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

Leo Spiegel

Chair, Board of Directors

JCF Involvement:

  • Audit Committee
  • Board Advancement Committee
  • Charitable Real Estate Fund Committee
  • Donor Engagement Committee
  • Endowments and Grants Committee
  • Endowment Leadership Institute Committee
  • Executive Committee, Chair
  • 50th Anniversary Committee
  • Finance and Systems Committee
  • Human Resources Committee
  • Investment 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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Janet Acheatel

Chair Elect

JCF Involvement:

  • ELI Committee
  • Executive Committee, Vice Chair
  • Investment Committee, Chair
  • Jewish Women’s Foundation Leadership Council

Other Community Boards:

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

Professional Affiliation:

  • HoyleCohen, Senior Wealth Advisor
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Elaine Chortek

JCF Involvement:

  • Endowments and Grants Committee
  • ELI Committee
  • Jewish Women’s Foundation

Other Community Boards:

  • Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center
  • Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Legacy Committee

Professional Affiliation:

  • Community Volunteer
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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:

  • The 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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Elaine Galinson

JCF Involvement:

  • Jewish Women’s Foundation
  • Past Foundation Board Member
  • Philanthropy Committee

 Other Community Boards:

  • Past Jewish Federation Board Member
  • National JDC Board Member
  • Past Chair of UCSD Foundation
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Jerry Gumpel

JCF Involvement:

  • Finance 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

JCF Involvement:

  • Human Resources Committee
  • Finance Committee

Other Community Boards:

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

Professional Affiliation:

  • Caliber Associates, CEO
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Joan Jacobs

Vice Chair

JCF Involvement:

  • Board Advancement Committee, Chair
  • Executive Committee, Vice Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • San Diego Symphony Foundation, Chair
  • Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Chair of International Collectors Committee and Member of Accessions Committee
  • San Diego Opera, Member of Dow Divas
  • UCSD Friends of the Stuart Collection, Chair
  • La Jolla Playhouse, Executive and Nominating Committee

Professional Affiliation:

  • Arts Advocate
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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 Committee

Other Community Boards:

  • Congregation Beth Am Men’s Club

Professional Affiliation:

  • Morrison & Foerster LLP, Attorney
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Michael Levinson

Secretary

JCF Involvement:

  • Executive Committee, Assistant Treasurer
  • Endowments and Grants Committee
  • Finance and Systems Committee
  • Human Resources Committee, Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • Congregation Beth El, Past Treasurer
  • United Jewish Federation, Campaign Chair UJA National Young Leadership Cabinet
  • La Jolla Playhouse, Past Board Member

Professional Affiliation:

  • Partner at Cooley LLP
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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

Professional Affiliation:

  • Ampla Holdings, President and CEO
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Allen Reibman

Treasurer

JCF Involvement:

  • Executive Committee, Treasurer
  • Finance and Systems Committee, Chair

Professional Affiliation:

  • Reibman & Company, President
  • McGladrey, Former Managing Director
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Danielle Rugoff

Information to come.

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Barbara Sherman

JCF Involvement:

  • Philanthropy Committee, Co-Chair
  • Jewish Women’s Foundation

Other Community Boards:

  • Lawrence Family JCC, Past Board and Executive Committee Member
  • Jewish Federation, Past Board and Executive Committee Member
  • Women’s Division, Campaign Chair and President, National Executive Committee

Professional Affiliation:

  • Former Educator
  • Former Women’s Division Director, Campaign Director and Major Gifts Officer for the Jewish Federation of San Diego County
  • Former Area Director for AIPAC
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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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Brian Tauber

Federation Representative

JCF Involvement:

  • Executive Committee, Federation Representative
  • Previous Foundation Board Member

Other Community Boards:

  • The Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Chair

   Professional Affiliation:

  • CPP Global, Chief Executive Officer and President
  • C Enterprises, L.P., President and Chief Executive Officer
Portrait

Alan Viterbi

Information to come.

Portrait

Kevin Wechter

JCF Involvement:

  • ELI Legacy Donor

Other Community Boards:

  • The 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
Portrait

Ellen Whelan

JCF Involvement:

  • Endowments and Grants Committee
  • Human Resources Committee
  • Professional Advisors Council, Current Member and Former Chair

Other Community Boards:

  • San Diego Museum of Art, Board of Trustees, Officer and Executive Committee
  • UCSD, Planned Giving Executive Committee
  • YMCA, Gift Planning Advisors Council

Professional Affiliation:

  • Attorney with DLA Piper, Partner specializing in Estate Planning