As Teach NJ’s executive director, Katie Katz oversees Teach NJ’s annual campaign, community engagement and mobilization efforts across the state. She joined Teach NJ from the Englewood Health Foundation where, as a major gifts officer, she managed a portfolio of major donors and cultivated philanthropic partnerships between donors, physicians, and Englewood Health. Prior to her time at Englewood Health, Katie worked at The New Jewish Home in Manhattan as associate director of capital campaigns.

A third-generation New Jersey resident and Jewish day school alumna, Katie holds an MBA from Brandeis University in nonprofit management as well as a master’s degree in Jewish professional leadership. She lives in Teaneck with her husband, Ezra, and their three children.

As the Director of Government Programs for Teach Coalition, Yosef oversees all government program work that Teach does on behalf of its member school network and beyond. Yosef’s team is responsible for ensuring that yeshivas and day schools access tens of millions of government dollars and services yearly. Yosef has worked in nonpublic school education and policy since 2009 and joined Teach in 2014. Previously, he founded and ran a cutting-edge youth program and center for chassidic teens in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.  

Yosef was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, received his BA from Columbia University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Brooklyn College. He lives in Crown Heights with his wife and their six children.  

Sydney Altfield serves as Executive Director of Teach NYS. She previously held the role of Grassroots Engagement Director. Prior to Teach NYS, Sydney was a Development Fellow at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Sydney graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.A. in Event Management and a minor in Leadership Studies. During her time at UCF, she served as Student Body Vice President where she presided over the largest number of constituents in the nation. As a product of a Jewish day school in Miami, Florida, Sydney is passionate about Teach Coalition’s mission and the future success of our schools.

Davida Fried is thrilled to be partnering with Teach NYS as Regional Director for Westchester, the Bronx and Manhattan.
She attended Yeshiva University on a full academic scholarship and graduated with her Masters of Science from Azrieli Graduate School for Jewish Education and Administration. After working as a classroom teacher at SAR Academy and Westchester Day School, Davida was recruited as Director of the Camp Regesh Preschool in New Jersey in 2015. In 2017, she was hired as Early Childhood Director for the Stein Yeshiva Preschool. Davida continued to dedicate her career to working for Jewish institutions and organizations. She currently resides in Westchester, NY with her husband and three children.

Prior to joining Teach FL, Melissa created a shampoo company and worked as in house lawyer for Total Relief Skincare. She is actively involved in the Hollywood Jewish community and has worked for the past three summers in Camp Kfir Katan’s day camp, running programming and communications. Melissa has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women and received her J.D.  from Touro Law Center. Melissa is a native Floridian who returned to Florida after law school with her husband Josh. They have three children and live in Hollywood, Florida.

Melissa brings passion, a strong work ethic and a deep belief that every child deserves a Jewish education.  Melissa will be working to grow our advocacy program by strengthening old relationships and building new ones.

Danny Aqua is an impassioned advocate for educational opportunities for children, parents and schools. As Field Director at Teach Florida, Danny built a grassroots initiative that engaged parents in the legislative process. In addition to trips to Tallahassee, petition signings and traditional advocacy, Danny has been an integral part in Teach Florida’s get-out-the-vote program that has resulted in doubling and sometimes tripling voter turnout in the Jewish day school community over multiple elections.

Danny’s work at Teach Florida enables him to use skills from his two prior careers – law and teaching. Prior to working at Teach Florida, Danny practiced real estate law as an Associate at Blank Rome, LLP and then taught both in elementary and middle schools.

Danny received his Bachelor Degree in Political Science from Baruch College magna cum laude, his Juris Doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School Order of the Coif and his Masters Degree in Education from Azrieli Graduate School of Education.

Benjamin Hutt joined Teach NJ in February 2020 and serves as regional field director, leading New Jersey’s voting efforts and focusing grassroots efforts primarily on portions of Bergen County. Prior to regional field director, Benjamin served as campaign manager, successfully increasing Jewish voter turnout in general and municipal elections across Teach Coalition states. Benjamin joined the Teach team from New Jersey Yachad.

Benjamin graduated cum laude from Rutgers University in 2016 where he received his BS in Evolutionary Anthropology. Benjamin lives in Teaneck with his wife and two sons and in his free time tends to his beehives, volunteers with the Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and plays tennis.

Maya Joyandeh serves as Regional Field Director, having joined Teach Coalition in July 2021. For the last 10 years, Maya has worked as a Medical Social Worker, providing counseling and services to those suffering from life-limiting illnesses in NY and NJ. Maya has a passion for serving her community, specifically recruiting and assisting new families in the Welcoming Committee, chairing the annual dinner, and serving as the Events and Programming Committee Director at her shul. Maya also kickstarted and moderates the “Neighborhood” groups on Facebook, which assists residents of Bergen County (and nearby communities) in locating household items, food and clothing for free from other families that no longer need it.

Maya received her undergraduate degree from Stern College for Women in 2006, and a Masters in Social Work at NYU. Maya lives in Teaneck with her husband and three children. In her free time, Maya enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and hiking with her family.

Emily Yarkony currently serves as the event coordinator for Teach Coalition. Prior to joining Teach, Emily freelanced in the party planning world. She is a graduate of Yeshiva University, where she majored in media studies with a focus on advertising. Emily grew up in New Jersey but currently lives on the Upper West Side. In her free time, Emily enjoys attending concerts and traveling. 

Hadassah Gerszberg serves as the lead graphic designer for marketing and communications at Teach Coalition. Prior to working at Teach, Hadassah built up her own freelance business designing graphics for clients that range from corporate companies to small business and communal needs. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology’s communications design department. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Hadassah is passionate about Teach Coalition’s mission and the future success of our schools. 

Mrs. Leah Grossman directs the Mandated Services Reimbursement team for Teach NYS.

Mrs. Grossman has a background in math and upwards of two decades of experience working with schools to maximize their reimbursement for NY mandates through the Mandated Services and CAP programs . She lives in Lakewood, NJ with her family.

Pessy Katz serves as a Government Funding Specialist for Teach NYS.

Prior to joining the Teach Coalition team, Pessy served as co-director of admissions at The Shefa School in NYC. In addition to running the admissions process and marketing, Pessy was the administrative lead on applying for government funds for the Shefa School. She is excited to bring that experience to her work now with Teach Coalition.

Pessy served as an OU Institute of Public Affairs congressional intern on Capitol Hill. She received a BA in Political Science at Lander College for women. She attended NYU where she was a Lisa Ellen Goldberg Fellow and ran a multi-faith graduate student group and graduated with a Masters in Public Administration and an MA in Hebrew and Judaic Studies. Pessy currently lives in Jerusalem with her family.

Rebekah Rybstein serves as a Government Programs and Security Grant Specialist for Teach Coalition.

She graduated from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a concentration in Business Law and Real Estate. Previously, Rebekah was involved in numerous advocacy efforts between elected officials, civic groups, and not-for-profit organizations throughout Southeastern Brooklyn.

Adam Katz serves as the Associate Director of Government Programs for Teach Coalition. Working with schools throughout the country, he helps them navigate government programs and ensure they take maximum advantage of all available funding sources.

Adam brings a wide range of skills and experience to the organization. He has worked at the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center Think Tank for Urban and Regional Policy as well as the US Navy, started his own real estate advisory firm, served on the board of directors of a nonprofit, and is an author. Adam earned a master’s degree in Public Policy from Northeastern University and a bachelors degree in Economics from University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Adam lives in Passaic with his wife and three children.

Asher Butler serves as a grant writer and prequalification specialist for Teach Coalition. After graduating from Hunter College with a bachelor’s in Latin and Ancient Greek with a concentration in political thought, he worked in New York City schools as a lead teacher and literacy interventionist before moving to the nonprofit world. Asher has also served as a county committee member in Western Queens where he is actively involved in building up the local Jewish community, combatting antisemitism, and promoting Israel advocacy. 

Prior to joining Teach Coalition, Rifkie Bleier worked with government agencies on licensing medical supply distribution facilities across the United States. She feels privileged to be making a difference to Jewish schools every day. Rifkie lives in Monsey, New York with her husband and six amazing children.

Before joining Teach Coalition, Tzvi worked as a Space Manager for the US Social Security Administration, where he managed interior planning and construction for the SSA headquarters in Woodlawn, MD. He then worked as a Quantity Surveyor on public and private construction projects throughout Israel before joining Teach Coalition as a Data Analyst for its newly formed Office of Jewish Education Policy and Research.

As Data Analyst, Tzvi’s work focuses on research and analysis of a broad range of critical data such as school enrollment, tuition, and government funding awards. This information gives us a deep understanding of prevailing trends in day schools and where best to focus our efforts on advocating for Jewish day schools.

Tzvi received his Bachelors Degree in Architecture from The City College of New York, and his Masters Degree in Construction Management from Florida International University. A native New Yorker and then resident of Baltimore, he currently resides in Pardes Hanna, Israel with his wife and their three children.

Chanan Maister joined the Teach NYS Government Maximization team in 2022 as Mandated Services Project Manager. Prior to this, he worked in the private sector for over a decade, first in e-commerce and later in fintech. He lives in metro Detroit with his wife and two children, and in his free time can be found reading the New Yorker and books about World War II.

Dvorah Waldman has an MA in speech language pathology from University of Cincinnati and ten years of experience in the education system, as well as experience with Early Intervention claims submission and problem-solving. She joins our Mandated Services team to assist schools with claims preparation and maximization.

Originally born in Chicago, Ronit grew up in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley and attended YULA.

After graduating from Brandeis University, she went on to become a television producer at the CourtTV Network in New York City. These days, in addition to her role at Teach Coalition, she’s also a Staff Writer for The Jewish Link of New Jersey. as well as a substitute teacher at Yavneh Academy. She lives with her husband (Stuart) and three children in Teaneck.

Hadassa Levenson Korn has built her career in education, serving as a public school teacher for almost a decade. When a coworker decided to run for school board, she helped run her (successful!) campaign, and through that was introduced to Teach PA. She is currently a part time field organizer focused on engaging and growing the Miami area activist network. As a product of Jewish day schools and a new parent, she is passionate about Teach Coalition’s mission and the future success of our schools. She recently relocated to Philadelphia, but she is looking forward to continuing her work with the Teach Coalition.

Miriam Mark is a revenue growth leader and go-to market specialist who serves in an advisory and fractional capacity for leading technology and nonprofit companies. She has grown up alongside the tech ecosystem, running sales at multiple startups. Miriam served as global head of Account Management and Growth Enablement at WeWork, and was instrumental in building their global sales organization from acquisition to retention and growth. Earlier in her career, she led sales at Farmigo, an online farmers market, with the mission to transform and accelerate global adoption of an alternative food system. She began her career at Shopping.com, an online comparison-shopping company acquired by eBay. Miriam is passionate about creating equal educational opportunities for all children regardless of ability, inspired by her oldest child with special needs. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four children ages 9-19.

Sorah Benshabat currently serves as the administrative operations manager for Teach Coalition. Prior to joining Teach, Sorah worked for NJ Courts system and the Office of the Public Defender for NJ. She is a graduate of Kaplan University with an associate’s in paralegal studies. Sorah lives in New Jersey with her husband and two kids. 

Michele Paser has seven years of administrative experience and two years freelancing as a UX Designer. A creative and passionate person who enjoys designing digital products in her free time, she aims to simplify work processes by making experiences more streamlined and user friendly. A native New Yorker born and raised on the Lower East Side, Michele enjoys aerial yoga, beading bracelets, and exploring new places in nature. 

Over the last ten years, Adina has played a valuable role in various non-profit institutions, with a specialty in management, operations and administrative leadership. Originally from New Jersey, she earned a B.B.A. in Economics from Baruch College (CUNY) and later an M.A. in Events & Conference Management from the University of Westminster in London, England. For the last six years, Adina served as the Director of Business and Donor Development at Hadar High School for Girls in Boca Raton. Adina is passionate about using her skills to help manage institutional processes to ensure progress and success. As a Scholarship Funding Specialist, she is dedicated to providing support to schools and parents as part of the Teach FL GovMax team.

Jason Grossman has been working in the Jewish community advocacy space for the last six years and focusing on Jewish community security for the past four. After earning a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in project management, Jason worked as a political staffer and founded a craft whisky company. In January 2024, Jason transitioned from the OU Advocacy Center in Washington, D.C., to Teach FL, where he serves as the director of Advocacy, Security, and Voting. He enjoys collaborating with community partners to ensure their voices are heard through Teach’s advocacy work. 

Malka Kownat-Rhodes is a long-time professional in the field of special education, with over 10 years of experience working in a large school district in Ohio. Malka graduated cum laude from Brooklyn College with a BA in Psychology, and then earned a master’s degree in Education from Notre Dame College in Ohio. Most recently, Malka worked as the Director of Student Support for The Torah Academy of Boca Raton in South Florida.  Malka has a history of successfully partnering with government agencies and school districts, and with non-profit organizations like The Jewish Federation and Jewish Family Services, to procure funding for educational initiatives. Malka’s years of experience working with families struggling with the cost of private school tuition combined with the cost of services for children with special needs, has led to her joining Teach Coalition. In her new capacity as a funding specialist, she helps families access funding for both specialized services and private school tuition.

Kelly Walker is the Services for All / Child Find School Liaison. With over 24 years of school-related experience, she has worked as a teacher, special education director, and college faculty member training hundreds of pre-service special education teachers with an emphasis on law and compliance. As a mother of a child with a language-based learning disability, Kelly learned to navigate the public and private school systems while advocating for her own daughter. She enjoys assisting other parents by helping them work through the systemic barriers they often face when seeking educational services for their children. Additionally, Kelly serves as a subject matter expert for the Florida teacher licensure exam, an expert witness in due process and other special education-related court cases, and is an active member of the Broward ESE Advisory Council.

Eda Steinberg joined Teach Florida to help schools and parents navigate the complexities of government programs. She started her professional journey in the art world, receiving a BFA from Brooklyn College and then a master’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in Gallery and Retail Administration. Eda worked for several years at Christie’s Auction House in client relations before moving to public relations and marketing. For more than two decades, she served as a marketing executive, developing and executing marketing campaigns, writing and submitting articles to the press, and organizing events. Her experience in client relations in both art and marketing serves as a great asset in helping support parents and schools as part of the Teach Florida team. 

Maury Litwack is the Founder of the Teach Coalition. Litwack’s mission has been clear and compelling: to change expectations about how government can and should support faith-based non-public school families. He was named to the top 20 of City & State’s Faith Power 100 list and Algemeiner magazine named him to the list of the top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish life. Maury has appeared in national outlets to fight for the rights of faith-based families including outlets such as Good Morning America, Politico, and the Wall Street Journal. Litwack has also published numerous articles on political strategy, advocacy, and nonprofit management including writing the biweekly column “Halls of Power” for one of the world’s largest Jewish magazines, Mishpacha Magazine. In November 2023, Litwack was appointed to the Executive Committee of the newly formed New York State Office of Non-Profit Development Services.

As the Founder of Teach Coalition, an initiative that advocates for government funding and resources for faith-based nonpublic schools, Maury Litwack has grown the organization from a single staffer to a multi-state network responsible for billions of dollars in funding to non-public schools. Teach Coalition currently represents tens of thousands of politically active lay leaders, parents and student activists, and has been at the forefront of much of the historic legislation passed in the last decade providing support and innovative programming to nonpublic schools including record STEM, security, and special education funding. Central to Litwack’s advocacy was the conviction that if public and charter school students receive funding, support, and services so should Jewish, Islamic, and Christian students.

Prior to establishing Teach Coalition, Litwack served on the intergovernmental affairs staff for Miami-Dade County, the sixth largest county in the nation. He also served as a legislative advisor for two Members of Congress, specializing in foreign affairs and education policy. In 2020, Maury was named Alumnus of the Year for the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland due to his decades of work on behalf of the community and his long-suffering support of the Cleveland Browns.