Board of Directors

The Foundation adheres to the highest standards of governance with a strong commitment to financial security, full transparency and accountability.

The Foundation is led by a volunteer Board of Directors including highly qualified leaders from around the region. The Board oversees a strong committee structure involving a diverse group of volunteers. The Foundation’s Board provides stewardship and management for all contributed funds. Serving without compensation, Board members approve grants, monitor investment performance and the budget, review compensation of senior staff members, and oversee the operations of the Foundation.

The Foundation’s financial statements are audited annually by an independent public accounting firm. The audited financial statements are available on our Web site and for public inspection at the offices of the Foundation. The Foundation’s operating expenses remain efficient compared to other foundations of our size.

The Foundation has established an Ethics Policy, a Conflict of Interest Policy, and a Confidentiality Policy, which adhere to the highest level of best practices.

Individually, the men and women who comprise the Board represent the San Diego Jewish community’s most distinguished and experienced civic and business leaders.

Portrait

Janet Acheatel

Chair, Board of Directors

JCF Involvement:

  • Audit Committee
  • Board Advancement Committee
  • Charitable Real Estate Fund Committee
  • Endowment Leadership Institute Committee
  • Executive Committee, Chair
  • Finance and Systems Committee
  • Foundation Fund Committee
  • Human Resources Committee
  • Investment Committee
  • Jewish Women’s Foundation Leadership Council
  • Trusted Charitable Advisor Program Graduate

Other Community Boards:

  • Congregation Beth Israel, ALEINU Committee
  • Hillel of San Diego

Professional Affiliation:

  • HoyleCohen, Senior Wealth Advisor
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Leo Spiegel

Immediate Past Chair

JCF Involvement:

  • Board Advancement Committee
  • Executive Committee, Immediate Past Chair
  • Foundation Fund Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • Trustee of the UC San Diego Foundation, Chair of Development Committee
  • Dean’s Advisory Council, Rady School of Management at UCSD

Professional Affiliation:

  • Mission Ventures, Managing Partner
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Tina Beranbaum

JCF Involvement:

  • Board Advancement Committee
  • Jewish Women’s Foundation, Former Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, Past Board Member
  • The Kroc School for Peace Studies at the University of San Diego, Past Board Member

Professional Affiliation:

  • Centauric, Founding Principal and CEO
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David Bramzon

Jewish Federation Representative

JCF Involvement:

  • Board Advancement Committee
  • Executive Committee, Federation Representative

Other Community Boards:

  • Jewish Federation of San Diego County,
    Board Chair
  • Jewish Federations of North America National Young Leadership Cabinet, Member
  • AIPAC National Council and AIPAC New Leadership Network, Member
  • AIPAC San Diego Council, Past Chair
  • Emerging Leaders at Jewish Family Service,
    Past Board Co-Chair
  • ADL’s Glass Leadership Institute, Past Board
    Co-Chair

Professional Affiliation:

  • Commercial Real Estate
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Debby Cushman-Parrish

JCF Involvement:

  • Finance and Systems Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • Girl Scouts of San Diego, Council Board Director

Professional Affiliation:

  • Selma Investments and Cush Enterprises, Director
  • The Cushman Foundation, Secretary and Treasurer
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Paul Datnow

JCF Involvement:

  • Charitable Real Estate Fund Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • Federation, Past Board Member

Professional Affiliation:

  • Qualcomm, Senior Legal Counsel
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Theresa Dupuis

JCF Involvement:

  • Endowment Leadership Institute Committee
  • Previous Foundation Board Member

Other Community Boards:

  • Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Board Member, Past Chair, and Women’s Philanthropy Board Member
  • San Diego Jewish Academy
  • Save a Child’s Heart

Professional Affiliation:

  • Human Resources Manager
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Jessica Effress

JCF Involvement:

  • Jewish Women’s Foundation, Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Past Young Adult Division Co-Chair, Lion of Judah Endowment Chair, Options Chair, and Leadership Development Chair
  • San Diego Jewish Academy, Past Trustee and Development Chair

Professional Affiliation:

  • San Diego JDC Impact Network, Co-Founder
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Ronald A. Friedman

JCF Involvement:

  • Finance and Systems Committee, Chair

Professional Affiliation:

  • PKF, CPA Tax Partner – Estates and Trusts Department
  • Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Personal Financial Specialist (PFS)
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Graeme Gabriel

Vice Chair

JCF Involvement:

  • Audit Committee, Chair
  • Executive Committee, Vice Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • Congregation Beth El

Professional Affiliation:

  • ColRich, Chief Operating Officer
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Jerry Gumpel

JCF Involvement:

  • Finance and Systems Committee
  • Professional Advisor Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • San Diego County Bar Association, Member
  • State Bar of California, Member
  • Regional Board of the Anti-Defamation League, National Commissioner and Former Chairman

Professional Affiliation:

  • Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLC, Partner
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Steve Hochberg

Secretary

JCF Involvement:

  • Executive Committee, Secretary
  • Human Resources Committee, Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • Congregation Beth Am, Former President
  • Scripps Research Institute, Advisory Board

Professional Affiliation:

  • Caliber Associates, CEO
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Roberto Jinich

Other Community Boards:

  • San Diego Jewish Academy, Past President

Professional Affiliation:

  • Paragon Real Estate Investments, Principal
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Shai Kalansky

JCF Involvement:

  • Finance and Systems Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • Congregation Beth Am Men’s Club

Professional Affiliation:

  • Morrison & Foerster LLP, Attorney
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Jennifer Levitt

JCF Involvement:

  • Jewish Family Service Foundation Member
  • Jewish Women’s Foundation

Other Community Boards:

  • Jewish Family Service
  • The Jewish Federation of San Diego County
  • Women Give San Diego, Grants Leadership Team
  • Planned Parenthood, Philanthropy Committee
  • Francis Parker, Board of Trustees

Professional Affiliation:

  • Former Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Sociology at UCSD
Portrait

Craig Misrach

JCF Involvement:

  • Investment Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • Aculief Inc.
  • DME Innovations
  • Poppy Capital

Professional Affiliation:

  • Ampla Holdings, President and CEO
  • Poppy Capital, Managing Director
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Andy Ratner

Assistant Treasurer

JCF Involvement:

  • Board Advancement Committee
  • Executive Committee, Assistant Treasurer
  • Investment Committee, Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • National Conflict Resolution Center
  • United Jewish Federation, Finance Committee

Professional Affiliation:

  • RKG Wealth Management, Senior Vice President
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Lawrence Sherman

General Counsel

JCF Involvement:

  • Audit Committee
  • Board Advancement Committee
  • Charitable Real Estate Fund Committee
  • Executive Committee, General Counsel
  • 50th Anniversary Committee
  • Human Resources Committee
  • Past President

Other Community Boards:

  • Beth El Foundation, Chair
  • Jewish Family Service Foundation
  • Jewish Federation of San Diego, Past President

Professional Affiliation:

  • Of Counsel to Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith
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Russell Silberstein

Other Community Boards:

  • San Diego Jewish Academy, Vice President of the Board of Trustees

Professional Affiliation:

  • Carmel Capital Partners, LLC, Founder and Principal
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Alan Viterbi

Vice Chair

JCF Involvement:

  • Beth El Endowment Foundation, President
  • Executive Committee, Vice Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • San Diego Jewish Academy, Past President
  • Congregation Beth El, Past President
  • AIPAC, Past San Diego Council Chair
  • City of West Hollywood, Former Mayor

Professional Affiliation:

  • Liquid Environmental Solutions, CEO
Portrait

Kevin Wechter

JCF Involvement:

  • Foundation Fund Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Board Member and Chair of Young Adult Division
  • La Jolla Country Day School, Board of Trustees, Executive Committee and Chair of Buildings and Grounds Committee
  • La Jolla YMCA, Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Chair of Buildings and Grounds Committee

Professional Affiliation:

  • PacVentures, Principal and President