Executive Director
Andrea Salwen Kopel
akopel@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9460
Andrea is the leader of the staff team at NCJW NY and as such is responsible for all aspects of organizational management including programming, fundraising, and administration. Andrea comes to NCJW NY with 25 years of experience in non-profit management in New York City. She began her career at the national office of Planned Parenthood, working in communications and media relations. She has since served as Director of Program Services for Citymeals-on-Wheels, serving homebound elderly New Yorkers; V.P. of Community Programs at the non-profit Big Apple Circus, bringing the joy and laughter of the Circus to disadvantaged populations nationwide; and as Executive Director of Room to Grow, providing comprehensive services to families raising babies in poverty. Andrea holds a B.A. from Barnard College and a Master of Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School.
Programs Team
Director of Community Programs
Okwuchi Tracey Onyeuche
oonyeuche@ncjwny.org 646-884-9461
Okwuchi (she/her/her), also addressed as Tracey, oversees the Programs Team and NCJW NY’s community programs, including the Hunger Program, LINC (Lunch, Interaction, Nurturing and Companionship), Council Lifetime Learning, the Back 2 School Store. the Pregnancy Loss Support Program and the Children’s Literacy Program. As a Bronx native, Tracey comes to NCJW NY with over 8 years’ experience doing community work. Tracey began her career in 2012 as an Intern/Program Assistant at New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene for the Cancer Prevention and Control Program. She then transitioned into the Maternal Child Health sector, where she worked to reduce infant mortality rates in Harlem by promoting women’s health and healthy babies. She continued her work in various community-based organizations offering youth development and family support programs , which led to her most recent role as a Community School Director at a DOE Public School in Harlem. Tracey received her B.S from SUNY College at Old Westbury and her Master’s in Public Health from the CUNY School of Public Health at Lehman College.
Social Worker
Letitia Maun
lmaun@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9471
Letitia is the social worker at NCJW NY. She facilitates three support groups, including two bereavement groups for women and men who have lost their spouse/partner and one for caregivers of a spouse/partner with memory impairments or Alzheimer’s. She plans the Council Lifetime Learning’s Healthy Living Series, enlisting guest speakers to address issues on health and well-being, and oversees LINC (Lunch, Interaction, Nurturing and Companionship), a bi-weekly program for people with memory impairment. Letitia also works as a social worker at Lincoln House Outreach. She began her social work career as a medical social worker at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center where she worked for 11 years. Letitia holds a B.A from the University of California at Berkeley , a Master in Education from Teachers College, and a Master of Social Work from Columbia University.
Program and Volunteer Coordinator
Denise Paradiso
denise@ncjwny.org, 212-687-5030 x 0
Denise greets everyone at the Council House front desk, working with Council Lifetime Learning participants on registering for classes, and acting as support with daily activities and events. She is retired from her professional career as a project director in the cosmetics industry and looks forward to using her skills in this new position. Denise holds a B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Hunger Program Coordinator/Caseworker
Karla Ignacio
karla@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9472
Advocacy Team
Director of Advocacy and Volunteer Engagement
Aviva Zadoff
azadoff@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9466
Aviva heads up our political advocacy work, partnering with our Advocacy Leadership Committee to further NCJW NY’s advocacy efforts. Aviva is also responsible for the coordination of volunteers for our various programs including our Hunger Program, The Children’s Literacy Program, The JWRC and our Back 2 School Store. Before taking on this position Aviva was a volunteer leader at NCJW NY as the chair of our Reproductive Rights and Justice Initiative. Aviva began her career as a social work caseworker in the Bronx and then transitioned into the policy world, holding positions in several New York City government offices. Aviva received her B.A from Brandeis University and then went on to receive a Masters in Social work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in their Community Organizing, Planning and Development track.
Elizabeth Galani Zimmerman
ezimmerman@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9469Liz is the Community Organizer for NCJWNY’s Jews for Repro NY campaign. She has been involved in reproductive justice work in New York for several years, with organizations including the Westchester National Organization for Women and the Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic Action Fund, where she currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors. Liz is an attorney who previously focused on employment and civil rights litigation, and worked in the Special Federal Litigation Division of the New York City Law Department. Liz received a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Development Team
Director of Development
Amy Greenstein
agreenstein@ncjwny.org. 646-884-9462
Amy serves as the Director of Development at NCJW NY, where she proudly leads the organization’s fundraising efforts. Amy has worked in development, community building, and program development for nearly 20 years including 10 years at HIAS where she built a national young leadership program and transformed a national scholarship program, both of which were aimed at increasing opportunities and resources for immigrants and refugees. Most recently she served as the Associate Director of Development at the Center for Constitutional Rights, where she leveraged development communications, events, and programs as tools to uplift marginalized communities and dismantle oppressive systems of power. Amy received her bachelor’s in arts at Barnard College and participated in the Muehlstein Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership through Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and UJA-Federation of New York.
Associate Director of Development & Communications
Sarah Burstein
sburstein@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9465
Sarah has been a part of the Development team at NCJW NY for almost four years. In her current role, she manages NCJW NY’s communications and participates in all aspects of fundraising, with a special focus on appeals and special events. Before taking on this role, Sarah served as first the Development & Communications Associate, and then the Development & Communications Manager. She holds as Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University.
Development Assistant
Romy Levin
rlevin@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9467
In her current role as a Development Assistant, Romy supports all aspects of NCJW NY’s fundraising operations. Deeply committed to fostering community spaces and creating a more equitable society, Romy comes to NCJW NY with experience as a Research Assistant in Columbia University’s Laboratory of Intergroup Relations and the Social Mind, Internal Manager of Beit Ephraim Co-op, and Education Intern for the ADL NY/NJ’s No Place for Hate Program. Romy graduated from Barnard College in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Finance and Operations Team
Rita Shapiro
rs@ncjwny.org, 646-884-9463
Rita oversees all aspects of finance, human resources, facilities, and day-to-day operations of NCJW NY. She joined the organization in 1996 and has made herself indispensable ever since. Rita has a B.S. in Accounting and Economics from Belarus University. She has competently shepherded the organization through complex legal matters, insurance issues, and real estate transactions, while still staying on top of day-to-day issues such as payroll, benefits administration, accounts receivable and accounts payable.
Head of Maintenance and Mail
Danny Freire
dfreire@ncjwny.org, 212-687-5030 ext. 489
Danny is the maintenance worker/mail clerk at NCJW NY. He has a background in different types of maintenance work and brings a diverse skill set to our building. He runs the NCJW NY mailroom, sets up our building for various events, and is in charge of building maintenance.