Lisa serves as Chief Executive Officer of Rutgers Hillel; having joined the team in July 2023. Previously, she served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey overseeing Financial Resource Development and Community Planning and Allocations endeavors. She joined the Federation team in 2010, previously serving as its Chief Planning Officer. A 30-year veteran of the Jewish non-for-profit world; her professional experience includes fourteen years as a synagogue executive director, ten years as an agent of change for synagogues, and many years of private consulting and executive coaching.

She has traveled across North America teaching at conferences, workshops and providing coaching to organizations and individuals. She holds a certificate in Leadership and Executive Coaching from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Lisa’s insights and expertise have been sought after by such varied endeavors as think tanks and start-ups and her Op Eds have appeared in the Jewish Standard/Times of Israel.

email: lisa@rutgershillel.org

Rabbi Esther Reed grew up in East Brunswick, NJ.  A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, she received both her master’s degree in Jewish Women’s Studies and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.  She is a Conservative rabbi and lives in Highland Park with her husband, Mordy Schwartz, and three sons.

email: RabbiReed@rutgershillel.org

Naama was born and raised in Ramat Hasharon, a city near Tel Aviv. Naama spent the summer as a counselor and the tennis instructor at URJ Eisner Camp. Naama recently earned her BA in Political Science and International Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she was involved in Hillel Jerusalem. In her free time, Naama loves to spend time with friends, work out, listen to music, and watch movies. Naama is excited to join Rutgers Hillel and looks forward to meeting everyone!

email: naama@rutgershillel.org

Jeremy Davis was born and raised in the Long Island suburb of Merrick, NY. A lifelong Ramahnik, he attended Camp Ramah in the Berkshires for 15 summers as a camper, special needs counselor, and division head. Graduating from the University of Delaware, he studied Psychology and Neuroscience with minors in Cognitive Science, Jewish Studies, and Philosophy. While at UD Jeremy found his tribe at Hillel, where he served as an intern, student leader, and board President. He loves all things nerdy as well as classic rock, a fresh bialy, the Mets, and the Islanders.

email: jeremy@rutgershillel.org

Beth Garfinkle Hancock serves as Director of Community Philanthropy at Rutgers Hillel, joining the team in 2025. Previously, Beth built a career dedicated to enhancing Jewish life, with professional experiences spanning talent development, educational design, and community engagement. She has been featured in Gleanings by The William Davidson School for her work on sustainable high performance.

Beth holds a Master’s in Jewish Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, a BA in Communication Theory from SUNY Buffalo, and a teaching certificate from Saint Elizabeth University. A passionate advocate for lifelong learning and Jewish community building, she has contributed her expertise through curriculum development, leadership training, and mentoring individuals on their unique paths.

Beth’s enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment to fostering meaningful relationships are hallmarks of her career. Outside of her work at Hillel, Beth enjoys baking challah, practicing yoga, and indulging her love of dark chocolate. A proud Jersey girl, she shares her life with her husband and son, and their ever-curious labradoodles.

email: beth@rutgershillel.org 

Sami grew up in West Orange, New Jersey and graduated from Elon University in North Carolina in May 2022 with a degree in Accounting. After working at a Big 4 accounting firm for a couple years after graduating, Sami decided to pivot back into the Jewish space, somewhere she spent a lot of time while at Elon. Sami has been to Israel many times, both for vacation and on organized trips, and is extremely passionate about all things Israel. She is excited to be starting her new career path at Rutgers Hillel and is eager to make a positive impact on the students and overall campus environment. Outside of work, Sami is a huge foodie, loves to travel, and lives an active lifestyle.

email: sami@rutgershillel.org

Ryan Licht was born and raised in East Windsor, NJ. Ryan recently graduated from James Madison University, where he studied Sports and Recreation Management with a minor in General Business. At James Madison, Ryan was a brother in AEPi and involved in his Chabad. Ryan loves talking anything sports (especially fantasy football), and in his free time you can catch him going to the beach, playing some poker with friends, and enjoying live music at local restaurants in the area.

email: ryan@rutgershillel.org

Abbey London was born and raised in Morristown, NJ. Abbey recently graduated from Ithaca College, where she studied Communication, Management, and Design with a concentration in design. They also double minored in Sports Studies and Photography. At Ithaca College, Abbey was involved in the school’s paper, The Ithacan, and worked in many roles at the Ithaca College Hillel and the Ithaca College Athletics Department. Abbey spends most summers at URJ Camp Harlam, going from a camper to a counselor to a member of the Leadership Team. They love rock climbing, taking photos, and bingeing TV/movies in their free time, especially Marvel. Abbey is SO excited to join the Rutgers Hillel as an Innovation Fellow. 

email: abbey@rutgershillel.org

Laur Plawker is an education & nonprofit leader focused on equity, mental health, and next-generation empowerment. Laur uses storytelling, social media, and food to build pluralistic connections and foster dialogue across cultures–she’s been told that her hummus is even better than Abu Hassan’s in Jaffa, so be sure to ask for her secret!

A proud alumna of Tel Aviv Institute’s Jews Talk Justice lab and a founding member of the first next-generation slate to the World Zionist Congress, Laur was named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Jews” alongside powerhouses like Gal Gadot and Jake Tapper. Laur holds dual master’s degrees in education from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in psychology from The College of New Jersey. She is dedicated to strengthening the Jewish diaspora through bridge-building and collaboration, and is thrilled to join Rutgers Hillel to do exactly that at RU.

email: laur@rutgershillel.org

Rachel Podhorcer grew up in Swampscott, MA and is a graduate of Brandeis University, where she received her BA in Music Performance. She is a violinist and is passionate about music education. Rachel lives in Highland Park with her husband, a Rutgers Hillel alum, their daughter, and their dog. Rachel loves to travel, read good books, and go to museums.

email: rachel@rutgershillel.org

Rav Avi Schwartz was born in Queens, but grew up in Sharon, MA, and West Orange, NJ. He is an alumnus of Yeshiva University’s Yeshiva College, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, and Wurzweiler School of Social Work. After working for Bnei Akiva and NCSY for many years, he studied in RIETS’ Gruss Institute in Jerusalem for three years. During the week, Rav Avi is a social worker, providing mental health support for youth, adolescents, and their families.

Rav Avi lives in New Brunswick, NJ with Sara and their three kids. They are all devout New England Patriots fans.

email: RavAvi@rutgershillel.org

Sara Schwartz grew up on Long Island and currently lives in New Brunswick, NJ. She holds a BA in Psychology from Queens College and an MBA from Bar Ilan University.

In addition to her position as an OU-JLIC Educator, Sara also works for New Jersey NCSY. She is married to Rav Avi and they have three adorable children.

email: SaraS@rutgershillel.org 

Ethan grew up a twenty minute car ride from Rutgers Hillel in East Brunswick, NJ. He is a graduate of Muhlenberg College, where he studied Media & Communications and Jewish Studies, with concentrations in photography and videography. 

Over the last decade, Ethan has found ways to weave his passions for media and Judaism into nearly every position he has held. He has spent time working for several synagogues and Jewish communities, Jewish sleep away camps in both seasonal and year-round capacities, Jewish youth groups on the local and international levels, and even staffed a college leadership gap year program in Israel.

When Ethan is not in his office at Hillel, you can find him watching hockey, looking through his camera lens, listening to Jewish music, cooking up some kosher meat, watching the best and newest drama, comedy, or sci-fi, or hanging with his cat, Misha.

email: ethan@rutgershillel.org

Nina Bilz is a marketing professional from Cincinnati, OH and currently based in Washington, DC. She holds a degree in Vocal Performance/Opera from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. Prior to joining Hillel, Nina worked for several arts organizations, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, IN Series Opera, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. She is also a freelance marketing and design professional, working with clients from across the United States and Israel. Nina is passionate about grassroots initiatives, community-based programs, and inclusivity and equity in the arts and public sector. She is excited to join Hillel and to invest in an equitable and thriving Jewish community for years to come!

email: nbilz@hillel.org

Josh is a social work grad student newly joining the Hillel team. When he’s not at Hillel, you’ll find him working on a farm or cheering on the Mets. He’s excited to bring his passion to this role and connect with the Rutgers community.

email: jnr93@scarletmail.rutgers.edu