Federation Leadership

Joy Sisisky

Chief Executive Officer

Before joining the Federation, Joy served as executive director of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York. Previously, she was selected as the 2007-2008 Ralph I. Goldman Fellow in International Jewish Communal Service at JDC, for which she lived and worked in Ukraine and Ethiopia. Joy is co-founder of Do Good Ukraine!, an organization dedicated to building civil society through volunteerism in Ukraine. Earlier, she served as the associate director for national women’s philanthropy at United Jewish Communities, where she worked with Jewish federations in the development of gender-based fundraising. Joy graduated from Brandeis University and earned a double M.A. in Jewish Communal Service and Public Administration at the joint program of Hebrew Union College and the University of Southern California.

Rebecca Randall

Chief Philanthropy Officer

Rebecca oversees the organization’s philanthropy advisory practice and development team, including the stewardship of donors, donor-advised funds, and supporting foundations, as well as building new collaborative opportunities for philanthropists and organizations. She previously served in various roles at Common Sense Media, where she cultivated relationships with donors and foundations and developed partnerships with school districts and organizations across the country.  As Associate Vice President of the United Way of the Bay Area, she led various committees comprised of multiple stakeholders to drive community impact. She also spearheaded a state-wide initiative called Success by 6, which focused on school readiness. She holds an M.A. from the University of Chicago and a B.A. from the University of New Hampshire.

Tanya Shadoan

Chief Operating Officer

Tanya joined the Federation in 2019 after spending more than two decades working in global financial services, marketing, operations, and corporate innovation. She is passionate about creating new opportunities to mobilize and leverage philanthropic capital at scale. This includes streamlining systems to make deploying philanthropic capital easier and finding new ways to engage philanthropists. Tanya is an active volunteer mentor, recruiter, and advisor to SHE-CAN, a nonprofit that builds female leadership in post-conflict countries through education and mentorship. She graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in French Language and Literature and earned her MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Seth Brysk

Chief of External Affairs and Partnerships

Prior to the Federation, Seth Brysk was the ADL Central Pacific Regional Director, AJC Regional Director in Los Angeles, JCRC Israel Center Director in Boston, and San Francisco Hillel Executive Director. He is a former provisional delegate to the U.S. State Department Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad and representative to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. The Rep. of Poland honored him as an Officer of the Order of Merit. He played a critical role in passing an inclusive hate crime law in Utah. Gavin Newsom appointed him to the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education. He was recognized by the FBI Director with the Community Leadership Award for his service and commitment to justice. He earned degrees from UC Berkeley and Tel Aviv University.

Nicolas Elsishans

Chief Financial Officer

Nicolas brings more than two decades of experience as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of some of the largest and most complex nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area. At Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Nicolas managed the organization's approximate $90 million operating budget and oversaw a team of 150 employees. He was instrumental in implementing two five-year strategic plans during his tenure and worked closely with the CEO to achieve the organization's goals. As Chief Financial Officer for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, he oversaw the museum’s $68 million annual operating budget and the foundation’s invested assets of $260 million. Nicolas is a graduate of the University of Southern California and Middlebury College and holds both an M.M. in Music and an M.B.A. in Finance and Accounting.

Caryn Javinsky

Managing Director, Marketing

Caryn Javinsky brings extensive marketing expertise from her experience with both Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. Her diverse background spans branding, marketing, and agency roles across creative, digital, and market research. Most recently, Caryn worked for a brand equity insights AI startup, and she began her marketing career in brand management at Colgate-Palmolive. With a strong focus on fostering meaningful relationships with key audiences, Caryn excels in developing strategies and thought leadership that drive brand growth and engagement. Caryn also founded a startup and worked as a consultant for Accenture. In addition to her professional pursuits, Caryn has served on numerous nonprofit boards supporting underserved communities. She earned her MBA at New York University and her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. 

 

Board of Directors 2023 - 2024

Eileen Ruby
Board Chair

Valli Benesch

Andy Cheng

Barry Cohn

Dan Cohn
Treasurer

Marc Dollinger

David Friedkin

Steven Ganz

 

Jim Heeger 
Secretary

Fred Isaac

Michael Jacobs

Kenny Kahn

Natasha Kehimkar

Moses Libitzky

Guy Miasnik

Jessica Minkoff

Lindsey Newman

 

Ann Peckenpaugh Becker

Dara Pincas

Laura Rooklin

Susan Saal
Vice Chair

Arthur Slepian

Michelle Tandowsky

Jamie Weinstein
Chair, Endowment Committee

Jerry Yanowitz