Meet the Staff

The mission of Hillel at FSU is to enrich the lives of Jewish undergraduate and graduate students
so they may enrich their community and the world.

Jesse Feld

Executive Director

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Background

Jesse Feld brings over eight years of experience working in the Jewish communal field. He most recently served as President and CEO of the Richmond Jewish Foundation. Additionally, he has served as the Director of Development at the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.

His accomplishments include creating and implementing a leadership development course for young professionals, producing innovative engagement strategies, and leading fundraising efforts spanning from Annual Campaign, and supplemental projects as well as soliciting legacy and endowment gifts.
 
Jesse experienced many leadership development projects, including graduating from the Jewish Federation of North America's Fundraising University program and the Jewish Theological Seminary's Jewish Experiential Leadership Institute (Southeast cohort). Jesse received his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee and earned his Master’s in Public Administration from Ohio University.

After growing up in Memphis, TN, and living in Richmond, VA for the past seven years, Jesse is thrilled to move to Tallahassee with his wife and toddler.

Brian Pelc

Associate Director

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Background

Brian Pelc is joining FSU Hillel as Assistant Director after 12 years of Tikkun Olam in the Florida Panhandle working for The Nature Conservancy. Meanwhile, Brian’s Jewish Journey unfolded at Tallahassee’s Temple Israel where he taught in the religious school and youth group and learned from rabbis and local Jewish academics, led services for Shabbat, High Holidays and B’nai Mitzvah as soloist and created new Jewish music with the local Jewish Southern Folk band, Bagels and Biscuits. Brian, his wife, Melanie and son Josh share their home with a bunch of chickens, ducks, sheep and 3 house cats. Brian believes improving the world is so critical and that can happen in the big woods of Florida and in the community of Jews who are exploring culture, tradition and spiritual connection. Go Noles!

Sophie Friedman

Jewish Education Fellow

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Background

Sophie Friedman is Hillel at FSU’s Ezra Jewish Education Fellow and is excited to be able to work with students to help create and implement impactful religious programming. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. At Texas A&M, Sophie was active in Hillel, serving as Student Board President. She also engaged in a variety of experiences, including working as an undergraduate researcher, interning for a criminal defense attorney, and taking part in a fellowship on a congressional campaign that allowed her to form an interest in working with others to be able to have an influence, and is thrilled to continue doing so.

Urban Seiberg

Social Justice Fellow

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Background

Urban Seiberg (they/them) is the Social Justice Springboard Fellow at Hillel at FSU. Originally from Bethesda, MD, Urban recently graduated from the University of Southern California where they earned a BA in Linguistics and Cognitive Science with minors in Photography and Speech-Language and Hearing Professions. Urban was heavily involved at USC Hillel, serving as the Vice President of Ritual and Culture. Outside of Hillel, Urban served in the Undergraduate Student Government working on a variety of advocacy projects. Urban has always grounded their social justice work in their Jewish faith and values and is excited to help support FSU students in their own Jewish college journeys.

Alix Kalfin

Development and Operations Coordinator

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Background
Alix Kalfin is excited to be a part of FSU Hillel as the Development and Operations Coordinator. She brings over seven years of experience working with nonprofit organizations as a Marketing Consultant. Her passion in both personal and work life is to build meaningful relationships that allow for greater positive change in the world.
 
She earned her B.A. in International Affairs from Florida State University and is happy to return to campus at her alma mater. Alix has lived in Tallahassee since 2011 and now raises her two children, three dogs, and two cats alongside her husband, who is also named Alex. In her free time, she likes to be outdoors, hiking or enjoying Saint George Island.

Rachel Gordon

Marketing and Development Manager

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Background

Rachel Gordon has, since 2016, expanded the digital marketing space within Hillel International. Joining the Springboard Fellowship (Aleph/1st Cohort) as a Social Media Specialist at the University of Delaware Hillel, her accomplishments included launching a successful rebrand for the Birthright Israel program and the creation of tracking digital student engagement. Since then, Rachel has been involved with strategizing fun and innovative daily content for Hillel: Birthright Israel program and Hillel International. Rachel currently resides near the Jersey shore with her cockapoo, Drake. In her free time she enjoys taking pictures, eating ice cream and staying up to date on all social media trends.

Meet the Student Board

The mission is to enrich the lives of students by listening to the needs and responding to the interests of Jewish students at FSU.

Jillian Penson

President

Alyson Martinez

Vice President

Cyrus Sabet

VP of Social Programming

Alexa Gershon

VP of New Student Engagement

Tori Carroll

VP of Partnerships and Philanthropy

Aiden Fladell

VP of Ritual and Jewish Education

Lauren Rattray

VP of Greek Life Engagement

Zach Friend

VP of Social Action

Sydney Fields

VP of Marketing

Lexi Packer

VP of Israel Engagement

Meet the Student Interns

The mission is to enrich the lives of students by listening to the needs and responding to the interests of Jewish students at FSU.

Max Rosenbush

Social Justice Intern

Talia Kimelman

Social Justice Intern

Emily Pakula

Greek Life Intern

Haley Bowmaster

Greek Life Intern

Melanie Green

Greek Life Intern

Brooke Benator

Greek Life Intern

Caterina Cappelli

Greek Life Intern

Emma Sklar

General Engagement Intern

Leah Livin

General Engagement Intern

Emma Katz

General Engagement Intern

Mara Goldwasser

21+ Programming Intern

Josh Levine

Israel Intern

Max Fernandez

Israel Intern

Carli Komroff

Shabbat Intern

Nathan Cohen

Shabbat Intern