Kate Chavez received her Masters Degree in Government, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution from Reichman University. At StandWithUs, Kate focuses on increasing comprehensive and quality education about the Jewish community in schools across the U.S. Kate is a proud Mexican Jew, passionate about public service, international relations, and fighting antisemitism. Kate has held fellowships, internships, and leadership positions with Masa Israel Journey, Israel Policy Forum, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, and the United States House of Representatives, among others. In college, Kate was elected as the Executive Vice President of Associated Students and advocated on behalf of 9,400 students. Kate was also the President and Founder of the first Israel club at her university, as well as the Israel Advocacy Intern for the Hillel on campus.

Ari Chesterman has a long history of working in Jewish spaces and with Jewish youth. As a student at Michigan State University, Ari worked with The David Project, teaching non-Jewish campus leaders about Israel, bringing them to the country to learn about the complexities of the young nation. Ari transferred to the University of Detroit Mercy, graduating with a bachelor of science in communications. During his time at the University of Detroit Mercy, Ari utilized his passion for Jewish education to work with youth. He worked with Generation of Promise, an organization in Detroit focused on bringing together high schoolers to learn about anti-racism and diversity. Following college, Ari was brought back into the Jewish youth world, starting his position with DC Council BBYO as an Associate Regional Director. After 11 months with BBYO, Ari decided to focus on Jewish youth education, which brought him to StandWithUs as the Mid-Atlantic High School Regional Manager.

Michelle Waksman is a recent graduate of Bryn Mawr College, where she majored in history and political science. Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, her family's deep involvement in the Jewish community and her Jewish education instilled in her a profound love for Israel and the Jewish world. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, the fight against antisemitism and providing accurate education about Zionism and Israel are deeply personal and meaningful to Michelle. When she encountered intense antisemitism and anti-Israel activity in college, she immediately stepped into leadership roles. Michelle was the president of both Hillel and Chabad, the Undergraduate Representative to the Greater Philly Hillel Board, and the Small Campus Trustee at the Israel Leadership Network. She is thrilled to continue this important work at StandWithUs, where she supports and educates the next generation of passionate activists for Israel and the Jewish people.

Sivan recently graduated from Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary with bachelor’s degrees in neuroscience and behavior and Jewish ethics. Beyond her majors, Sivan is passionate about European and Middle Eastern history. Growing up in an Israeli American household, her connection to both Judaism and Israel has always been a central part of her life. Splitting her time between Philadelphia and Tel Aviv during school deepened her love for Israel. This passion led her to become actively involved in the Columbia University chapter of Students Supporting Israel, where she eventually served as president. Concurrently, she held a board position at her campus Chabad and worked in the Barnard admissions office. Sivan is very excited to join the StandWithUs high school team, where she can share her passion for Israel and Judaism with others and help support future generations of student leaders!

Hailey Stern is a Chicago native who grew up in a family very involved in the Jewish

community with a strong connection to Israel. Hailey left Chicago to attend The Ohio State

University, where she graduated with honors and received a bachelor’s in environment and

natural resources. While attending university, Hailey encountered antisemitism and antizionism and felt unprepared to respond. After graduating, Hailey began working in a small town in Northeastern Ohio, where she faced antisemitism and antizionism from community

members and coworkers. This inspired her to begin educating herself and her community.

Hailey moved back to Chicago and joined StandWithUs as the Midwest High School Educator. Hailey strongly believes that education is key to empowering individuals and combating hatred.

John Michael Graves graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington in Seattle. A Pacific Northwest native, and active member of the Seattle-area Jewish community, John Michael witnessed antisemitism and anti-Israel bias at his university and in his professions, from politics to academia. He has had roles as a congressional house intern, political science research assistant, local political consultant, Hoover Institute SPBC participant, and much more. Within myriad fields he saw blatant misinformation about Israel, which galvanized his involvement in Israel and antisemitism education. This engagement led to his current role as Northwest High School Regional Manager with StandWithUs. Driven by his passion for truth and his admiration of the resilience of the Jewish story, John Michael seeks to educate and inform the public about antisemitism and Israel's history through lectures, writing, and community engagement.

As a child, Gabriel grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and was introduced to civil rights work at a young age. Gabriel worked closely with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the YWCA as a Peace Birmingham Fellow. He educated adults and high school students about current civil rights issues ranging from local to international. Gabriel founded the Heritage Panel at his high school and led an exchange program with other schools across Birmingham to gain an understanding of different backgrounds. Gabriel was an active member of the Birmingham Jewish community and started a youth group chapter at his synagogue. After high school, Gabriel moved to Israel for the gap year program Nativ. He was immersed in the rich culture and history of Israel and learned firsthand about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After his gap year, Gabriel attended Indiana University as a law and public policy major. Gabriel continued his advocacy career on the collegiate level by becoming a StandWithUs Emerson Fellow and the President of his college AIPAC chapter. He formed great relationships with his state congressmen and senators. Gabriel also served as the Midwest Engagement Coordinator for AIPAC and led a trip to Israel with several non-Jewish student leaders. He now works for StandWithUs, using his unique experiences to educate about Israel and combat antisemitism.

Danielle graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Public Relations. Growing up in Miami, her connection to Israel was strong. However, in just her first week at Florida State University, she faced one of the most significant antisemitism and antizionism incidents the university had seen. This series of events brought her even closer to StandWithUs and her local Hillel where she served as the Vice President her senior year. Danielle strongly believes her years of StandWithUs education allowed her to tackle these incidents with confidence and hopes to instill that same confidence in her students. Danielle's passion for Israel education and mentorship led her to the role of Florida High School Regional Manager.

Josh Sahian is a recent graduate of the University of Guelph and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. His time at Guelph was defined by his passion for the Jewish community, and he made sure to get involved in as many organizations as possible, including Hillel, AEPi, and Chabad. Josh is also a proud alumnus of the StandWithUs Canada Emerson Fellowship! As an active member of the Jewish community, Josh took on several leadership roles to promote Jewish culture and advocate for Israel's rightful place in the world. His education and experiences have only strengthened his commitment to making a positive impact and standing up against antisemitism wherever it may occur. Josh is incredibly excited to be a part of StandWithUs Canada and continue his advocacy efforts alongside others who share the same passion for promoting Jewish values and supporting the State of Israel.

Abby graduated from The University of Southern California where she studied communication and music industry. Growing up in the modern Orthodox community of Los Angeles, her connection to Israel was always strong. However, upon her entrance into college, this connection transformed into a feeling of responsibility to fight for the only Jewish state. During her time in college, she worked with a magnitude of Israel organizations, lived in Jerusalem for a summer, was the president of her Chabad on campus, staffed Birthright trips, attended AIPAC, and more. Her involvement with StandWithUs began when she was an Emerson Fellow and then Campus Liaison. She is ecstatic to continue her work with StandWithUs and mentor the next generation of Israel and Jewish activists.

Gabriella, born in the US, spent her early childhood in Hod HaSharon, Israel, before returning to New York with her family. Growing up in a Jewish environment, she graduated from Solomon Schechter Westchester High School and attended Skidmore College for two years. However, after her sophomore year, she made aliyah to Tel Aviv, seeking a more personal and even further profound reconnection to her Jewish and Zionist identity. After over two years in Israel, she returned to the US and completed a double major in Media and Jewish Studies at Hunter College, graduating Magna Cum Laude. During her time at Hunter, she organized the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day for two consecutive years. Additionally, her senior year included the completion of StandWithUs’ Emerson Fellowship Program. As the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, Gabriella's dedication to advocating for Israel and combating antisemitism stems from her promise to honor her grandfather's testimony and ensure it is never forgotten.

Max Kasler was born and raised in the beautiful state of New Jersey and has been deeply involved in Jewish communal life from an early age. Starting as a service leader at 12 years old, Max has remained dedicated to this path ever since. An active participant in his youth group, Max progressed to become a song leader and eventually a leader role at the regional level. After high school, Max spent a gap year in Israel, where he studied Hebrew, Israeli society, and culture. He also volunteered as an English teacher to Israeli and Arab students and attempted to find the best shawarma in the country. Max graduated magna cum laude with a degree in music composition and Jewish studies. Pursuing a full-time career within the Jewish community, Max began working for Hillel at Ithaca College and the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ. In 2023, he earned his master's in Jewish nonprofit management from the Zelikow School at HUC-JIR. Max currently works at StandWithUs, continuing his commitment to Jewish education and Israel advocacy.