Alan Sataloff

Chief Executive Office

MARJCC

Alan Sataloff, Chief Executive Officer of the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center in North Miami Beach, Florida grew up in Staten Island, New York. He has a BS from SUNY Brockport and an MSW from Yeshiva University. Alan began his career as a Sports and Fitness instructor, progressing through the Jewish Community Center field, having had the opportunity to live in many places across the U.S during his 44-year JCC career. This includes Houston, Memphis, West Orange, Seattle, Richmond, Palo Alto and Chicago. During this experience, Alan undertook and led the completion of $140M Capital Campaign; has managed the design, construction and/or renovations of several JCCs and has worked with lay leaders and professionals throughout the JCC field. When not tending to JCC matters, Alan and his wife Susan enjoy golfing, cycling, working out and go for walks with their dog, Emi. Alan’s daughter, Laura is a Program Director for the JCC in West Palm, and his son Aaron is the Rabbi at a synagogue in Hollywood, Florida.

Amanda Loveland

CEO

Puzzles and Profits

Amanda brings deep expertise in AI strategy for mission-driven organizations, with a particular focus on JCCs and nonprofits. Her people-first approach to technology integration has helped organizations across North America build AI confidence. Amanda's experience spans custom AI agent development, training design, and change management for teams at every stage of their AI journey. 

Audrey Edwards

JDirect Consultant

Membership, Fitness & Wellness, and Aquatics

As a Professional Consultant with over 25 years of experience, I specialize in providing expert guidance and support to JCC's of North America. My skillset includes Professional Development, Strategic Planning, and Talent Management. I am passionate about helping organizations reach their full potential and thrive in today's competitive environment. My extensive knowledge and experience make me a valuable asset to any organization looking to achieve their goals and objectives. Let's connect to discuss how I can help your organization achieve success!

Avi Melamed

Founder & Chief Education Officer 

Inside The Middle East | ITME

Avi Melamed is a geopolitical Middle East expert, former Israeli Intelligence Official and Senior Advisor on Arab Affairs, author, educator, and Founder and Chief Educational Officer of Inside The Middle East | ITME. Fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, and English, he draws on more than three decades in intelligence, Arab affairs, diplomacy, and education to provide the regional context needed to understand Israel and today’s Middle East. He is the author of three books, including Inside the Middle East | Entering a New Era, and creator and host of The Seam Line, a five-part docuseries exploring Jerusalem through its Jewish and Arab communities. Avi’s work is grounded in a foundational principle: To Understand Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, and the Palestinians, We Must Understand The Middle East. Through apolitical Middle East education, intelligence-based critical thinking and media literacy tools, and regional perspectives often absent from Western discourse, he helps people move beyond headlines, slogans, and polarized narratives. An educator, not an advocate, Avi teaches people how to think, not what to think. Since 2023, ITME’s partnership with JCC Association has brought Avi’s approach to scores of communities across North America, engaging diverse audiences across generations, backgrounds, political perspectives, religious identities, levels of knowledge, and relationships with Israel. Through EDUCATE. EQUIP. EMPOWER., ITME equips professionals and lay leaders to navigate complexity, lead constructive conversations, and build bridges across divides.

Dr. Jael Toledo

MS MFT

A therapist specializing in supporting women, couples, and families to overcome emotional and personal challenges. With over 10 years of experience in psychotherapy and a focus on acceptance, self-connection, and personal growth, my goal is to help you build healthy relationships and a balanced life. Throughout my career, I have guided hundreds of people on their journey to emotional well-being and personal freedom, combining couples therapy techniques, emotional therapy, and my own transformative method, P.A.T.H. Therapy.

Jay Jacobs

CEO

Butler House Consulting

With over 25 years as a non-profit CEO and close to 50 years working for non-profits Jay has decades of experience and demonstrated expertise in leading and improving both non-profits and for-profit agencies/companies. Jay is sought out for his expertise and guidance on customer experience, leadership training, non-profit executive coaching, non-profit turnarounds, facility improvements and building culture. A skilled facilitator, he is known for transforming staff and customer experience, training boards and committees, building staff culture, resolving complex organizational issues and working with leaders to create effective plans for growth and change. As a CEO Jay has led multiple agencies through an unprecedented period of growth and has been honored to work with amazing teams. Jay was born and raised in Pittsburgh (a die-hard Steelers fan) and a graduate of Penn State University. He loves the outdoors, has done multiple desert survivals, run over 50 half marathons and currently lives in Arizona.

Lital Dayan

Professional Development Associate

Sheva Center Talent

Lital Dayan is the professional development associate for the Sheva Center at JCC Association of North America. She previously served as a classroom educator, curriculum director, and assistant director at the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches, Florida, for 11 years. More recently, she was the shinshinim South Florida hub director for the Jewish Agency for Israel. Dayan holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts in Tel-Aviv, Israel. She is a recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education from the Friedman Commission for Jewish Education. Originally from Israel, Dayan lives with her family in Florida.

Mark S .Young

Vice President

Center for Talent Development

Mark S. Young is vice president of Talent and the director of JResponse® at JCC Association of North America. He brings more than 20 years of experience in leadership, program development, and talent strategy in nonprofit organizations to his roles, having gained much of it in previous positions with the Willam Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), Episcopal Social Services of New York, the 92nd Street Y, and the Mandel JCC in Cleveland, Ohio.

Nicole Erdfrocht

Senior Director, Philanthropic Engagement

Greater Miami Jewish Federation

Nicole serves as Senior Director of Philanthropic Engagement at the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, where she engages young couples and families through philanthropy, leadership, and Jewish community. Her current role builds on a decade-long career at Federation, including seven years leading its Young Leadership Division. In 2024, she was selected for the inaugural cohort of JFNA’s Executive Accelerator, designed for mid-career Jewish communal professionals growing toward executive leadership. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Event Management from the University of Central Florida, with a minor in Hospitality Management, and a Master’s degree from the Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management. Nicole is also the creator of Aggressively Jewish, a digital platform celebrating Jewish pride, joy, identity, community, and Israel through storytelling, education, travel, and humor. Her connection to the JCC world is lifelong: her father has worked at the JCC for her entire life, and Nicole grew up immersed in JCC life herself—from holding leadership roles in Maccabi Tzair and countless youth group sleepovers to even celebrating her Bat Mitzvah at the JCC. Those experiences played an important role in shaping her Jewish identity and her passion for building joyful, connected Jewish community.

Rabbi Daniel Septimus

Incoming Executive Director

Center for Jewish Peoplehood

A fifth-generation Houstonian, Rabbi Septimus has been in Austin since 2014, serving as Texas Hillel Executive Director for just over two years and now as CEO of Shalom Austin since September 2016, the hub of Jewish life in Central Texas. Before coming to Austin, Rabbi Septimus served at Temple De Hirsch Sinai, the largest Jewish congregation in the Pacific Northwest for seven years as Associate Rabbi and Director of Congregation Learning where he brought a holistic approach to congregational learning. Rabbi Septimus graduated from Tulane University in 2002 and was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2007. He has also been awarded the prestigious Hartman and Schusterman Fellowships.

Veronica Maravakin

Vice President

Sheva Center, Engagement in Innovation in Early Childhood Education

Veronica Maravankin is vice president of the Sheva Center for Innovation in Early Childhood Jewish Education and Engagement at JCC Association of North America. She previously served as the early childhood director at the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches, Florida, for 12 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Club Nautico Hacoaj in Argentina, and a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. One of the original architects of the Sheva Early Learning Framework, she served as a member of the Sheva faculty for over four years. More recently, Maravankin launched her own consultancy to mentor and support educators and directors in an array of areas including values-based practice, fiscal responsibility, strategic planning, and donor and board relations. She is a native of Argentina.