THE TUCSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER announced several new hires.
KATHY (KAT) RODRIGUEZ joins the J as assistant director of digital marketing and communications. Previously, Rodriguez was a marketing specialist at the University of Arizona Medical Network. She holds an Associate of Arts degree from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Masters of Business Education from the American InterContinental University in Chicago.
EVA KARENE ROMERO joins the J as a grant writer. Born in the United States and raised in South America, she attended the University of Iowa and received her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona, where she taught Hispanic cultural studies and language classes. Her book, “Film and Democracy in Paraguay,” will be published by Palgrave Macmillan this year and she will co-direct a documentary on women’s rights in South America. She is a board member of the Tucson Pima Arts Council.
LEEANN PERRY-WALKER, a new membership relations coordinator, worked at the J in 2003 as catering and sales director, leaving to pursue a career in the hotel industry and obtain a culinary degree from Pima Community College. She was director of catering at Lodge on the Desert and the Hilton El Conquistador Resort and catering manager at La Posada Lodge and Casitas.
ANDREA WRIGHT, the J’s new operations coordinator, is a Tucson native who holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Grand Canyon University. Prior to the J, she worked at A Place to Call Home, BBVA Compass Bank and Living Interiors. She has a also been a volunteer with the Special Olympics.
JEWISH FAMILY & CHILDREN’S SERVICES OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA has named MORGAN P. CROWDER, M.S. as director of finance. Crowder has more than 15 years of experience as an Air Force officer in charge of funding mission-critical programs, including humanitarian relief efforts and wartime operations. She holds a master’s degree in management and a certificate in teaching finance from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. JFCS has also named MONIKA L. RADFORD, PHR, SHRM-CP, as human resources manager. Her more than 13 years of human resources management experience include positions at Hirose Electric USA, Rakutten (formerly Buy.com) and WindRiver (formerly Routeware).
RABBI YEHUDA CEITLIN, outreach director of Chabad Tucson and associate rabbi of Congregation Young Israel, recently became a certified instructor of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, an adult Jewish education program running in 300 cities worldwide. Starting in December he will be teaching JLI courses in a joint project of Chabad Tucson and the Tucson Jewish Community Center.
CAROL FABRIZIO has joined the WEINTRAUB ISRAEL CENTER as program assistant. The Weintraub Israel Center is a joint program of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Jewish Community Center. Fabrizio, who moved to Tucson from Southern California several months ago, worked in the corporate world for 20 years, most recently at The Walt Disney Studios.
TRULAND BURGERS AND GREENS, operated by JEFF KATZ and PAOLO DEFILIPPIS, recently opened at 7332 N. Oracle Road. The restaurant offers a culinary combination of the menus at Choice Greens and Graze Premium Burgers, also operated by Katz and DeFilippis. For more information, visit trulandburgers.com.
JEWISH ARIZONANS ON CAMPUS has changed the name of its Israel scholarship fund, which is now the Rabbi Philip Z”L and Estelle Schechter Z”L Israel Scholarship Fund, reflecting the recent passing of Estelle Schechter. The scholarship was endowed by Jay and Debbie Schechter of Phoenix. For more information, contact Rabbi Jordan Brumer at 480-772-2728 or rabbijordan@gmail.com.
The PHOENIX JEWISH NEWS transferred ownership to the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix on July 15. The acquisition is thought to be the first time an independent Jewish community foundation has owned a Jewish newspaper. Former owner Jaime Stern will stay on as interim publisher during the transition period.
HUGHES FEDERAL CREDIT UNION reached their 100,000th member-owner last month, after seeing their membership rate double since 2009. To celebrate, Hughes presented the 100,000th member-owner, Maria Reyes, a $1,000 check when she opened a new account July 29 at Hughes’ Wetmore branch. Hughes will be giving away prizes through Aug. 19, Mondays-Fridays, on their Facbook page: Facebook.com/HughesFCU.
THE TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART has received a community development grant of $10,000 from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. Funds from the award will lead phase one of the restoration of La Casa Cordova, one of five historic properties that are part of the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, and assist the museum in hiring a part-time employee to provide tours and access to the historic home during peak season.
ALDINE S. CHANDLER, M.D., is now associated with the practice of STEVE WOOL, M.D. and PERSONALIZED HEALTHCARE OF TUCSON. Chandler is board certified in internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine and also trained as a hospitalist. A Tucson native, she received her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Arizona. She graduated with her medical doctorate, Alpha Omega Alpha, the highest distinction that can be achieved. She completed her medical residency training at the University of Washington in Seattle and worked with Seattle’s homeless health program’s teenage mentor program.
CONGREGATION ANSHEI ISRAEL has appointed SUSAN J. KIRSCHNER as finance director. Kirschner has been involved in synagogue financial management and administration since 1996 at Central Synagogue in Manhattan and Temple Emanu-El in Michigan. Kirschner will work closely with lay committees and CAI’s board of trustees to establish and implement sound and sustainable financial planning for the synagogue. She has a master’s in arts administration, is passionate about first generation folk dancing and the performing arts, and plans to attend French and Italian meet-ups in the area. She recently moved from metro Detroit to Tucson.
A newly remastered ARMON BIZMAN CD, featuring the music of TEMPLE EMANU-EL’S DOWNTOWN SHABBAT services, is available at the Temple Emanu-El gift shop. For sample and digital download, visit armonbizman.band camp.com.
Mother and daughter, ESTER LEUTENBERG and KATHY KHALSA, have co-authored the first book in a new series for mental health facilitators to use with clients, “Optimal Well-Being for Senior Adults,” published by Whole Person Associates.
Tucson designer LAURA TANZER has been chosen to compete at Phoenix Fashion Week’s Emerging Designer Boot Camp. She will launch her Spring 2017 line at the Phoenix Fashion Week, which will be held at Talking Stick Resort on Oct. 12-15.
“Shine Forth,” an album of original music by Tucson native BRYCE MEGDAL, is now available on CD Baby and iTunes. Megdal is a cantorial student at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California.
