The Koby Mandell Foundation Board of Directors

Rabbi Seth Mandell : Founder and President – Rabbi Mandell has been involved in Jewish education programs since 1982. He was the Director of the University of Maryland Hillel Foundation . Under his leadership, the Hillel program became one of the largest and most active Jewish college educational programs in North America .

Lawrence H. Mandell : Chair, Board of Directors – Larry is the president of Woodbury College in Montpelier , Vermont , a lawyer and mediator. He co-founded Woodbury College in 1975, served as president of both the Vermont Higher Education Council and the Association of Vermont Independent Colleges, and was co-chair of the Vermont Bar Association's Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. He received his B.A. from the University of Connecticut and his Juris Doctorate from Boston College Law School .

Paul Crotty : Treasurer – Paul is the Founder of Principal Odyssey Consulting, a management consulting and training firm focused on creating solutions to human problems in Fortune 500 companies, not-for-profits, and other organizational settings. He is presently affiliated with the Western New England Organizational Development Network, the Center for Behavioral Health at St. Francis Medical Center and Mt. Sinai Hospital . Paul continues to devote himself to community service work for the Parents in Support of Diversity program at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor , Conn. , and for the Hartford Area Mediation Program in Hartford , Conn.

Rabbi Reuvan Tradburks : In addition to being Rabbi of Kehillat Shaarei Torah of Toronto, Rabbi Tradburks serves as Secretary of the Beis Din of the Vaad Harabonim of Toronto, sits on the board of the Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto, is a member of the Editorial Advisory Committee of the Canadian Jewish News, and is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America.  He has served as Rabbi of Knesseth Israel Synagogue in Birmingham , Alabama , as President of the Association of Jewish Outreach Professionals, and received his Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University .

Marla Tanenbaum : Marla runs her family's philanthropic foundation, The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Foundation, which has given millions of dollars in gifts to schools, universities and other community-related interests. Marla received her B.A. from Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1979 and spent one year studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She then earned her Juris Doctorate from the George Washington University National Law Center and practiced law in the area of business transactions. It was through Haley Tanenbaum's, Marla's daughter, Bat Mitzvah tzedakah project that she involved herself with the Koby Mandell Foundation.

Richard Friedman : Richard is Executive Director of the Birmingham Jewish Federation, the area's central Jewish Community fundraising, community relations and planning agency. Through his work, he has traveled to Israel 37 times and has met with Israeli leaders, Palestinian officials and Israeli Arabs. His most recent trip was in November of 2003. Richard was a political reporter and metro editor at the Birmingham News, where among many other issues, he covered school desegregation. Over the years, Richard has written extensively and spoken widely about Israel to schools, church groups, and civic clubs. He has also appeared frequently on local radio and television. Richard writes a daily Update email which goes to 1300 people, Jewish and non Jewish, focusing on Israel , terror and US-Israeli relations.

Fran Hirmes : For nearly 10 years, Fran has been an Assistant Village Prosecutor for the Incorporated Village of Lawrence, New York, and has immersed herself in the area of environmental law. She has litigated environmental insurance coverage issues, counseled clients in various aspects of federal, state and New York City environmental laws, and represented clients before federal, state and local environmental agencies. As Assistant Regional Counsel for the United States Environmental Protection Agencies Air, Waste and Toxic Substances Branch, Fran enforced the Clean Air Act through federal court litigation and advised the EPA technical staff on interpretation and application of regulations. Fran also served as President of the Sisterhood of Young Israel, chairperson of Zionism committee at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns & Rockaway, and was a Camp Mother at Camp Koby .

Lee Lasher: Lee is the managing director of Amlon Resources Group, an international metals reclamation, recovery, and environmental management firm. He lives in Englewood, NJ with his wife Cheryl and his three children, ages 13, 9, and 4 . Lee first became acquainted with Seth and Sherri on a trip to Israel in August 2001. He has since raised awareness of the Foundation in his community by organizing several fundraising events, including a parlor meeting and an annual men's softball game. Lee is also a member of the Board for Congregation Ahavas Torah and the Ramaz Alumni Board.

Michael Smigel : Michael is the owner of Great Neck Glatt, the only glatt kosher deli and catering in the Five Towns area. He recently moved to Woodmere, NY where he lives with his wife and two children. Michael Smigel arranged our successful 2003 Casino Night with Roy Angstreich, an event which was key to connecting the Foundation with communities in the Five Towns area.