Small School Development Professionals: Coffee and Concepts

Ilisa is Prizmah's Senior Vice President, Engagement and Leadership. Learn more about her here. 

Passionate about amplifying impact through advising nonprofit organizations. Rachel, serves as a leading consultant and an expert in the field of philanthropy, guiding over 60 organizations in raising well over $100M. Rachel has developed a pioneering approach to fundraising consulting, combining data analysis and project management to set strategy and accomplish goals.

Rachel is an expert in philanthropic trends, a frequent contributor in publications such as The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Pro, and a sought-after presenter in the nonprofit community. She serves on the advisory board of Nonprofit Pro.

Before she began her consulting career a decade ago, Rachel spent a decade in leadership positions at Yeshiva University and UJA-Federation of New York. She established the funding model at these institutions, where she raised and stewarded millions of dollars in grants and private support from national foundations and individual donors.

Adartova Consulting helps nonprofits return to growth. The explosion of AI, machine learning, and CRM creates huge opportunities for your school. We’re here to help you solve your most important growth problems with these technologies, including the many free tools. Following a 5-year stint in consulting, principal consultant Adam Hertzman spent a decade leading marketing for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and two previous decades in technology and business-to-business companies. During his nonprofit leadership, he led the organization through four major crises including spearheading the communications team responding to the Oct. 27, 2018 attack on three Pittsburgh Jewish congregations.

Jessie Katz is a development thought-leader who has partnered with and raised millions of dollars for Jewish nonprofits and day schools for over fifteen years. The core of her work at Ziv Philanthropy is building and implementing sustainable fundraising plans, which are robust campaign and operations roadmaps that position organizations for efficiency and allow leaders to go back to doing what they love. While Jessie's experience is vast, her passion lies in the Jewish community. She is proud to have supported many pillar organizations in our field including Adamah, Prizmah: CJDS, Aish Global, StandWithUs, JFNA, and Jofa, along with numerous day schools of all sizes such as Magen David Yeshivah, Ben Porat Yosef, Westchester Torah Academy, and New England Jewish Academy. Jessie earned a bachelor's degree in family and human development from the Honors College at Arizona State University and her master's degree in social work at New York University. When Jessie is not advising nonprofits, she teaches graduate courses in public policy at Yeshiva University, coordinates a 100+ family CSA, and leads her community's partnership minyan. Jessie lives with her family in Stamford, CT and proudly sends her children to Westchester Day School.

Cheryl is Prizmah's Director of the Day School Leadership Training institute. Learn more about her here.

Hannah is Prizmah's Senior Vice President of Development. Learn more about her here.

Jason B. Zwang, CFRE, is an accomplished leader in fundraising, renowned for securing substantial philanthropic contributions across a diverse range of industries and donor backgrounds. He is distinguished for establishing enduring frameworks for growth and fostering lasting donor relationships through his profound understanding of donor psychology, guiding them towards sustained philanthropy. Jason's expertise extends to navigating complex donor agreements and managing international gifts, providing him with a comprehensive grasp of the donor lifecycle—from immediate cash donations to major and principal gifts, as well as planned giving. 

Proficient in developing operational structures, Jason excels in instilling a culture of philanthropy among non-fundraising stakeholders and subject matter experts. He collaborates closely with organizational leaders across various functions to proactively ensure the successful execution of programs.