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Officers & Trustees

To view the 2023 Nominations Report, click here.

Mark Gale - President

Mark and his family have been members of TOS since 2014.  They regularly attend  Shabbat B’yachads, and both children have now graduated ARS, celebrating their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs in the sanctuary.  Mark managed technology teams for large computer companies and start-ups in Chicago, and consulted for Scient Corp., before moving to Cambridge and joining Akamai Technologies.  Seeking a change, Mark turned to the food service industry and now works part-time as a personal chef, hosting cooking classes and catering small events.  Mark joined the Board of Trustees two years ago, providing business operations support as part of the finance committee.  As president-elect he continued his work supporting operations and working with the treasurers on budgeting and fundraising.

Natasha Goldman - President-Elect

Natasha Goldman and her family, including her husband Joachim Homann and sons Tobias (16) and Adam (12), moved to Brookline in 2019 and joined Temple Ohabei Shalom in 2020. Adam is a student in the synagogue’s religious school. Natasha’s family had lived in Brunswick, ME for nine years, where they were active in the local Brunswick Havurah and members of Congregation Bet Ha’am in South Portland. On the professional front, Natasha is an art historian and president of WISSEN, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in securing grants for institutions of higher education.  She has been affiliated with Bowdoin College as an art historian for more than 11 years, where her research and teaching focus has been on visual responses to the Holocaust, art and the environment, and public art. Her book, Memory Passages: Holocaust Memorials in the United States and Germany, was published by Temple University Press in 2020.

Richard Stern - Treasurer

Richard Stern grew up in Charleston SC, attending Sunday School at the US’s oldest Reform Temple, followed by attending middle school at Addlestone Hebrew Academy. He remains involved with his Southern Jewish roots via participation in The Jewish Historical Society of SC and the College of Charleston’s Jewish Studies program.

After graduating from the University of Florida, Richard moved to Atlanta to begin his accounting career with the largest regional CPA firm in Atlanta.  Nearly a decade later,  he founded Richard H Stern CPA PC, a tax and consulting firm, which recently celebrated 20 years of service.

In 2013, Richard and his Partner, Dr. Lance Goodman relocated to the South End section of Boston, where Richard quickly became involved in several non-profit organizations, including United South End Settlements (USES) and South End Business Alliance (SEBA).  Lance and Richard became a members of TOS in 2014, followed by Richard joining the TOS Board of Directors in 2017.

Joshua Paradise - Assistant Treasurer

Joshua lives in Brookline with his wife, Masha Kogan and their son, Toby. They have been members of Ohabei Shalom since Toby started pre-school at the Trust Center in 2012. Professionally, Joshua is a consultant, strategist, and investment analyst in sustainability and renewable energy.

Denise Karlin - Recording Secretary

Denise J. Karlin is an attorney who is Senior Legal Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, who is eagerly looking forward to retirement in the winter of 2022 after working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for 35 years. Denise and her husband Bill Jarosz have been members of Temple Ohabei Shalom since 2010. Denise has served on the Temple’s Board of Trustees since 2012 and has served as President of the TOS Sisterhood since 2016. Denise has also served on numerous Temple committees over the years and currently serves on Ritual Worship, Inclusion, and Kayla’s Caring Community. Denise and Bill live in Brookline with their miniature poodle Luna, and their cat Tony.

Sarah Hanley

Term Ending 2024

Originally from Maine, Sarah moved to Boston after high school to attend Emerson College. She works in digital marketing/analytics, and loves traveling and dog-sitting. Sarah has been a Jamaica Plain resident for the past 10 years where she now lives with her wife and turtle. She has volunteered for organizations such as GLAD, Community Servings, and IFF Boston, and is excited to serve the TOS community.

Alisa Kahn Ridruejo

Term Ending 2024

With 24 year of experience in Marketing and Business Development for local architectural firms, Alisa currently works at studioMLA Architects in Brookline Village. A Brookline resident for 16 years and mother of a 9-year-old son, she is active on the Runkle School PTO helping with the Annual Fund and popular events such as the Halloween Fair. Other former longtime volunteer positions include serving on the alumni boards of The Winsor School and Wesleyan University among others. She and her family enjoy biking, skiing, sailing, cooking, volunteering and hosting parties! 

Rachel Miller Munzer

Term Ending 2024

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rachel moved to Boston, where her roots were, in the mid 90’s. During the day Rachel works in the restaurant business. At night she comes home to Brookline where she live with her husband Alon and their two daughters Mira and Golda. They joined TOS in 2011, introduced by the Trust Center, and are so thankful to have this community in their lives.

Michelle Simon

Term Ending 2024

Michelle Simon grew up in the Southwest and moved to Boston to attend Boston University.  Subsequently she attended Simmons College and earned a Masters Degree in Behavior Analysis and Assistive Technology.  Michelle is a preschool special education teacher at Newton Public Schools.  She has been a member of Temple Ohabei Shalom since 2018.  Michelle is a mother to two boys, Judah and Jack.

Jeff Berry

Term Ending 2025

Jeff Berry and his wife Lori, residents of Brookline, have been members of Temple Ohabei Shalom since 2015. An avid traveler, Jeff had hosted the planning team for the synagogue’s trip to Israel before the COVID pandemic caused the trip to be cancelled. Jeff is a Professor at Tufts with a distinguished career of research, writing, and teaching in the university’s Political Science Department. His research has focused on policymaking in Washington, interest groups, Massachusetts politics, nonprofits, and urban government. Jeff’s non-profit board experience includes having been Treasurer and Chairman of the Massachusetts/New England chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Leigha Cuniberti

Term Ending 2026

Leigha and her family joined TOS in the fall of 2017. Leigha and her husband Andy have two children; Josh and Zach. Josh had his bar mitzvah at TOS in November 2020 and Zach will have his bar mitzvah at TOS in May. Leigha served on the Nominating Committee in the spring of 2021 and on the Rabbi Search Committee in the fall of 2021. She joined other TOS members for tree planting last spring, sung in the chorus for the temple’s fall concert, and most recently had fun singing in the chorus for the Purim Shpiel. Leigha left her job as a clinical data manager when Josh turned one and since then has done a lot of volunteer work, usually at her sons’ schools, including sitting on school council, co-chairing the community service team, and helping organize the school book fair.

Jonathan Kerner

Term Ending 2026

Jonathan and his wife, Jennifer, have been part of the TOS community since 2015, when their first of three children enrolled in the toddler room at TCEE. Since that time, Jonathan and has family have relished being members of the TOS community, having participated in many Shabbat B’yachads, Shul-ins, and other TOS community events. Jonathan originally hails from NY. He graduated from Yale University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and MIT with an MS in Aeronautical Engineering, and has worked as an engineer in the aerospace and energy industries for about 20 years. Jonathan currently works for GE Aerospace on jet and helicopter engine design. He is honored to be considered for a role on the TOS Board and is hoping to contribute on physical plant and security issues, where he can leverage his technical acumen and expertise.

Stephanie Kohn

Term Ending 2026

Having always been appreciative of the values of Judaism, Stephanie Perrotti Kohn officially converted in 2001. The Jewish tradition appeals to her as it holds individuals accountable for their actions, in the words of Fyodor Dostoevsky, “here on this earth”.  Stephanie and her husband David have been members of Temple Ohabei since they went shul shopping in 2014 so their sons, Caleb & Elio, could start their own journey. The warm and welcoming culture, across all backgrounds and perspectives, that they experienced upon even the first visit to TOS is what made them decide to join this community. After attending ARS, Caleb became a bar mitzvah– one of the first “Zoomitzvahs”– in May 2020, and Elio just this past November. The nonjudgment and creative, pragmatic environment TOS is known for is one of the reasons why Stephanie goes outside her comfort zone each year to participate in the Purim Shpiel. The Kohn family is grateful to have a deep connection with the clergy and staff at TOS as well as many other member families.
Outside of TOS involvement, Stephanie leads Marketing for a healthcare company in the diabetes space. Her expertise is in building brands and, ultimately, customer loyalty. She has an appetite for solving problems across industries affected by disruption– from health care and travel, to media and financial services; and a track record of reinventing the status quo to bring a vision to market in a scrappy way with optimal results.

Fawn Phelps

Term Ending 2026

Fawn, her husband (Michael Mittelman), daughter, and son have been members of TOS since 2017. Fawn and Michael’s children attended ARS and both became b-mitzvah at TOS. She is deeply grateful for the community of support and connection her interfaith family has experienced at TOS. She celebrates the thoughtful work done by those before and those currently leading TOS to create a home under the dome for all who want to connect to Judaism and live the value of tikkun olam. Professionally, Fawn is an Instructor at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) with a focus on leadership development and systems-level change grounded in dismantling systems of oppression. Previous to HSPH, Fawn had a 15-year legislative and regulatory advocacy career leading campaigns to improve the well-being of low-income and underrepresented populations.