Best in the

The Shifra Hanon Pathfinders Department at JBHS cultivates experiences inside and outside of the classroom to help students explore who they are, nurture their interests, and develop their professional skills. The main goals of the department are to help students with self-discovery, get them involved in extracurricular activities, explore career options, and develop professional skills.

One of the ways students learn about real-world career experience is through the Curated Speaker Series. Speakers this year include:

• Jill Gindi: Ms. Gindi is a Fashion Sales Director at BlankNYC, who manages and oversees company sales. She spoke about the various fields within fashion, including designing, merchandising, buying, selling, planning and marketing.

• Rina Cohen: Ms. Cohen is a Senior Planning Executive at UJA. She explained the planning of one of UJA’s Ukraine Relief initiatives and encouraged students to create their own plans for combating the teen mental health crisis.

• Dr. Richard Waxman: Dr. Waxman is head of the Cognitive Neuropsychology Lab at Teachers College Columbia University. He discussed his lab’s research on Alzheimers and schizophrenia.

• Sol Werdiger: Mr. Werdiger is the founder and CEO of Outerstuff as well as Board Chairman of Agudath. He shared his stories and insights about his work and about being a Jewish community leader.

• Ezra Ashkenazi: Mr. Ashkenazi is the President and CEO of SDI Technologies. He addressed the importance of professionalism, personal branding, and incorporating Jewish values into business.

• Sophia Chabbott: Ms. Chabbott is the founder of Testament Beauty. She described working in the fashion industry and how she started her own company.

• Medical Panel: Dr. Monique Hanono, Dr. Jeffery Althoz, and Lenora Dagmy all spoke about their journey into the medical field.

• Real Estate Panel: Eric Setton, Marc Saadia, and Carolina Aziz work in three different roles at three different companies. They offered advice about different job opportunities and the importance of networking.

• Louis Shamie: Mr. Shamie is an investor in Zimmer Partners, a hedge fund. He explained how to succeed in investing and in life.

• Maya Abitbol: Ms. Abitbol is a Senior VP of Sales and Hedge Fund Practice Leaders AT WHERE. She discussed the importance of networking, negotiating, and empowering yourself at work.

• Judah Cohen: Dr. Cohen is a climatologist who is the Director of Seasonal Forecasting at AER (Atmospheric and Environmental Research). He described his research on the impacts of snow cover and sea ice variability on winter climates.

• Kim Kushner: Ms. Kushner is a culinary educator and bestselling author of four cookbooks. She talked about her passion working in the culinary industry.

• Athalie Alexander-Arrington: Ms. Alexander-Arrington is the Associate Director of Admissions at St. George’s University of Medicine. She spoke about different tracks in the medical field and how to prepare for medical school.

• Gaston Kroub: Mr. Kroub is a YOF faculty member and lawyer. Students watched clips of a Supreme Court argument on a trademark case.

• Shelly Schmool: Ms. Schmool is a photographer at ByShelly photography. She discussed the creative process behind photo shoots and stressed how every setback can be an opportunity to grow your business.

• Joseph Hedaya: Mr. Hedaya is a businessman with experience in wholesale, e-commerce, and real estate. He discussed tools and tips to accumulate small savings over time that can lead to a big payout later on.

The Shifra Hanon Pathfinders Curated Speaker Series is dedicated by Triangle Capital Group.