20+ years.  She joined for the inclusion program and stayed for the people. Elyse can often be found attending exercise classes or swimming at the JCC. 

John Schmelzer grew up in Miami Beach, Florida, and went to college at Emory University in Atlanta. He married Naomi, his college girlfriend, and they have lived in the DC area for over 40 years, 35 of them in Potomac. Their older son Jeffrey lives in Austin, Texas, and works for a company that provides virtual mental health services. Their younger son, Michael, lives in Bethesda with his wife, Amanda, and their two sons. Michael works for Abramson Construction Company. John has been retired for six years, but had a rewarding professional life. He was a civil rights attorney/manager for the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for 42 years. He began as an appellate attorney in 1974, arguing cases before federal courts of appeal across the country. John sued employers for refusing to hire individuals because of their race, sex, or national origin. Later, John served in several management positions. During his career, John recovered millions of dollars for the victims of employment discrimination, won several precedent setting cases, including one before the US Supreme Court, and developed and built the largest nationwide mediation program in the country. John has always enjoyed serving the community. He became a volunteer listener for the Northern Virginia Hotline in Arlington when he first moved to the DC area. He served as a board member of his community pool and was a volunteer for his son’s cub scout pack. He has always had an interest in community mental health and therefore volunteered with the Jewish Social Service Agency, which provides counselling and other services to individuals and families. At JSSA, John has served in various capacities, including as a board member, on the Executive Board of Directors, and currently as co-chair of JSSA’s Ambassadors’ Council. At the Bender JCC, John has been a volunteer teacher for the last six years. One day a week, he teaches citizenship and civics to immigrants so they can pass their citizenship test and interview. Another day a week, he teaches conversational English to immigrants. He also volunteers at JCC special events, including the Health Fair, Celebration of Israel, the Hanukah concert, and movie nights. John looks forward to further assisting the Bender JCC.