she/her ~ Amee has been working as a Jewish Educator in the Seattle area for over 30 years. She has taught almost every age group from first grade to adults, and before returning to Hillel in July of 2015, she served on the faculty at the Seattle Jewish Community School for 13 years. She has her BA in Jewish Studies and her Masters in Education, both from UW. Amee is delighted to be back at Hillel at the University of Washington, where she was the program director for three years in the early nineties, and the Acting Director when Rabbi Dan Bridge took a sabbatical in 1995. Amee is married and has two adult children. She is a fan of all things purple (Go Huskies!) and has been known to find the best deals in town because she loves coupons and sales. She always has a good stash of chocolate in her office so stop by and say hello!

she/her ~ Terri is an established leader in the field of advancement where she has dedicated her energies for over 25 years. Her professional focus has been on supporting non-profit organizations with successful grassroots, community building and major donor campaigns. Since 2015, Terri has served on Hillel UW’s Leadership Team and has been instrumental in building Hillel’s community focused fundraising events, High Holiday Services and Passover Programs. She also mentors interns and enjoys sharing her approach to efficient, outcomes based project management. When not at work, you can find her out with her four fantastic daughters and husband swimming, skiing, hiking and just loving the Pacific Northwest.  She is always available for a good, strong cup of coffee or a walk through campus with Manny, her golden retriever.

she/her ~ Rabbi Lauren Kurland formerly worked as director of student engagement at the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies at the UW, where she was nominated for a James D. Clowes Award for her work connecting cohorts of students with one another and with faculty members to advance learning. She previously worked at American Jewish World Service in New York City, supervising the creation and expansion of materials used on immersive Jewish volunteer programs in the developing world. She treasures Judaism because its wisdom can be applied across time and place; it charges us to take care of one another and our planet; and it invites questions, dialogue and respectful disagreement. Rabbi Lauren loves living in the PNW. An avid walker, she tries to get outside every day, no matter the weather. She is a fan of fair-trade dark chocolate (75% or bust!), PB&J, and Shabbat naps. She has her famous hummus recipe memorized (ask her for it!), and thanks to her days as a former high school trombonist, can blow a mean shofar.

she/her ~ Ellie was born and raised in Rossmoor, California. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach in 2019 with a BA in Human Development, and she was very active in Hillel and SSI. After college, Ellie moved to Houston, Texas to work for Houston Hillel as their Springboard Innovation Fellow. In her two years in Houston, Ellie survived multiple historic floods, hurricanes, and winter freezes, so she is very excited to be back on the West Coast! Ellie has been to Israel several times-- on Birthright, a JNF service trip, as well as with her family for her twin brothers’ B'nai Mitzvah.  Some of her favorite things to do in Israel are relaxing on the beach in Tel Aviv, standing under the waterfalls in Ein Gedi, and eating delicious shawarma.  Besides Israel, Ellie loves going to Yosemite and traveling to new places.  In addition, she likes seeing concerts and shows, hosting game nights, reading, and going to baseball games (go Angels!). Ellie considers herself a Trader Joe’s aficionado, so if you ever need any recommendations, let her know! Ellie is looking forward to connecting with students and creating programs for the school year.

she/her ~ Shiri Neeman was born and raised in Ramat Gan, Israel, a second child out of four. When Shiri was 11, she joined the local scouts and later on volunteered as a guide for 3 years. In high school, Shiri majored in Physics and Computer Science. She then joined the IDF and served her time in the Iron Dome unit, Israeli Air Force.  Shiri was asked to extend her service for 7 more months as a commander in the HQ of the Iron Dome division. Prior to accepting this assignment in Seattle, Shiri worked as a field coordinator for Birthright (Taglit). Shiri loves to spend time with family and friends (that she will miss!) and also travel and experience new cultures.  She is happy to walk the streets of London but also visit the magnificent castles of Rajasthan, India. But more than anything she loves food! Shiri is excited to represent Israel and introduce her home culture to our UW students!

she/her ~ Born and raised in sunny Tucson, Arizona, Audrey recently relocated to the Pacific Northwest after graduating from Northern Arizona University with a double bachelors’ in Communication Studies and Modern Languages (Parlez-vous français?). Her most formative experiences to-date include volunteering with various NGOs aiding refugees in Greece, and working at Flagstaff Shelter Services to bring services to unsheltered neighbors. She is looking forward to living near the ocean for the first time, and to exploring the coffee shops, bookstores, and museums of Seattle.

she/her ~ Born in Louisiana, Ashley has also lived in Arkansas; London, England; and Washington, D.C. She is excited to be in the Pacific Northwest for the first time. Ashley completed her undergraduate degree at Arkansas State University and her graduate studies in International Relations at King’s College London. She has previously worked in open source research and at a tech startup. She loves hiking and camping, concerts, reading, and traveling. She also loves Talmud study, reserving a week every summer for Queer Talmud Camp. Her favorite holiday is Shavuot and she is currently on the hunt for the best bagel spot in Seattle. Babka is one of her favorite foods and she bakes her own challah for Shabbat every week. Her favorite sports are dog sled racing and hockey - she’s very excited for the debut of the Kraken and will definitely be attending a game this season. Ashley is excited to meet the Jconnect community and get to know Seattle!

Jonathan is a lifelong resident of NE Seattle and has been active in Jewish communal affairs his entire adult life. A graduate of Colby College in Waterville, ME, (where he was president of Hillel during his senior year!), a student at the WUJS Institute in Arad, Israel, and a camper at Camp Solomon Schechter in Tumwater, WA, he spent 27 years working in medical group administration in the Seattle area. Jonathan loves to travel –  to Israel, France and all around Washington State – and takes great pride in the growing number of Jews, synagogues, and Jewish communal institutions in the Puget Sound area. In addition to his two grown sons and his 30 year marriage to his wife, he is most proud to have guided the opening of the Seattle Jewish Primary School in 1992. Jonathan is passionate about Jewish community, education, identity, observance, and continuity and is excited to help promote these values through Hillel at UW!

she/her ~ Orliyah is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 18 years of experience as a psychotherapist working with adolescents and their families. She is a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP) as well as a nationally registered Art Therapist (AT-R). Since 2004, she has practiced in non-profit setting serving low-income families of Downtown Los Angeles and Brooklyn, NY. By 2012, she had settled into private practice where she saw clients ranging in age from 5 to 75. She holds three permanent licenses to practice in CA, NY and WA state. She has her BA in English with a minor in Biology from the University of California Riverside and her Masters in Psychology from Phillips Graduate University of California. Orliyah lives in Kirkland, WA with her three children, her husband, and their German Shepherd dog, Baxter. She enjoys time with her family, getting outside in the beautiful PNW, skiing/snowboarding in the winters, summer concerts in the park and Shabbat Fridays with her family. To learn about her therapeutic techniques, you can read more about her on her website at www.orliyahmft.com.

Rabbi Dan served as Rabbi and Executive Director of Hillel UW from 1988-2007. He continues to serve as a mentor and leader in the Seattle Jewish and non-profit community.