Alena Akselrod is VP, Outreach and Engagement at Leading Edge, where she strengthens connections across the Jewish nonprofit sector and expands access to the organization’s resources, insights and partnerships. 

Alena brings a unique blend of strategic relationship-building, data expertise, and systems thinking to her work. Her portfolio is rooted in problem solving, data storytelling, and thoughtful collaboration.

Alena grew up in Brooklyn after emigrating from the Former Soviet Union in the 1990s. Her passion for working with youth launched her Jewish nonprofit career, spending 13 years supporting Russian-speaking Jewish immigrant families at a JCC in South Brooklyn. She holds an MBA in Nonprofit Management and an MA in Jewish Professional Leadership from Brandeis University. Alena is also an MBTI certified practitioner, a proud Wexner Graduate Fellow & Davidson Scholar, and a JCC Association Merrin Teen Professional Fellow.

Jay Lewis is the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Kansas City.  He is a strategic and dynamic leader with a proven track record of transforming organizations and delivering results. Jay excels at developing relationships, fundraising, building successful teams, and inspiring and motivating others around a shared vision.  

Jay grew up in Kansas City and obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas. He went on to achieve his Masters degree in Jewish Communal Service from the Hornstein Program at Brandeis University. Jay returned to KU and spent 15 years as the KU Hillel Executive Director, transforming it into one of the most successful Hillel’s in the country. Then, for 6 years, Jay was the Vice President and Lead Campus Support Director for Hillel International.

A huge Chiefs, Royals, and Jayhawks fan, Jay and his wife Kim live in Overland Park, KS and are the proud parents of two young adults.

Molly Shuman is the Director of the House of Learning at Lehrhaus in Somerville, MA. She earned an MA in Jewish Professional Leadership from the Hornstein Program and a Social Impact MBA from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Before her current role, Molly held a variety of positions outside the Jewish professional world, including serving as Head of Customer Service and Operations at a small e-commerce company and as a project coordinator at both a tech company and a corporate events company. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. Originally from Needham, MA, Molly now lives in Somerville. Outside of work, she loves exploring new foods, traveling, and spending time with friends’ dogs—at least until she gets one of her own.