Leadership

As an organization on the forefront of social change for 117 years, one of the keys to NCJW’s success is strong and strategic leadership. NCJW is governed by a Board of Directors which sets the policy and direction of the organization, contributes to the achievement of programmatic goals, and fulfills a variety of fiduciary responsibilities. NCJW is a also leader among leaders, serving as an active member of several prestigious alliances and councils.

Learn more about NCJW’s accomplished Board of Directors and various affiliation relationships.

NCJW Board of Directors

Officers 

Nancy Ratzan
President 

Nancy Ratzan is president of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.

In March 2009, President Obama appointed Ratzan to the White House Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. In February 2009 Ratzan represented NCJW on a delegation of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, which included an historic meeting with the Pope. She represented NCJW in 2003 on an interfaith mission to China to investigate family planning practices.

Before being elected NCJW president in March 2008, Ratzan served as an NCJW vice president for six years and chaired NCJW’s judicial nominations campaign, BenchMark: NCJW’s Campaign to Save Roe. She has been a leader in NCJW’s national public policy advocacy efforts since 1996.

Ratzan was the second woman to serve as president of Temple Beth Sholom, an 1100-family reform congregation in Miami Beach, and was founding chair of The Open Tent, an innovative program to expand and strengthen the Jewish community. An attorney, Ratzan was a partner in the Miami law firm of Steel, Hector & Davis, where she specialized in appellate, First Amendment, and higher education law.

Anne London
Vice President

Linda Slucker
Vice President 

Marge Weiser
Vice President

Gail S. Ball
Treasurer

Nancy Luria Cohen
Assistant Treasurer 

Robin Frank
Recording Secretary 

Board Members 

Helen Astmann
Joni Cohan
Nancy Eskow
Ricki Gardner
Meryl Diamond Gindin
Joanie Glickstein
Donna Gutman
Marlene Hammerman
Debbie Hoffmann
Felisa Ihly
Ellen Jacobs
Linda Jacobs 
Michelle Kosmin
Martha Krisel
Susan C. Levine
Barbara Merson 
Joan Riegel
Judy Rosenberg 
Stella Sayles
Toni Scherzer 
Andrea Schuver 
Rose Singer
Phyllis Snyder 
Janet Solitt
Mindy Wexler
Cindy Wolfson 

NCJW–United Nations Representatives 

Barbara Zuckerberg
Primary Representative

Marge Weiser 
Alternate Representative

NCJW–USA/ICJW Representative 

Donna R. Gary
Vice President