Jelf's Board of Directors A great team can
overcome any challenge

Dave Adelman grew up in New Haven, Connecticut and graduated in 1966 from Bryant University in Providence, Rhode Island with a BS in Business Administration, and then spent 3 years in the US Army with a tour in Korea. He moved to Atlanta in February, 1970 and then began working for a women’s sportswear manufacturer. Dave purchased franchises in Georgia and Alabama for an OSHA Compliance company and sold them in 1978. In 1978, Dave joined Jerry’s Pawn Shop (owned by Sheila’s father, Jerry Mandel). Dave met Sheila in 1974 and they married in 1975, and have a daughter, Denise Adelman. In 1985 Sheila and Dave purchased the family business. Dave became very involved in the Pawn Industry and he was instrumental in creating the Georgia Pawn Association. In 1989 he was asked to join the Board of Directors of the National Pawn Association. Sheila and Dave opened their second store in 1995 in Buckhead. Dave served as President of the Georgia Pawnbrokers Association as well as President of the National Pawnbrokers Association. He received the NPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2012, they sold the business and retired. In 2016, Dave attended his first JELF Event and decided to become active in JELF.

Sheila Adelman was born in Atlanta and graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS in Education in 1972. She taught high school for several years, followed by a 10 year career with IBM. In 1974, she met David Adelman and they were married in 1975 and are the parents of Denise Adelman. They began working with Sheila’s father (Jerry Mandel) in 1978 at Jerry’s Pawn Shop and became the owners of the business in 1985. Sheila has been involved with City of Hope, Epstein, and Yeshiva High, as well as serving in multiple Leadership roles at Ahavath Achim Synagogue throughout the years. In 1995, Sheila and David opened a second store in Buckhead and in 2012 they sold the business and retired. Sheila became involved with JELF due to encouragement from Kathe Brown, Marianne Garber and Judy Wolman. She is currently working on JELF’s Finance and Resource Development Committees. Sheila is thrilled to serving on the JELF Board.

Irene Aronin is a native Atlantan. Irene is now retired after a career first as a CPA, then in financial management in corporate America. In her last two gigs, she was the CFO of two subsidiaries of First Data Corporation, both of which she helped FDC sell, thereby doing herself out of a job.

As a big believer in the value of education, Irene is a strong supporter of JELF as well as a docent at the Breman Museum. Irene previously tutored reading for 10 years through AJCL (Atlanta Jewish Coalition for Literacy), a program originally through Federation and now through NCJW.

In addition to Irene’s roles on the JELF Board of Directors, Irene is a lifelong member of Ahavath Achim Synagogue. She is a current member of the Board and Chair of the Budget & Finance committee at Ahavath Achim, as well as the past VP Finance of the synagogue. When Irene finds herself with some free time, she plays Duplicate Bridge and has earned the designation of Life Master.

Cherie Aviv has volunteered throughout her adult life. Cherie holds many leadership roles within the Greater Atlanta community and has served on various boards throughout the community. Cherie has participated in JELF Loan Review Allocations for several years. Cherie created and runs the Holocaust Survivors Support Fund (HSSF) convened by Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta to raise funds and provide critical care support to Holocaust survivors in their final years. Cherie has also created many programs that reach out to older adults and their caregivers. In 2021, Cherie was awarded Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Atlanta Chapter. Additionally, Cherie is a passionate reader and runner of many races including 12 marathons.

Brian was born in New York and then moved to South Florida before moving to Atlanta in 1987 to attend Georgia Tech. He spent most of his career as an electrical engineer in commercial construction. He and his wife Susan have three children, the oldest of whom is now in college. When Susan started a nonprofit in Atlanta called “Most Valuable Kids,” Brian was inspired to get involved in the community. Brian’s work with JELF has been very rewarding, as he has helped make great advances in the areas of operations, technology and resource development. In 2021, Brian was honored with the Steve and Eydie Koonin Family Service Award, recognizing up and coming JELF leaders who have started to make a big difference.

Justin Barry is a current Board Member at JELF. He has been actively involved in the organization for several years, most recently serving on the Loan Review committee. Justin was born and raised in Atlanta and is a longtime member of Temple Sinai. Justin is a partner in the real estate finance and development practice at the Atlanta based law firm of Morris Manning and Martin. Justin received an undergraduate finance degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a J.D. from Emory University in Atlanta. Justin is an avid golfer and enjoys spending time with his wife Lindsey and two children, Asher and Hayden.

Warren is an experienced Chief Financial Officer with a demonstrated history of working in multiple businesses as CEO/CFO as well as expertise in the public accounting profession. Skilled in fundraising, GAAP accounting, Mergers and Acquisitions, Enterprise Risk Management, Risk Management, and Financial Services. Strong business operations orientation with a BS in Business and concentration in Accounting (Magna cum laude) from University of Maryland – Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Arielle Birenberg joined Stockbridge in 2016 and serves as Vice President for the firm’s Portfolio Management team as the Head of Portfolio Operations. Mrs. Birenberg also assists with the firm’s on-going ESG objectives.

Prior to her role in Portfolio Management, Mrs. Birenberg focused on Acquisitions in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States for Stockbridge.

Prior to joining Stockbridge, Mrs. Birenberg served as an associate for Gladstone Commercial Corporation, where she specialized on acquisitions of net leased office and industrial assets nationwide. Mrs. Birenberg started her real estate career as an investment banking analyst at J.P. Morgan in the Financial Institutions Group, where she focused on capital raising and advisory services for specialty finance and asset management clients.

Mrs. Birenberg received a B.B.A in Finance and Management from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. She lives in Sandy Springs, GA with her husband, Brad, and two children, Jacob and Hallie.

Joanne grew up in Atlanta and has been involved in many philanthropic endeavors throughout the years. Most recently, she served as General Campaign Chair for the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, and currently serves as a Board Member of the National Women’s Philanthropy for JFNA. For over ten years, Joanne served on the Board of the Greenfield Hebrew Academy (now the Atlanta Jewish Academy), and has also served on the Boards of the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum, JF&CS, NCJW and is a former Wexter Heritage Participant. Joanne also served as Co-Chair of JELF’s 2016 and 2018 Major Events. Joanne is married to Eddie, who has also served on the JELF Board over the years, and together they are proud parents and grandparents.

Ken is a longtime educator who also serves on the Board or Trustees for the Columbus High School Alumni Association, as well as for the Riverdale-Porterdale Cemetery Foundation. Additionally, he is a member Temple Israel, where he serves as Assistant Treasurer. He is also a member of the Columbus, GA museum as well as various educational groups.

Stephanie Gang lives in East Cobb with her husband Barry and 2 dogs Leo and Lily. She has 2 children, Ilana, a CPA working in Buckhead and a son, Matt, working as an analyst in Washington DC. She has been on the JELF board in the past for 6 years and is very happy to return! She is also a member of NCJW and has been a volunteer with The Literacy Project at Brumby Elementary School for over 6 years. She and her family are members of Congregation Etz Chaim.

Steven Gluck is a member of JELF’s Loan Program Committee and has been involved with JELF since 2021. Steven is a manager at Aprio LLP. Prior to moving to Atlanta, now at Peachtree Corners, for college Steven lived in Miami, Florida. He received both his MPA and Bachelors from Emory University in 2016. Steven is passionate about learning and attends a local trivia contest every week with friends.

Maria Gurevich is a tax attorney specializing in corporate international tax area, currently working at PriceWaterhouseCoopers advising financial services companies on international tax exposure. Prior to PwC, Maria worked at major global investment banks where she facilitated investment funds global tax obligations. Maria received her BA at University of South Carolina in 1997, JD at Suffolk University Law School in 2001 and LL.M in Taxation at Boston University in 2009. Maria lives in Boston with her husband Alexander, daughters Mia and Emanuela, and giant schnauzer Lenny. Maria is passionate about travel, tennis and Jewish history. Both Maria and Alex are JELFies.

When JELF’s Educational Loan Committee approved a loan for Ed Hyken in 1985, they could not foresee that he would one day be a board member.

Hyken came to the United States with his mother from St. Petersburg, Russia, in February 1982, at the age of 14. He graduated from Atlanta’s Yeshiva High School and was accepted at Emory University in Atlanta with a very good financial package, but it didn’t cover all the costs of attending school. He and his mother had emigrated from Russia only three years before and the financial resources of this single-parent family were extremely limited.

He earned a B.S. in economics and computer science from Emory in 1989 and began repaying his loan. In 1993, after several years in the work force, he enrolled at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania to earn an MBA, again with JELF’s assistance. 

After Wharton, Hyken started a computer consulting business. Together with a high school classmate, Hyken started Expressiva, a nursing-wear company which offers contemporary and stylish clothing for professional medical professionals.  

Hyken was elected to JELF’s board of directors in 2001 and, a year later, was elected one of JELF’s vice-presidents. He became a co-chair of the Educational Loan Committee that same year. He remains an active supporter of JELF today.

Richard Jacobson retired from Cox Enterprises in 2011 and is married to Marcia. Together they have two grown daughters who are each married with children of their own. Richard got involved in JELF in 2017 and joined the board shortly thereafter. In 2019 he began working with the Operations committee where he has taken an active lead in helping JELF prosper and grow. In 2021 Richard Jacobson was presented with the Steve and Eydie Koonin Family Service Award for his involvement and significant contributions to JELF.

Adam Kaye joined the JELF Board of Directors in 2022 after several years of involvement with JELF’s Loan Review committee. Adam is an attorney at the law firm of Baker & Hostetler LLP, where his practice focuses on commercial real estate finance and development. Adam received his B.A in Public Relations from the University of Georgia along with his J.D. from Georgia State University. Adam was raised in Atlanta and lives in Sandy Springs with his wife. Adam is a Board Member of The Blue Dove Foundation and an active member in various community and professional organizations around Atlanta.

Jonathan Kessler is an investment analyst at Merrill Lynch and has been involved on multiple committees with JELF over the past few years, including the visibility committee and finance committee. Originally from Jacksonville, FL, he graduated from Emory University in 2011 and currently lives in Brookhaven, GA. In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys traveling as well as playing basketball and golf.

Active in the community, Mark has served as a board member and chair of the investment committee of The Davis Academy, a board member and investment committee member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, a board member of the American Jewish Committee, a two-term president of Congregation Dor Tamid, and a two-term president of the Cohen Group Home. Mark has also been recognized as a Zaban Leadership Award Honoree, a Goldstein Leadership Award Honoree, and a PALI Participant (Philanthropic Atlanta Leadership Institute). In addition, he volunteers with a number of animal rights and cancer-oriented charities within his community.

Professionally, Mark is a Senior Vice President/Investments with Stifel, and has been a Financial Advisor for 34 years. Mark is from Atlanta and resides in Johns Creek, Georgia. He is actively involved with his children – Matthew, Sam, Sarah and Bryan – and has several pets, including two goldendoodles, a cat and fish. He also enjoys travel, the arts, and sports – especially Georgia Bulldog football.

Ilana Lind is a native Atlantan and Senior Recruiter at AssuranceAmerica Corporation. She became involved with JELF as a recipient to attend University of Alabama. After graduating from Kennesaw State in 2013, Ilana joined JELF’s alumni visibility committee and began her involvement with the organization while working to repay her loan. She has served on several of JELF’s committees since. Ilana is passionate about giving back (especially locally) through her involvement with JELF and Make a Wish Georgia. Ilana lives in East Cobb with her husband Jonathan, daughters Bailey and Mia and their dogs.

Bio coming soon.

Aaron W. Lipson is a partner at King & Spalding in Atlanta in the Special Matters and Government Investigations practice group. Aaron typically represents corporations and individuals facing complex government investigations, often from the DOJ, FBI, SEC, and other law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Prior to joining King & Spalding, Aaron worked in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement for nearly 15 years, where he led investigations into financial and securities fraud. At the time he left the agency, Aaron headed the SEC’s Enforcement program for its Atlanta regional office. Aaron obtained his B.A. in history from Yale University and his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law, earning honors at each institution. Aaron is also an adjunct professor of securities law at both Emory University and the University of Georgia School of Law.

Aaron is an Atlanta native who lives in Toco Hills with his wife Leslie, and two teenage children, Kay and Rory. They are members of the Ohr HaTorah congregation.

Eitan Ovadia currently lives in Boca Raton, FL with his wife, Cara, and their three young children. He was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, where he earned a BBA in Finance from Georgia State University, followed by a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. Eitan works for a family office, helping oversee a multitude of retail, industrial and other commercial real estate assets around the country. In particular, Eitan runs a division of the company focused on multifamily apartment development and investment. Prior to moving from Atlanta in 2015, Eitan practiced law at Hartman, Simons and Wood, and served as General Counsel for The Radco Companies and for Halvorsen Holdings.

Ian Roth is the Business Unit Manager of Southeast Private Wealth Management and Institutional Client Services at Goldman Sachs. Prior to moving to Atlanta, Ian lived in New York City where he worked as a strategy consultant for various financial services firms. Ian holds a BSE in Civil Engineering from Duke University and an MBA in Capital Markets and Corporate Finance from Emory University.

Outside of JELF, Ian is an active member at The Temple and volunteers with the Rothschild Social Justice Institute. Ian and his wife Alexandra live in Atlanta.

Kevin Rubin is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kevin and his wife (Andrea) relocated to Atlanta in 2006. Kevin received a Masters of Science in Information Systems Technology (MSIST) and Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) from the George Washington University in 2001. Kevin graduated from Emory University School of Law in 2008 and is licensed to practice law in the state of Georgia. After practicing family law at other top Atlanta firms, Kevin founded Rubin Family Law, LLC. Kevin is a Fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. In addition, Kevin has been recognized by Super Lawyers, The Best Lawyers in America, and Georgia Trend Legal Elite for his legal acumen. Outside of work, Kevin enjoys spending time with his family and avidly cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles, as well as his adopted teams – Atlanta Braves and Atlanta United. Kevin and his wife live in East Cobb with their three children.

Philip Rubin, a native of Atlanta, was fortunate enough to receive a JELF loan while he was an undergraduate at The University of Florida. He was approached by JELF about five years ago being a past recipient and was blown away about the simple impactful mission of JELF. He has spent the past couple of years spreading the word on JELF. He is most proud of a parlor meeting that he was on the leadership team for JELF that raised over $15,000 for JELF in 2022. Philip is married to Amy Rubin and they have three kids, Jake, Hailey and Zach.

Jane Sandler is VP of Global Risk Management for McKesson, a Fortune 10 diversified healthcare services company. Executive leader, whose career spans over 25+ years, Jane held senior roles in insurance brokerage, regulatory compliance and corporate risk management in technology, healthcare, life sciences, energy and higher education sectors.

Jane has been recognized for her thought leadership, innovative solutions, and results-oriented cross-functional approach. She was recognized as 2021 Risk Management Team of the Year by Business Insurance, inducted into RIMS 2020 Risk Management Honor Roll and awarded a prestigious Risk Science & Insurance Industry Leadership Award (The Riskies) in 2016. Active in her professional community, she serves on the Board of Trustees for the Georgia State University Risk Management Foundation and on Advisory Boards for a number of major insurance and reinsurance companies. Jane has also served as the Board member and President of the Atlanta Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), and Board member of the Georgia Society for Healthcare Risk Management (GSHRM). Jane holds an MBA in Finance & Risk Modeling and a BBA in Risk Management; Insurance. She is passionate about developing the next generation and mentoring students and young professionals.

Jared Seff is an experienced legal and business strategist, who is currently an Executive Director, Senior Corporate Counsel, at NCR Atleos Corporation.  He was formerly Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Novare Group from 2022-2023, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc., from 2016-2022 and a Corporate and Securities Attorney at Bryan Cave LLP from 2012-2016. Jared, who is originally from North Miami Beach, moved to Atlanta to attend Emory where he earned a BBA in Finance and Accounting and went on to receive his J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.  Jared and his wife Kimsey live in Brookhaven with their two young daughters.

A native Atlantan, Stacey has a long history with JELF, as her mother, Dr. Judy Wolman, was a JELF recipient during her undergraduate education. Stacey served on the Resource Development committee prior to joining the Board. Stacey received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Industrial / Organizational Psychology from GA Tech. She has worked with Russell Reynolds Associates, an executive search firm, for over 12 years, and is currently a Managing Director. In addition to JELF, Stacey is involved with Camp Twin Lakes and The Epstein School. Stacey and her husband Stuart reside in Sandy Springs with their two children.

Adon Solomon is a Partner at the law firm of Fox Rothschild, LLP, where his practice lies in the area of wealth preservation for individuals, families and businesses. Adon received his B.B.A in Finance from the University of Georgia along with his J.D. and M.B.A from Georgia State University. Adon was raised in Atlanta and lives in Sandy Springs with his wife and 3 daughters. Adon is an active member in various community and professional organizations around Atlanta.

Josh Videlefsky was born in South Africa and raised in Atlanta, GA. He graduated from Tulane University and worked as a financial analyst for an Atlanta based commercial mortgage brokerage company out of school. Josh proceeded to join OA Development, a private real estate investment company, in 2017.

Josh is involved with JELF and a few other community based non-profits. In his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball and golf, gardening, the outdoors, and spending time with his wife Brittany and two dogs, Milo and Walter.

“JELF’s last dollars loans helped me afford my education at Emory University and the Medical College of Georgia in the 1980s. In times of crazy tuition costs, these funds can allow a student to live in acceptable housing and not be forced to work 40 hours per week, on top of pursuing a full-time degree. I am so happy to give back so our next generation can obtain the most important thing in life – an education.”

Gil Wolchock is a Business Development Executive at mLevel, an industry leading digital earning platform. Prior to his time at mLevel Gil was with LexisNexis and previously Definition 6 in NY. Gil has two daughters one of whom is still in high school and the other recently began college. Gil and his daughters are all active in Jewish life. Gil is a graduate of the University of Florida and currently resides in Roswell, GA. In his spare time Gil loves to root on his hometown Philadelphia sports teams as well as the Florida Gators.

Aaron Zucker is based in Charlotte and joins the JELF Board after serving on multiple committees for the organization prior to his nomination. When not serving for JELF, Aaron spends his time owning and operating two companies- Zucker Investment Group (ZIG), which specializes in the acquisition and operating of retail commercial real estate properties across the U.S & as a franchisee of American Family Care (AFC), an urgent care brand in the Raleigh, NC market. Aaron is also an assistant Varsity Boys Basketball coach at Providence Day School where he played in high school. Aaron & his wife, Lawrence are proud parents to Sophie (2), their dog Champ & are expecting a son in early 2021.