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Leadership

Leadership Contact Info, Meeting Zoom Links  &  Committee Meeting Schedule can be found under the Members tab when signed in.
 
 
Kol Rinah Board Officers serving through 2026
President   Barbara Shamir 
Chair of the Board   Gary Kodner
VP Communications   Joel Schwartz 
VP Leadership Development   Dan Rosenthal 
VP Funding Development  Lvav Spector
VP Facilities   Helene Mathis
VP Membership/Engagement Laura Chaise
VP Programming   Elisa Israel
Secretary   Beth Rubin
Treasurer   Marc Spector 
 
Board Directors serving through 2025
Richard Gavatin, Zachary Leeds, Ron Portman, Gavriel Savit-Woods
Board Directors serving through 2026
Mark Alper, Stephen Davis, Golda Cohen, Joe Kavanaugh, Rena Munster, Jalna Papour
Board Directors serving through 2027
Denise Field, Brett Fox, Ben Igielnik, Sherri Sadon
 
Auxiliary Board Representatives serving through 2027
Sisterhood  Deborah Finkelstein
Brotherhood  Morris Finkelstein
Past Presidents  Randi Mozenter
 
Ritual Leaders
Rabbi   Noah Arnow
Ba’al Koreh  Jonathan Belsky
Rabbis Emeriti   Mark Fasman, Mordecai Miller, Benson Skoff zt”l
 
Staff
Executive Director   Stacey Hudson
Executive Assistant   Nancy Greene
Director of Operations & Finance   Meir Zimand  
Experiential Learning Specialist  Karen Kern
Facilities / Maintenance   Octavio Vargas- Norwood Janitorial
 
Education
KoREH Religious School Director  Cindy Kalachek  
Experiential Learning Specialist  Karen Kern
Early Childhood Center Director   Liz Collins
 
Auxiliary Groups
Brotherhood President   Bob Olshan
Sisterhood President   Micki Kingsley
Women's Social Group  Cindy Payant
 
Committee Chairs 
Capital Campaign/Development  Elisa Israel, Dan Rosenthal
Chesed   Barbara Bianco, Debbie Igielnik
Communications   Tovah Enger, Joel Schwartz
Community Learning / Interfaith Inclusion Lisa Schlesinger  
Engagement  Laura Chaise
Executive Committee  Barbara Shamir
Facilities   Dave Cooperstein
Finance   Zachary Leeds
Halls & Catering   Marsha Birenbaum, Florence Cohn
Israel   Shula Neuman, Rena Munster
Monica Lynne Neidorff Early Childhood Education  Karen Wetmore
Personnel   Michael Besmer
Ritual   Gavriel Savit-Woods
Social Action / Tzedek Team   Becky Mollett
Verein Group   Ralph Graff, Richard Gavatin
 

Barbara ShamirBarbara Shamir

President
Now retired, Barbara was Director of Global Consumer Research, Energizer; formerly Co-Executive Director, Kol Rinah and has held board positions as Chairperson, President and Vice-President of Ritual and Membership. She is currently Co-Chair of Halls and Catering and serves on the ReOpen Task Force. Barbara is the proud spouse/parent/grandparent of Amos Shamir, Marc and Lvav Spector, Claire and Ben Spector, Mrav and Avi Kagan, and Dor and Sivan Kagan.
 

Gary KodnerGary Kodner

Chair of the Board
I started my life in 1955. My family was a member of Shaare Zedek. I am the 3rd of 4 brothers. My parents, Marvin and Sue relocated us to BSKI in 1960, after a merger and relocation to Richmond Heights. My family was affiliated with BSKI up until the time of the merger. My mom worked at BSKI for 17 years as a secretary. I left in 2004 to re join Shaare Zedek. I have had the privilege of serving on the boards and as president of BSKI, Shaare Zedek and now Kol Rinah.
In between somewhere I served as president of the St. Louis Jewish Light and served on the board of the Central Agency for Jewish Education as the chair of the afternoon Hebrew School. I have chaired and participated on numerous committees and task forces. 
 
In my professional life I have been a graphic designer, an illustrator, a painter and an author. In my spare time i study Jewsih genealogy, researching and recording extensive family histories. I have also researched the histories of Shaare Zedek, Brith Sholom, BSKI, and yes, 11 years and counting of Kol Rinah history.
 
 
I am married to my life-time partner, Peggy Nehmen. We have 2 Children, Rachel and Oliver.
Wed, April 30 2025 2 Iyyar 5785