Inside the Activists' Studio DC
Workshop Information and Leader Bios
 
Can I have/Do I want a career in nonprofits?

A life in the nonprofit field can be rewarding in many ways, but longevity in the field requires finding balance and renewal. Come to an interactive discussion with two nonprofit leaders and unlock the secrets of their long term commitments to making a difference in the DC Community.

Adam Tenner is the executive director of Metro TeenAIDS (www.metroteenaids.org) in Washington, DC. MTA has been recognized by many as one of the strongest small nonprofits in the city.  Metro TeenAIDS runs a diverse set of outreach, education, advocacy and community-level programs aimed at helping young people at risk of HIV infection and supporting those who are already affected by HIV/AIDS. Adam has been the director since 2001 and has been working in the field of HIV since 1992.

Our City, Our Problems- Become a Local Advocate

Have you always wanted to be an advocate but not sure how to get involved locally? Are you passionate about children’s rights? Women’s rights? Eradicating homelessness? Workers’ rights? Eliminating poverty? Come learn about recent, local, successful advocacy campaigns and how you can get involved.

Marta Beresin joined the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless (www.legalclinic.org) in 2000, having worked as a legal services attorney with the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau and the Homeless Persons Representation Project in Baltimore. Marta's work focuses on improving the lives of families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. She case counsels volunteers who do intake at the Family Resource Center and Rachael's Women's Center. Her systemic advocacy focuses on improving the programs that low-income families rely on.  She also presents legal rights workshops on housing, shelter, public benefits programs and family law, to both shelter residents and shelter providers.

Ilana Lipsett is the Political Director of the Capital Area District of SEIU 32BJ.  She has worked on the John Edwards for President Campaign.  Prior, she worked as staff and as an AVODAH corps member at The DC Employment Justice Center.

Re-Inventing the Wheel? Pros and Cons of Trying Build Momentum From Scratch

"Synergize describes a way of working in teams. Apply effective problem solving. Apply collaborative decision making. Value differences. Build on divergent strengths. Leverage creative collaboration. Embrace and leverage innovation. It is put forth that when synergy is pursued as a habit, the result of the teamwork will exceed the sum of what each of the members could have achieved on their own. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." -Steven Covey, Habit #6, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Many efforts, if calculated right, are more effective when harnessing initiatives that already exist instead of creating new ones. Come join for an interactive conversation on idea-generation, public-private partnership potential and innovative ways to tap into personal talents and social networks.

Anna Levy has been living in Washington, DC since 2006, working at the nexus of service-learning, financial empowerment and international development initiatives. After serving a year-long Fellowship at PANIM, Anna spent two years as Program Director for the Educated Consumer Project, a youth financial literacy program providing money-management education in DC Public Schools. Anna's field time begins with staffing Jewish service learning programs to the Hopi and Navajo Reservations, a stint in Nicaragua focused on solar energy alternatives and a summer in Ghana and Ukraine with the American Jewish World Service. Anna recently entered the world of non-profit consulting; currently overseeing outreach and development for Climate Lab, a Web 2.0 approach to climate change, having previously developed a Fellowship in social responsibility for List College in NY. Anna is active in the DC Jewish Community, loves running, the outdoors and needs to work on her Spanish.

Welcoming Immigrants into Our Communities

This workshop will address the many issues related to immigration through the lens of Jewish text. Participants will learn about two local immigrant communities and address myths and stereotypes. Everyone will leave with information about various ways to take action, such as avenues for advocacy, events in the community, and ways to get involved with local community service.

Lindsay Morris was born and raised outside of Syracuse, NY. After graduation from Bucknell University, she joined AmeriCorp VISTA in central Pennsylvania, working with an organization that focused on lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Lindsay did a second year of service with AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corp as a Legal Assistant at CASA de Maryland. In that year, she became heavily involved in working with the immigrant community to improve their quality of life through education, advocacy, and services. Lindsay is continuing her work at CASA as a Tenant and Community Organizer in Langley Park, MD. Lindsay is also a member of the Silver Spring Moishe House and in her spare time likes to bike, cook, and read.

Yasha Moz was born and raised in Ekaterinburg, Russia. He was actively involved in the Jewish Renaissance in post-communist Russia first as a Jewish camp counselor and then through his local Hillel center where he coordinated numerous programs and eventually became the youngest ever Hillel Director. Yasha moved to the US with his family in 2006. Since then he has been working at the International Division at Hillel’s headquarters in Chinatown, DC. Yasha also regularly volunteers at the Shalom Education Center – a Sunday school for children of Russian-speaking immigrants in Rockville, MD where he conducts Jewish Holiday celebrations and leads a teen program for the school’s alumni. Yasha holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Urals State University.

Business Unusual

Rebecca Shaloff recently joined Co-op America's staff after three years working to grow the social labeling movement at RugMark. As Screening Director, Rebecca oversees the process of vetting companies' commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Prior to her work greening the domestic marketplace, Rebecca volunteered as a labor researcher in India through American Jewish World Service's World Partners Program. Her activist "career" began as an AVODAH fellow in 2003-04 where she worked as a community organizer with NY Jobs with Justice. When not neurotically checking the labels of everything she consumes, Rebecca can be found rock climbing or at rock concerts.

Scott Rechler joined Ashoka: Innovators for the Public in 2004 as a member of the Global Fellowship team, working to support Ashoka’s global network of social entrepreneurs. After identifying security as a critical concern for social entrepreneurs worldwide, Scott launched Ashoka’s Fellow Security program. Scott began his Ashoka career in 2000 as a volunteer with Ashoka Fellow Rosamaria Ruiz in Bolivia and later as a volunteer with Ashoka Fellow Héctor Jorquera facilitating civic participation in southern Chile (2003-04). He graduated from Harvard University in June 2003 with a degree in social anthropology, having written his thesis on social entrepreneurship and social capital in southern Chile. A native of Washington DC, Scott currently co-coordinates an inter-cultural social entrepreneurship program for DC high school students, LearnServe International. In his spare time he enjoys running, biking, cooking, and, of course, social entrepreneurship.