Leadership Coordinating Council

The Leadership Coordinating Council (LCC) was created in 2020 under revised Temple Bylaws. It is composed of representatives of Brotherhood, Beth El Women, and all committees and task forces from across the Temple community. Below is a list of current representatives. LCC meets 3-4 times each year, joined by a clergy representative, the executive director, and one or more Board officers. The Council forms an important conduit for dialogue, information, and exchange of best practices to ensure that our policies, investments, and activities best align with our needs. For additional information, reach out to Marla Becker, Chair of the Council.

Mission Statement:

To advance the shared Jewish values and goals of the Peninsula Temple Beth El community through coordinated activity and transparent communication among the Affinity Groups, committees, task forces, lay leadership, clergy, and staff.

Vision:

The members of the Leadership Coordinating Council will build on the existing strengths of the PTBE community by engaging in open, constructive interaction.

• We will create opportunities for Participants to educate, inform and support each other regarding activities and matters of common interest.

• We will respect the distinctive functions of the LCC members, and while the LCC is neither a policy making body nor does it have oversight responsibility over the any of the respective Participants, we will make a constructive contribution to the policy making process in our congregation.

• We will promote and encourage meaningful collaboration among the LCC members.

• We will engage in thoughtful and respectful communications and messaging among each other and with the congregation.

Our work will result in a more active and engaged community.

Current Membership:

Randi is the Chief Executive Officer of Peninsula Bridge. She has played a major role in transforming that organization into a highly impactful and professional enterprise over the last decade. Randi was the Director of Development and Marketing at Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, founded Girls 360, and was a successful non-profit, political, and foundation consultant.

She has served on the Board of UpStart and the Federation Committee relating to allocations for Israel.

Randi graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Randi’s husband Drew Lieberman is a former Board member at PTBE. Their three children celebrated their B’nai Mitzvahs and confirmations at Beth El. Randi went to Camp Swig and BCI in Southern California. She lived in Israel during her senior year of high school and her junior year of college.

Eliot has lived in California all his life. Eliot and his wife joined PTBE after moving to the Peninsula in 1994. They raised two children. Both children became a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at PTBE and attended classes through Confirmation. In Eliot’s free time he enjoys traveling, spending time with his kids, family, and friends, and making and teaching others how to braid challah.

Eliot received his undergraduate degree in Economics from UCLA, an MBA from San Francisco State University, and has a Certified Treasury Professional certification. Eliot has worked at Stanford University for over 23 years and is currently the Assistant Treasurer for Debt Management. Prior to working at Stanford, he worked in accounting and finance for a major retailer, a large real estate developer, and URJ Camp Swig.

Hillary joined PTBE in 2015 with her husband (Pete) and two children (Shayna and Noah). Hillary became involved with Sunday Sandwich Hevre (SSH) during Covid. She enjoyed making meals at home with her family and loved how SSH offered a meaningful way to stay connected and give back. Hillary started co-leading SSH with Deena Bertolina in January 2023 and is passionate about making meals with our awesome PTBE community and feeding our neighbors in need.

Hillary is a Southern California native and has called the Bay Area home since 2000. She studied at UC Santa Cruz and after graduating spent a year teaching and providing community service in Israel on Project Otzma. Hillary leaned into her Jewish identity in Israel and worked for Hillel at UC Santa Cruz upon her return. Hillary's professional focus has been environmental education. Hillary was the Director of Volunteers for Environmental Volunteers, a nonprofit based in Palo Alto providing natural science education and field trips to schools in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. In 2008, Hillary founded Wonderbug Adventures and began offering hands-on natural science exploration to toddlers and their families in San Francisco and Burlingame. During Covid, Hillary stopped teaching and now spends her time volunteering, hiking with her dog, learning with her Rosh Chodesh group and playing pickleball.

Wendi was born and raised in Los Angeles county, living in Los Angeles itself after graduating from Pomona College in 1989 with a BA in English Literature.  She ended up wearing many hats working for a software company, and met her future husband Tony at a gathering of friends in the LA area.  Wendi and Tony moved to Northern California in 1995 and were married the following year.   We joined PTBE in 2008 after taking our daughters (Nora and Sabrina)  to Tot Shabbat for about a year.  They participated in PTBE's religious education including the Gesher program and both became Bat Mitzvah at PTBE. 

Wendi has been involved in interfaith activities at PTBE since 2017.  She enjoys being a part of the IFC committee and getting to know people from other faith communities.  In her spare time she enjoys reading, participating in book discussions, and going to plays, concerts, and movies with family and friends.

Jeff joined PTBE in 2006 with his wife (Juliette) and then-three month old daughter Emma, later joined by sister Abigail (Abby). Both Emma and Abby enrolled at Ganon Infant Day Care and from there graduated into PTBE's religious school, celebrated their b'not mitzvah at PTBE and were subsequently confirmed there. As the girls became older and more independent, Jeff found his way to the PTBE Brotherhood, serving first as Vice President and now President. Jeff loves connecting with the men of PTBE and making new friends.

Although born in Richmond County, New York, Jeff has called the Bay Area home since 1997, where he helped run the young adults group at Congregation Beth Sholom (YABS!). In that capacity, he oversaw monthly Shabbat dinners that fed nearly 300 Jewish young adults. He graduated from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and from Duke University School of Law in Durham, North Carolina. After graduating from law school, Jeff and Juliette relocated to the Peninsula to begin their family. In his free time (!), Jeff enjoys photography and musical theater.

Sherry grew up in New Jersey. After graduating from SUNY Stony Brook with a BA in Economics, she worked for ten years as a bond broker on Wall Street. Then she happily relocated to the Bay Area after meeting her husband Brian on a Jewish singles ski trip in Big Sky, Montana. Sherry currently works as a Clinical Research Coordinator, conducting Clinical Trials for Allergy and Asthma drugs.

Sherry’s sons, Josh, Adam, and Jonah, all became bar mitzvah at PTBE. Sherry has been a parent and supporter of the Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School, as well as a previous board member at PTBE. Sherry is also a proud co-chair on the planning committee of the North Peninsula Yom HaShoah annual commemoration. Passionate about building and nurturing community, Sherry is honored and excited to co-chair the Engagement Committee with Jessica Rosenberg.

Steve grew up in Montville, New Jersey and became bar mitzvah at the Pine Brook Jewish Center. He attended a Jewish summer camp in Pennsylvania and participated in a seven-week Jewish teen leadership program in Israel. The trip included three weeks of living and working on Kibbutz Or HaNer, travelling throughout the country for three more weeks, and finally one week of educational training in Tel Aviv. Steve attended the University of Pennsylvania for his undergraduate degree, worked in lingerie manufacturing in Hong Kong, and then graduated from Harvard Business School before moving to the Bay Area. Steve is an owner of San Francisco Soup Company and Ladle & Leaf restaurants. Currently, he is also on the board of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and the California Restaurant Association. You can find his matzoh ball soup at Mollie Stone’s and Piazza’s.

Steve is married to Erica Park, who is a clinical scientist at Genentech, and has four children — Sam, 21, who became bar mitzvah at PTBE in 2016 and attends Rice University; Zachary and Jacob, 19, who became b’nai mitzvah in 2018 and attend Rice University and Brandeis respectively; and Eliana, 17, who became bat mitzvah in 2020 and attends Design Tech High School. Steve enjoys skiing with the kids in the winter, playing tennis with them in the summer and, of course, cooking with/for them all year.

Nancy Schneider grew up in San Francisco and returned to the Bay Area with her husband, Rick Wysong, in 1995. They joined Peninsula Temple Beth El in 1999, where their daughters, Rebecca and Katie, celebrated their b'not mitzvah, continued through Confirmation, and also served as Madrichim. Nancy celebrated her Adult B'nai Mitzvah at PTBE in 2016.

Nancy has been actively involved at PTBE for more than 20 years. She served on the Education Committee, helped establish Tikkun Adamah (the Green Team) in 2010, and helped launch Rodfei Tzedek in 2017, where she continues to serve on the leadership team. She also lead the effort to install solar panels on PTBE's roof and enjoys working with others to advance social justice and environmental stewardship within the congregation.

Nancy earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UC Davis and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Northwestern University. As a Fulbright Scholar, she studied transportation planning in Germany before working for several transportation organizations. For more than 20 years, she has been a volunteer and advocate for climate solutions, affordable housing, and voting rights, and is currently on the campaign team for the Religious Action Center of California.

Originally from San Carlos, Alissa grew up and became bat mitzvah at PTBE, and she and her husband Michael Feeney became members in 2017. They live in San Mateo with their three daughters, Ambrocia, Michaela, and Cordelia, who participate in PTBE’s education programs. Alissa enjoys meeting and connecting with PTBE families, and she joined the Education Committee in 2024 to work with others on increasing engagement and strengthening community.

Since 2003, Alissa has taught English and reading intervention at Sequoia High School, where she has also held various leadership positions. Additionally, she has been a part-time lecturer in Notre Dame de Namur’s teacher credential program since 2018. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA and a master’s degree in education from Stanford University.

Judy joined PTBE with her husband Brian soon after their infant son began attending Ganon. Their children, Jeremy and Jessica, grew up at PTBE in the education program, later becoming B’nai Mitzvot and then Madrichim during their High School years. Judy served on the Education Committee and has held various BEW leadership positions including President. She believes that her involvement in various volunteer roles has enriched her experiences and connections within the PTBE community.

Judy is currently co-chair of the North Peninsula Yom HaShoah Commemoration Planning Committee. Professionally, she worked in the Jewish Community for over 18 years. She is currently in a finance role at Peninsula School in Menlo Park.

Judy looks forward to working alongside the newly emerging BEW Leadership Team to engage PTBE women in a variety of programs and to foster meaningful connections with one other.
Website: https://www.ptbe.org/community-beth-el-women