Sheff and the Israel team created what has become a vital resource for the media based in Israel, where 70% of the news about the region is gathered. He meets regularly with Israeli leaders, spokespeople, diplomats and NGOs on strategic communications issues and appears regularly in the international media. 

Sheff has worked as a media and communications professional in Israel for 20 years, beginning as a political reporter for the The Nation and later becoming an editor at The Jerusalem Post. He then set up a strategic communications company whose clients included government ministries, many of Israel's top 20 companies and international publishers and advertising agencies. The company became the leader in its field. After selling the company, Sheff represented international publishers and media organizations in Israel and around the world.

As a reserve officer in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Sheff was a prominent spokesperson for the IDF during all recent crises and trained senior IDF officers in media skills. He has appeared on behalf of the IDF on the BBC, ITV and Sky News, as well as dozens of other US and European TV and radio outlets. He serves on the editorial board of “Engage,” an organization that challenges contemporary anti-Semitism. Sheff studied at the University of Leeds, where he was elected General Secretary of the Leeds University Union and was active in national student politics.

marcuss@theisraelproject.org
011-972-(0)2-6236427

Laura Kam, Senior Advisor

TIP's Senior Advisor, Laura Kam meets regularly with top politicians, diplomats and think-tanks across Europe, the United Kingdom, Israel and the United States. A dynamic speaker and innovator, she is an expert on Israel-related issues and threats facing the nation.

As head of TIP’s Iran and European projects Laura manages the delivery of information in six languages to 76,000 journalists and opinion-makers across the globe. Laura also arranges high profile media events and tours throughout Europe to disseminate TIP's research-based, Europe-specific messages.

Prior to joining TIP, Laura worked for the Anti-Defamation League for 17 years, including as co-director of the ADL's Israel office, where she regularly met with leading Israeli and Middle East officials and policymakers. Laura was responsible for all areas of media relations for the League's Jerusalem office including developing and maintaining relations with the foreign and local media corps and serving as a liaison between the national headquarters and various Israeli government ministries and institutions. In addition, Laura was responsible for organizing missions that brought key U.S. and state legislators, law enforcement officials, journalists and others to Israel.

Laura has expertise on Iran and international terrorism, teaches pro-Israel advocacy, and has worked as a press officer at the Israeli Consulate in New York. Kam holds a B.A. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, M.A. in Social Work (Community Organization) from Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and has completed all course work towards a doctorate in Social Welfare Administration from the Hunter College School of Social Work.

laurak@theisraelproject.org
202.857.2761 

Jacky Wershbale, Senior Director of Development  

As senior director of development, Jacky Wershbale heads all administrative and day-to-day operations of The Israel Project’s development department and is responsible for all grant-writing and development activities. Wershbale has 16 years of experience in fundraising in the United States – locally, nationally and internationally. 

Wershbale joined TIP in September 2008 after seven years as associate director of Friends of Yemin Orde where, as part of a three-person team, Jacky helped to raise more than $72 million in seven years. From 2004 - 2007 Jacky directed a $50 million campaign for Friends of Yemin Orde which included endowment and capital-building components. Wershbale’s past positions have included director of development at the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center and Jewish Women International. She was also director of operations for the development department at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Handgun Violence. 

A native of England, Wershbale is a graduate of the University of London and lived in Israel from 1981 to 1991, mostly as a member of Kibbutz Shamir in the Upper Galilee.

jackyw@theisraelproject.org
202-857-6655

Meagan Shaina Buren, Research and Training Director

Meagan Buren is The Israel Project's research and training director. As such, Buren is on the front lines of understanding and impacting public opinion about issues that affect Israel's security. Buren is responsible for managing TIP's consultant-led focus groups and polling in the United States, France, Germany, England, Spain and Russia. 

A dynamic speaker and trainer, Buren has conducted interactive training sessions on strategic communications and media for more than 1,000 Israel advocates, professionals and lay leaders who are key to impacting Israel's image. She is an expert on Israel and Iran and has trained top leaders to do media interviews on those topics.

A five-year veteran of The Israel Project, Buren was previously TIP's communications and outreach manager, running high-profile events for the community and media. These included rallies for more than 1,000 people at both the Republican and Democratic Conventions and the annual Ultimate Training Seminar for Pro-Israel Advocates. Buren has organized media events attended by outlets ranging from CNN and CBS to The New York Times, The Washington Post and the BBC.

Buren earned her master's degree from Georgetown University in communications, culture and technology; her thesis was entitled, "Spinning, Spending and Sponsoring: Efforts to Generate Anti-Israel and Pro-Palestinian Media Coverage and Public Opinion." She graduated from Ohio State University cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in arts and sciences for international studies focusing on the Middle East and a B.A. in humanities for Hebrew.

meaganb@theisraelproject.org
202.857.6671

Youri Hazanov, Director of Web Advocacy and Outreach

Youri Hazanov is director of Web advocacy and outreach at The Israel Project’s D.C. office. He is in charge of TIP’s Web outreach strategy, using methods such as online campaigns and search engine optimization to increase journalist, activist and donor traffic to TIP’s Web site. Hazanov also oversees the maintenance, management and design of TIP’s Web site and database as well as creating and implementing new Web strategies and analyzing their effectiveness. In addition, Hazanov is responsible for TIP’s outreach in Russian.

Before becoming director of TIP’s Web advocacy and outreach, Hazanov worked from Geneva, Switzerland for TIP’s European affairs division. During that time, Hazanov organized many press events throughout Europe featuring top Israel and Iran experts and wrote backgrounders and fact sheets on Iran. He is fluent in Russian, French and English, and speaks German and Hebrew at a conversational level.

Hazanov previously worked as a freelance journalist for the European Jewish Press; his articles were published in Swiss newspapers. He also has worked as a freelance translator, interpreter and Web designer.

Hazanov earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations, focusing on the Middle East; a master’s degree in information and communication systems; and a master in business administration, specializing in international management, all from the University of Geneva.

yourih@theisraelproject.org
202.857.2764

Jennifer Packer, Senior Adviser for Media

Jennifer Packer, a seasoned former journalist, joined The Israel Project in January 2005 where she has been on the front lines helping reporters in the United States and abroad get the facts they need to cover Israel. During Israel's summer 2006 defensive war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, Packer was in northern Israel as missiles fell to help journalists from around the world see the destruction and devastation caused by the attacks from southern Lebanon. Packer was also in Gaza during Israel's disengagement from that region to disseminate facts to reporters and write about Israel's painful sacrifices for peace. Packer also helped begin The Israel Project's Jerusalem office.

In Washington, Packer heads TIP's content team, working closely with journalists to provide them sources and information about Israel. An expert on Israel, she also conducts research and writes press releases, fact sheets and other material about issues ranging from Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel's commitment to peace. Her work has been read by thousands of journalists worldwide. Packer also has organized and led dozens of press conferences and events in Washington, New York and beyond with top Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman. Additionally, Packer serves as The Israel Project's in-house editor and twice has run the organization's summer Media Fellowship program.

Prior to joining The Israel Project, Packer worked as a senior editor for a Washington, D.C.-area counter-terrorism think-tank. Before that, she spent more than 10 years as a reporter, the last seven as a staff writer for The Dallas Morning News. Her journalism career also includes working as a Jerusalem-based freelance reporter for a dozen major U.S. newspapers, during which time she covered various aspects of the first intifada, the Israeli Cabinet and wrote numerous features stories about life in Israel. Packer also worked for the Jerusalem bureau of United Press International.

Packer, a San Francisco-Bay Area native, holds a B.A. in English and Spanish from U.C. Berkeley and an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University. As an undergraduate, Packer worked as a freelance reporter for the Los Angeles Times in addition to serving as an editor and reporter for Berkeley's The Daily Californian. She also has written freelance articles for the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner.

jenniferp@theisraelproject.org
202.857.6657

Brandon Gray, Web Advocacy Associate, D.C. Office

Brandon Gray joined The Israel Project's team in July 2007 as a Development Associate.   In February 2008 Brandon transitioned to his current position. His primary responsibilities include the creation and maintenance of TIP's multimedia webpages.

Prior to joining The Israel Project, Gray worked for the sales and marketing department of iComply Incorporated, a division of Washington-based Lotstein Buckman, LLP, a mortgage banking law firm. Gray also spent two years with Kraft Foods in Richmond, Va., representing the company at almost 40 retail stores in Virginia and North Carolina, where he worked as part of a team that won awards for highest market share growth.

Gray graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 2003 with a B.S. in consumer science; he minored in business administration. As an undergraduate, Gray was a delegate to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee campaign training institute in Washington, D.C. and was active in the University of Tennessee's Jewish student center. Gray has been to Israel numerous times and spent a summer there studying Hebrew and Israeli culture.

brandong@theisraelproject.org
202-857-6627 

Michael Wain – Media Communications Associate

Michael Wain joined The Israel Project’s team in 2008 as Media Communications Associate. Wain is responsible for conducting research, writing and editing press releases and organizing events for journalists. Wain returns to TIP after completing TIP’s 2005 summer Media Fellowship.

As a student, Wain completed a year-long, graduate-level fellowship with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a D.C.-based think tank, during which he attended counterterrorism seminars in Tel Aviv and Washington, and organized events to educate fellow students about the threat of terrorism. Wain also completed an internship with the Near East-South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at National Defense University, where he gained exposure to top Middle Eastern leaders and coauthored an academic paper with a faculty member.

Wain graduated with distinction from the University of Virginia in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Affairs.

Prior to joining The Israel Project, Wain worked as a legal assistant for the law firm of Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, PLLC.

michaelw@theisraelproject.org
202-857-6653 

Deborah Lichentin, European Affairs Associate

As a European affairs associate at The Israel Project, Déborah Lichentin has run successful pro-Israel media campaigns, identifying experts and arranging media appearances for them across Europe and the United States. These media campaigns have resulted in coverage seen by millions around the world. Lichentin also coordinates press events in Europe, including events at the European Parliament in Brussels, the House of Commons in London, and at the Senates in Vienna and Paris.  

Before joining TIP, Lichentin worked as a Legacy Heritage Fellow at the European Near East Forum in Paris, an organization that aims to create a better understanding and knowledge of Israel among decisions-makers and French public opinion leaders.  

Lichentin’s experiences in the media, including preparing reports for Jewish Radio of Paris and working for communication agencies, have enhanced her research, presentation and campaigning skills. 

Lichentin studied law and completed a bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of Paris-Sorbonne. Lichentin also earned a master’s degree in political and social communication from the Sorbonne.

In addition to French, Lichentin speaks English, Spanish and Hebrew and has studied in Spain as well as at the University of Pennsylvania and Tel Aviv University.

deborahl@theisraelproject.org
202-857-6638 

Erin Carr, Executive Assistant to the President

Erin A. Carr is the executive assistant to the president and founder of The Israel Project. She manages administrative and operational tasks for the president, serves as a scheduler and supports a wide variety of other projects and activities ranging from events to development. Additionally, Carr aids the senior advisor and works closely with other staff members to carry out initiatives and various programs. 

Prior to joining The Israel Project, Carr held positions at several trade associations, where she specialized in communications and media issues. Carr has a strong background in writing, editing, media relations, collateral design and production and Web site management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing management from Northwood University and a master’s degree in public communications from American University.


erinc@theisraelproject.org
202-857-6616

Julie Hazan, European Affairs Web Specialist 

As TIP’s European affairs Web specialist, Julie Hazan carries out extensive research focusing on European media coverage of Israel and the Middle East. Through her research, Hazan helps develop TIP’s communication strategy for Europe and reaches out to members of the European press. Hazan also identifies and maintains TIP’s database of European experts on Israel and Iran. 

Hazan completed TIP’s 2007 summer Media Fellowship, during which she gained experience in European media relations and established meaningful relationships with notable French journalists and experts. 

Hazan studied law and completed a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications at the University of Marseille. Hazan received a master’s degree in public management with a focus in European and international public affairs at the University of Aix en Provence. Prior to TIP, Hazan worked for the Fonds Social Juif Unifié in Marseille where she was responsible for organizing events involving experts in the field of Israel advocacy.

julieh@theisraelproject.org
202-857-2765

Communications Director, Israel Office: Eli Ovits

As Director of Communications, Eli Ovits leads The Israel Project’s daily outreach to the foreign press by developing personal relationships with the 470 journalists based in Israel and those visiting the region. From pitching stories to organizing media tours, Ovits provides members of the media with TIP’s cutting edge research and expertise.

Ovits oversees TIP’s Sderot Media Center and provides on-site information to correspondents during crises. Guiding TIP’s flagship ‘Intellicopter’ tour (which has hosted more than 850 journalists) and developing new products, he works to constantly raise the profile and added value of TIP among the press.

Ovits’ career in public affairs began at the Embassy of Israel in London and as a Youth Director for the Jewish National Fund. In 2000, he was appointed National Director of Bnei Akiva youth movement and in 2001 he became Executive Director of the Mizrachi Federation of Great Britain and Ireland.

After moving to Israel, Ovits completed Ulpan Etzion language school and was recruited by Investec Private Banking to cultivate client relationships in the individual and non-profit sectors. He also worked with the BBC Middle East Bureau during the 2006 general election campaign.

Ovits  came to TIP from the the Joint Distribution Committee, a prestigious global humanitarian organization. At JDC, he briefed high-level delegations across Israel, Ethiopia, Great Britain and Ireland. An accomplished orator on Israel's social and security affairs, he was charged with devising a communications strategy for specific partners, which resulted in significant support for Israel.

Drafted into the Israel Defense Forces Spokespersons Unit in 2003, Ovits managed relations with the British and Australian media. As an officer in the reserves, he served as a spokesman during the Disengagement and Second Lebanon War, during which he was regularly interviewed by major news outlets, including CNN and the BBC.

Ovits has a Masters degree in International Relations from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he specialized in Diplomacy and National Security. He is also a graduate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israel Advocacy Program.

elio@theisraelproject.org
011-972-(0)2-6236427

Leah Soibel, Senior Advisor for Research and Communications, Israel Office

At The Israel Project, Soibel conducts research on the Iran-backed activities of terrorist groups including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. She also studies how Israel goes about working for peace. Her work is published regularly in TIP’s press releases, backgrounders and fact sheets read by thousands of journalists worldwide.

Soibel has put her life at risk more than once to get the facts to journalists. As the southern city of Sderot was under siege by Gaza-based Palestinian groups launching hundreds of Qassam rockets, Soibel was in Sderot bomb shelters sending out press releases and at the Gaza border providing information to the foreign press. During Israel's defensive war against Iran-backed Hezbollah, Soibel was on the front lines getting reporters the facts they needed to get the story right.

Soibel, who has served in intelligence, is a meticulous researcher with expert knowledge of cyber-terrorism/jihad and Arab/Islamic public diplomacy. She has conducted in-depth analyses of the connections among Iranian, Palestinian and Hezbollah terror Web sites used as platforms to wage sophisticated media campaigns and terrorist efforts against Israel and the United States.

Soibel is a National Security Education Program Fellow and has traveled throughout the Arab world. In 2000-2001 she studied at the American University in Cairo's Arabic Language Institute. She earned a B.A. in Middle Eastern history and Judaic studies from Dickinson College and an M.A. from George Washington University in security policy studies, focusing on the Middle East. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. in political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, focusing on Arab public diplomacy campaigns.

Soibel is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hebrew and Arabic and is currently learning Farsi.

leahs@theisraelproject.org
011-972-(0)2-6236427

 

Events Coordinator, Israel Office: Rachel Fishman

Rachel Fishman manages events headed by The Israel Project’s office in Jerusalem. In this capacity, Fishman organizes press conferences featuring high-profile figures, government ministers, Knesset members and spokespeople, including Ehud Olmert, Benjamin Netanyahu, Haim Ramon and Isaac Herzog. She also organizes field tours and exclusive press events with senior-level security officials.

Fishman manages events primarily for the foreign press stationed in Israel, as well as ambassadors, diplomats and academics. She consistently draws top-tier members of the press to TIP’s events, including bureau chiefs from The New York Times, The Economist, TIME Magazine, Reuters, Fox News and the BBC. Fishman’s public events have appealed to hundreds of participants, including two successful academic conferences focusing on Iran. She coordinates TIP’s flagship guided ‘Intellicopter’ tours for visiting and Israel-based journalists.

Fishman was especially influential during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War. Based in Haifa, she arranged press briefings and bus tours of Katyusha-damaged sites for dozens of visiting journalists.

Fishman has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and English Literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She previously worked at The Jerusalem Post in the editorial and advertising departments. She is a native Israeli and is bilingual (Hebrew and English).

rachelf@theisraelproject.org
011-972-(0)2-6236427

Christoph Heil, European Affairs Associate

As a European affairs associate at The Israel Project, Christoph Heil organizes and hosts media tours and press events aimed at European journalists in Berlin, Vienna, Paris, London and Brussels. A native of Germany, Heil writes and translates press releases and fact sheets on issues such as Iran and terrorism, which are distributed to thousands of journalists, experts and officials throughout Europe. Heil works out of TIP’s Jerusalem office, where he also conducts research on European foreign policy, develops and maintains contacts with European journalists who cover Middle East issues and helps identify experts on Iran and terrorism in Europe.

Prior to joining TIP, Heil worked for five years as a public affairs associate at the Embassy of Israel in Germany. He earned his undergraduate degree in Protestant theology at Humboldt University of Berlin and a master’s degree in theology at Heidelberg University. He also completed internships at the United Nations Development Programme Baghdad; the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator in the Occupied Territories, Gaza; and the Centre for Applied Policy Research in Munich. He is fluent in German, English and Hebrew and reads and writes French.

christophh@theisraelproject.org
202-203-9928

Jeremy Sharon, Research and Communications Associate 

As research and communications associate in The Israel Project’s Jerusalem office, Jeremy Sharon is responsible for writing many of the press releases generated by the Israel office. He also produces other written material distributed to journalists in Israel ranging from booklets about areas of Israel under almost constant attack by Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza to guides for TIP’s helicopter tours. To help ensure that TIP is always providing up-to-date and relevant information to journalists, Sharon compiles statistical information about the Israeli-Arab conflict that is sent to journalists and posted on TIP’s Web site, such as data on Palestinian rocket fire and Israeli casualties. Sharon also helps journalists connect with Israel-based experts to get comment for their stories.  

Sharon previously worked as senior researcher for NGO Monitor, compiling reports and studies on NGO activity in Israel and the Palestinian Authority and their funding sources. He was also a research assistant at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies where he worked with Dr. Yehudit Ronen on her book Qaddafi's Libya in World Politics about Libyan foreign policy under Qaddafi, published in October 2008.  

Sharon, a native of England, has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Leeds and a master’s degree in the history of international relations from the London School of Economics.

jeremys@theisraelproject.org
011-972-(0)2-6236427 

Hamodie Abu Nadda, Arabic Associate

Hamodie Abu Nadda is the Arabic associate at The Israel Project’s Jerusalem Office, where he oversees TIP’s Arabic Media Project.

Abu Nadda communicates Israel’s messages of peace and coexistence in Arabic through TIP’s weekly press releases and Arabic Web site to nearly 7,000 Arab journalists worldwide. Abu Nadda works to improve Israel’s image in the Arab world and its coverage in the Arab press. 

Prior to joining TIP, Abu Nadda worked at the Anti-Defamation League on the Arabic desk as an Arabic media analyst, where he used his Arabic media skills to highlight anti-Semitic stories in the Arab press and identify key media reporting trends. These issues were published in the ADL’s monthly Arabic Media Review, read by researchers, journalists and diplomats around the world. 

An Israeli Druze, Abu Nadda is fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, English and Farsi. Abu Nadda has a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and Middle Eastern studies from the Hebrew University. Abu Nadda also serves as a tank company commander in the Israel Defense Forces.

hamodiean@theisraelproject.org
011-972-(0)2-6236427

Shiri Shapira, Project Coordinator and Office Manager

Shiri Shapira is project coordinator and office manager for The Israel Project’s Jerusalem office. She is a key member of TIP’s team in Israel and is responsible for initiating events and coordinating logistics for high-level meetings. Shapira also arranges press events with Israeli officials and educational tours for the 470 foreign journalists based in Israel. 

Shapira came to The Israel Project from the Jerusalem-based Strategy3i, a strategic consulting firm for multinational companies, governments and NGOs, where she worked as the personal assistant to the CEO. 

Shapira holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral sciences from Ben Gurion University and was an education officer in the Israel Defense Forces. She is fluent in Hebrew and English.


shirit@theisraelproject.org
011-972-(0)2-6236427

Barbara Ledeen, Senior Advisor on Iran

Barbara Ledeen is a senior advisor at The Israel Project working to support the Iran communications initiative. Ledeen works on projects at the local, state and international level regarding divestment from Iran. She also works with TIP’s researchers and Iran experts to create press materials about Iran.

For the previous six years Ledeen was director of coalitions for the Senate Republican Conference, a Senate leadership position in which she was responsible for strategic communications and the Conference’s coordination with other Senate committees and offices. Before coming to the Senate, Mrs. Ledeen was a founder and for 10 years served as executive director of the Independent Women’s Forum, a national public policy organization. During the Reagan administration, Ledeen was director of communications for the Defense Technology Security Administration in the Department of Defense.

Ledeen is on the board of Miramed, an international non-profit organization concerned with stopping the trafficking of children and women in Russia. She is also a Red Cross volunteer at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Her articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Human Events and, before working in the Senate, she was the subject of a 60 Minutes segment as well as a frequent commentator on cultural issues.

Ledeen holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Beloit College.

Mark B. Toubin, National Leadership Consultant  

As The Israel Project’s National Leadership Consultant, Mark B. Toubin works with TIP staff to develop strategically the organization throughout the fifty states.  With a background in politics, law, communications, Israeli affairs and non-profit organizations, Mark is uniquely suited to promote TIP’s mission of securing Israel and the Jewish People.
 
Most recently the Southwest Regional Director for the the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Mark graduated from Emory University in 1985 and the University of Texas School of Law in 1988. During his eleven years as a civil litigator, Mark engaged in significant political and Jewish communal activity as a lay leader in Houston, TX before joining AIPAC in 1999.  As Southwest Regional Director until February 2008, Mark led political initiatives to federally elected officials on a bipartisan basis, developed effective communication strategies, and successfully completed eight annual campaigns.
 
A former political talk show host, Mark has served on the boards of the Houston Area Women’s Center, The Inter-Ethnic Forum and the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston.

Dr. Mitchell G. Bard, Consultant

Dr. Mitchell G. Bard is the Executive Director of the nonprofit American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise (AICE) and a foreign policy analyst who lectures frequently on U.S.-Middle East policy. Bard is also the director of the Jewish Virtual Library, the world¹s most comprehensive online encyclopedia of Jewish history and culture. For three years he was the editor of the Near East Report, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) weekly newsletter on U.S. Middle East policy. Prior to working at AIPAC, Bard served as a senior analyst in the polling division of the 1988 Bush campaign.
 
Bard has appeared on Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, CBC, the Jenny Jones Show, and other local and national television and radio outlets. His work has been published in academic journals, magazines and major newspapers. He is the author of 19 books including "The Water's Edge And Beyond: Defining the Limits to Domestic Influence on U.S. Middle East Policy," "Partners for Change: How U.S.-Israel Cooperation Can Benefit America," "Myths And Facts: A Concise Record of the Arab-Israeli Conflict"(coauthor), and "Will Israel Survive?" Bard holds a Ph.D. in political science from UCLA and a master's degree in public policy from UC Berkeley. He received his B.A. in economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

mgbard@aol.com
301-565-3918

Miki (Michael) Cohen, Consultant, Israel Office

Miki Cohen served as the Chief of Protocol for 10 years under Mayor Olmert for the Jerusalem Municipality. As Chief of Protocol for Jerusalem, Cohen was responsible for all the official events, ceremonies and official visits in Jerusalem. This includes many heads of State, Foreign Ministers, celebrities and the Pope.

In 2003, Cohen joined the Israel office of the United Jewish Communities and Federations of North America as the Director and Executive Producer of its Jerusalem General Assembly - an event attended by thousands of leaders from around the world. Miki Cohen has a Masters degree in political science from Hebrew University, worked for 14 years in El Al, served as the Director of the Zionist youth and student council in South Africa and directed a tourist company in Jerusalem.

Cohen is also a communal activist and was a Deputy Chairperson of Baaka Neighborhood community Administration. 

chmiki@zahav.net.il