Our Team

He leads a US team that raises revenue to provide students in Northern Israel with access to world-class education across many disciplines, groundbreaking research, and community-based activity at Israel’s most diverse campus community.

For 12 years prior to joining AFUH, Derrek served as Partner / Senior Philanthropic Advisor at New Profit, America’s leading venture philanthropy firm that provides grants and strategic support to scale organizations led by visionary entrepreneurs.

Derrek developed deep relationships with a wide range of investors, inspiring them to grow New Profit’s annual revenue from $19M to $73M. Derrek customized opportunities for scores of philanthropists to engage with New Profit in ways that were impactful, stimulating, and fun. Since its founding in 1998, New Profit has granted $350M to 250 organizations and unlocked $1.9B in US Government funding for social enterprise.

Derrek’s leadership at New Profit was an extension of his previous directorship with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a civil rights organization founded in 1913. As Regional Director for ADL New England, Derrek managed a team that counteracted antisemitism, built bridges of understanding between diverse peoples, and led anti-bias education programs to appeal to people’s better angels. ADL New England more-than-doubled its annual revenue during Derrek’s 5 years at the helm.

Prior to ADL, Derrek served as the first New England Political Director of AIPAC, America’s premier pro-Israel lobby, where he worked closely with members of Congress and key constituents to strengthen the US-Israel relationship. Derrek previously held senior positions in four gubernatorial administrations, including Chief of Staff in the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

It was early in his career as a daily newspaper reporter and columnist that Derrek learned to invest in relationships, value different perspectives, and practice the art of getting deals done. These experiences have come into play for Derrek throughout his ongoing journey.

Derrek is blessed to have a loving wife and two collegiate children. In his free time, you probably can find him on a tennis court trying to perfect a cross-court backhand.

In executive and development positions, Scott has led and been part of organizations that have strategically reimagined themselves and grown to expand their impact. He has served as Director of Campaign Outreach and Expansion at the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and as Executive Director of the Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach in Florida. Scott served as Southern Regional Director for J Street before becoming Executive Director of the American Friends of Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam, where he focused on shared society. Scott has also served as Executive Director of Temple Israel of Greater Miami, and just prior to joining the development team at American Friends of University of Haifa was Executive Director of a JCC without walls in Sonoma County, California. Scott resides in the Bay Area.

Keith especially focuses on building meaningful relationships with stakeholders, blending their philanthropic goals with organizational needs, thus maximizing the impact for both organization and donor.

Previous to his work at the Foundation, Keith had over 20 years of experience in the private and non-profit educational finance sector and has a long history of helping ensure students have access to educational opportunities.  Keith is excited to join American Friends of University of Haifa and continue his career improving access to higher education for students, while also becoming more deeply involved in Israel and pro-Israel communities.
Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Keith now lives in central New Jersey with his family and enjoys travel, hiking, and camping with his son.

She brings expertise in building collaborative teams, leading transitions, and galvanizing diverse stakeholders to work constructively toward a shared vision. Her career has centered on the nexus of higher education, intercultural exchange, and Jewish leadership. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Temple Beth El in Portland, Maine, where she created and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan, encompassing $2.5m in capital investments and a 50% growth in revenue. From 2008 – 2015, she worked for the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), focusing on faculty development, community engagement, and leading the establishment of CIEE’s first study center in Israel, based at University of Haifa.

Kate holds a BA in Psychology, and she studied Peace and Conflict Management and Hebrew language at University of Haifa’s International School. Her time in Haifa was pivotal to her development as a professional and as a human being, and she is passionate about generating awareness and support for University of Haifa’s mission and impact in Israel and around the globe.

She is a forward thinker and relationship builder who is deeply fascinated by the human spirit and believes passionately in the transformative power that storytelling can have on both an individual and our society.

Before coming to American Friends of University of Haifa, Laura worked for the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) as the Director, Creative Strategy and Operations. Here, she served as a creative and marketing strategist for a fast-paced, internal agency, producing content for all major JFNA events and initiatives as well as campaigns for 146 local chapters in North America – collectively responsible for raising $3 billion annually. In this role, as well as in previous roles, Laura oversaw and executed the full creative process for all deliverables, ensuring a cohesive and consistent branded experience.

Additionally, Laura has worked for the Greensboro Jewish Federation, the American Hebrew Academy, CJ Affiliate, and a startup tech app.

Laura holds a BA in International Affairs and English with a focus on Creative Writing. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, two sweet boys and two loveable dogs.

Igor has also served at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Americas Society/Council of the Americas, Bronxworks, and the Jewish Association for Servicing the Aging.

Igor has a long history of establishing new systems, policies, and processes from scratch for operations, and managing grants and gifts process requirements. Igor has managed budgets ranging from ~$7M to $100M+, and an endowment fund of ~$35M.

Igor joins American Friends of University of Haifa to refocus his career to be more deeply involved in Israel and pro-Israel communities.

Igor oversees the American Friends of University of Haifa Operations portfolio, including Finance and Business Administration, Human Resources, Legal and Compliance, and Technology Services.