Charlene oversees all philanthropy and donor strategies, grant making, programs, and services as well as communications and overall strategic guidance. She also serves as the President and CEO of the Leichtag Foundation. Charlene is known as a creative, nimble, responsive leader. She has substantial experience designing and overseeing innovative programs such as the Jerusalem Model, the International Office for Jerusalem Partnerships, the Hive at Leichtag Commons as well as funder partnerships and consortia such as the Murray Galinson San Diego Israel Initiative, the Israel Emergency Grassroots Response Initiative, the Jews of Color Field Building Initiative and many others.

Charlene is a past recipient of the JJ Greenberg Memorial Award, an international prize given to one outstanding philanthropic professional under the age of 40 each year.

Charlene is a frequent speaker, presenter, and writer about topics pertaining to philanthropy, Jewish community trends, Israel, and social change. She has served on the board of the Jewish Funders Network, the board of Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties, and many committees and councils. Charlene previously spent 18 years working for the Jewish Community Foundation San Diego in increasingly responsible positions including serving as President and CEO of the organization.