Millstone Fellows is a collaborative leadership training program designed for individuals who seek to deepen their involvement in the Jewish community. Through highly interactive sessions, you’ll join an exclusive cohort of emerging leaders who will be empowered to share the future of the St. Louis Jewish community. If selected, you can expect:
Powerful Networking: Connect with diverse, passionate individuals who will become part of your lifelong leadership community.
Personal Growth: Discover your unique leadership style and learn to tackle challenging conversations with confidence
Real Impact: Graduate with concrete tools and frameworks that immediately enhance your leadership abilities
“Society is where we come together to achieve collectively what none of us can do alone…It is the realm in which all of us is more important than any of us. ” – Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l
The 2026/2027 Millstone Fellows Cohort will be led by Ron Gubitz, Leadership Coach and Educational Consultant in partnership with Karen Sher, Chief Impact Officer, Jewish Federation of St. Louis. The program is coordinated by Marci Mayer Eisen, Director, Leadership Initiatives, Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
Sessions will also include Guest Facilitators with backgrounds in coaching, dialogue, Jewish learning, community building and leadership.
The program is designed for individuals ages 30-50; younger and older individuals are welcome to apply. This cohort experience is limited to 18 participants. A $299 participant commitment fee is due upon acceptance to the program.
Jewish Federation of St. Louis is now accepting applications for the 2026/2027 Millstone Fellows
Applications are due by September 1
All applicants will be notified no later than September 12, 2026.
2026/2027 Program Schedule
The Millstone Fellows Program includes 5 weeknight sessions (2.5 hours) and 2 weekend summits (5 hours), and an opening & closing program. Lunch will be provided for the weekend leadership summits; a light dinner provided for weeknight sessions.
The 2026/2027 program is as follows:
Opening Reception – Thursday, October 25 6:30pm
Summit #1 – Sunday, October 25, 9 am
Session #1 – Monday, November 16, 6 pm
Session #2 – Monday, December 13, 6 pm
Session #3 – Tuesday, January 12, 6 pm
Session #4 – Wednesday, February 10, 6 pm
Summit #2 – Sunday, March 7, 9am
Session #5 – Wednesday, April 7, 6 pm
Closing Program – Tuesday, May 11, 6 pm

Meet the Facilitation Team

Karen Sher
Karen is the Chief Impact Officer at Jewish Federation of St. Louis and is widely respected as a leader in the St. Louis Jewish community. Since returning to Federation in 2010, she founded Millstone Fellows, led its first eight cohorts, and launched numerous leadership and engagement initiatives that have shaped Jewish communal life across St. Louis. Over the course of her career, Karen has extensive experience in fundraising, leadership development, Israel engagement, and creating meaningful Jewish experiences for young adults and community leaders. A passionate advocate for Jewish peoplehood and Israel, she has traveled to Israel nearly two dozen times and shared that passion with hundreds in the community, including Missouri state legislators. Karen has also served in numerous lay leadership roles, including with The J, WashU Hillel, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and The Muny. She holds master’s degrees in Social Work and Jewish Studies from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and Baltimore Hebrew University and is an alumna of several prestigious leadership programs, including JFNA’s National Young Leadership Cabinet and the Mandel Executive Leadership Program.

Marci Mayer Eisen
Marci is the Director of Jewish Federation’s Leadership Initiatives and the staff person for JProStL, community-wide opportunities to connect, train, and inspire professionals and volunteer leaders. She previously worked at the JCRC coordinating interfaith volunteerism and spent the majority of her long career at the JCC, where she led a department and developed hundreds of family programs and community special events. A native of Philadelphia, Marci has a BS in Human Development from Penn State, MSW from Yeshiva University and Certificate in Leadership and Non-Profit Management from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Marci is an ICF certified leadership coach and is proud to be the co-founder of Imun, a growing international network of credentialed coaches who serve Jewish communities. Marci often collaborates with colleagues throughout the St. Louis region and across the country and is a graduate of both Women in Leadership and Leadership St. Louis, programs of Focus St. Louis. With a deep commitment to the Jewish community and social work education, Marci has supervised over 30 MSW students and presents on the subject of group dynamics, effective boards and teams and leadership coaching.
Detailed Session Information
Detailed program as of June 2026
Opening Summit – Building our Fellows Community
Opening Retreat | Sunday, October 25, 9:00 am – 2 pm.
Building our Fellows Community
Facilitated by Ron Gubitz
With a focus on leadership development, the informal opening retreat will deepen connections, establish shared goals, and foster a strong sense of community, creating the foundation for a meaningful and collaborative year ahead. Ron is an exceptional facilitator and brings an extensive background in organizational dynamics, leadership and creativity. Currently the Executive Director of the Music Artists Coalition, he is a leadership coach and previously worked as a nationally recognized high school principal, Executive Director of Tulane Hillel and Managing Director of Programs for Teach for America.
Session 1 – Power of Philanthropy
Session 1 | Monday, November 16, 6 – 8:30 pm
Power of Philanthropy
with Jewish Federation’s Danny Cohn, President & CEO and
Amy Bornstein, Chief Development Officer –
Explore how philanthropy can transform communities and reflect personal values. Fellows will gain insight into the breadth of Jewish Federation’s impact and learn how leaders can inspire generosity and meaningful engagement. Danny is a visionary leader who came to St. Louis in 2025 to inspire and guide Jewish Federation’s impact. Danny came from Birmingham where he served as President & CEO after a 20 year career in Marketing, Communications and PR. Amy has spent more than ten years advancing the work of Jewish Federation and is among the youngest CDOs serving a Jewish Federation nationally. She previously worked at The J and at Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Session 2 – Telling Your Story
Session 2 | Monday, December 13, 6 – 9pm
Telling Your Story
with Steven Harowitz, Executive Director, Campfire
Every leader has a story worth sharing. Through engaging exercises and practical tools, Fellows will strengthen their storytelling, public speaking and community skills while building confidence in their authentic voice. Steven brings an expertise in storytelling, public speaking, project management and leadership with the ability to help participants feel skilled and confident. Steven believes everyone has an important story to tell and he creates spaces where people can find their own voice, own story and share what happens next through human connection.
Session 3 – Jewish Identity
Session 3 | Tuesday, January 12, 2027 6-8:30 pm
Jewish Identity
with Karen Sher, Jewish Federation Chief Impact Officer
Examine the role of Jewish identity in shaping leadership, purpose, and community responsibility. Karen Sher brings more than 30 years of experience as both a professional and lay leader in the Jewish community and has participated extensively in national professional leadership programs. Karen oversees planning, allocations, partnership investments, and leadership initiatives for Jewish Federation and proudly served as founding staff and primary facilitator for Millstone Fellows Cohorts 1–8.
Session 4 – Conversations that Matter
Session 4 | Wednesday, February 10, 6 – 8:30 pm.
Conversations that Matter
with Dr. Tabari Coleman
Develop the skills needed to navigate difficult conversations with empathy, trust, and authenticity. Dr. Tabari Coleman has over 25 years of experience facilitating impactful workshops locally, nationally, and internationally. His work focuses on fostering meaningful dialogue and creating safe spaces for understanding across diverse perspectives. Tabari has a doctorate in education and has worked in diverse spaces, including as Education Director at the ADL and leading hundreds of workshops with law enforcement, educators, nonprofits and corporations.
Summit 2 – Israel Day
Session 5 | Sunday, March 7 – 9:00 – 2:00 pm
Israel Day
with Roey Kruvi
Engage in thoughtful conversations about Israel, Jewish peoplehood, and global Jewish leadership. Roey Kruvi brings extensive experience in Israel education and Jewish leadership development, having previously served as Deputy Director of North American Israel Strategy at Jewish Federation of North America, Senior Program Officer at the Schusterman Foundation and a Senior Director at Moishe House where he facilitated workshops for Jewish young adults around the world.
Session 5 – Leadership Today
Session 5 | Wednesday, April 7, 6 – 8:30 pm
Leadership Today
with community leaders
Through engaging small-group discussions, Fellows will explore the realities, challenges, and opportunities shaping leadership today at the local, national, and global levels. Participants will examine how issues such as antisemitism, societal change, and evolving community dynamics impact leadership and community-building. Conversations will focus on the perspectives, skills, and strategies needed to lead effectively in a complex and rapidly changing world.
Closing Program – Tuesday, May 11
Closing Program| Tuesday, May 11, 6 – 8:00 pm
Celebrate the journey of Cohort #10, reflect on personal and collective growth and recognize the relationships and leadership skills developed throughout the fellowship experience. Explore opportunities for ways to be involved in the coming months and years.
Millstone Fellows will be recognized at the November, 2027 Morris & Steneck Presidents Circle
Millstone Fellows Alumni
Hilary Cedergreen
Jason Cohen
J J Flotken
Phil Frischer
Josh Goldman
Alexandra Goldsmith
Charles Gross
James Levey
Steven Malter
Rachel Pepe
Ron Present
Nicole Rainey
Edward Reggi
Jennifer Schmitz
Ian Silberman
Greg Yawitz
Amy Bender-Levy
Patty Bloom
Shelley Dean
Tom Eidelman
Ted Flom
Burton Garland
Julie Gibbs
Jeffrey Glogower
Anthony Granillo
Michael Kass
Sarah Kovenock
Kim Lieberman
Julia Partin
Avigail Rosenzweig
William Rubenstein
Lilly Scharff
Anna Shabsin
Abbey Small
Aaron Vickar
Robert Wasserman
Marjorie Weisman
Andrew Babitz
Yosef David
Alan Fine
Geoffrey Gross
Yale Hollander
Matthew Litwack
Michelle Mills
Russel Neiss
David Rosenstock
Amy Scharff
Barbara Sherer
Bradley Snitzer
Amy Stone
Joshua Wallach
Stephen Wertman
Tammy Arnow
Sarah Falkoff
Emily Follman
Shmuel Freedman
Abby Goldstein
Ted Houser
Elisa Israel
Marc Jacob
Douglas Kolker
Randi Mozenter
Dimitar Mushkov
Brian Newman
David Schenberg
Sherry Shuman
Julie Stern
Laura Whalen
Jake Asher
Debbie Banashek-Twist
Naomi Barasch
Beth Deutsch
Scott Kaar
Karen Korn
Ken Levine
Emily Luten Maltby
Weston Manley
Andrew Oberman
William Remis
Marissa Rosen
Jonathan Sachs
Andrew Sharon
Esther Zuravin
Amy Abramson
Jay Baumohl
Jennifer Bernstein
Jennifer Fishering
Amy Gage
Joseph Gerchen
Evan Glantz
Caroline Goldenberg
Adam Goldstein
Neil Jaffe
Brenda Ladin
Amy Lampert
Lauren Lourie
Abbi Marks-Mazur
Sharon Remis
Zev Rosenberg
Erica Brasken
Stephen Davis
Rachel Deutsch
Laurie Furman
Traci Goldstein
Sabrina Gornish
Lisa Hirshberg
Elliott Kleiman
Julia Kofkoff Gould
Daniel Kraus
Elizabeth Lieberman
Stacey Owens
Arza Raviv
Ryia Ross-Peterson
Christine Schulze
Rachel Thimangu
Julie Zuick
Seth Albin
Hila Ben Abraham
Mariel Brechner
Autumn Dennis
Jeremy Goldberg
Jessica Goltzman
Lea-Rachel Kosnik
Jennifer Lederman
Jenna Lew-Feit
Kevin Litt
Helen Petty
Adam Rosenberg
Benjamin Singer
Yona Spiegelglass
Daniel Stark
Chana Bregman
Daniel Buchalter
Dana Emmenegger
Carly Ferdman
Jada Fox
Jennifer Hoffman-Mentle
Cindy Kalachek
Daniel Levy
Jessica Mirowitz
Brian Oberman
Simone Picker
Jose Rodriguez Goldstein
Zachary Rudolph
John Schneider
Robin Slen
Seth Toybes
Jared Weinstein
Shoshana Weiss



