Board of Directors
Temple Beth Ami’s Board of Directors manages the clergy, senior staff, and finances of the Temple, sets policy, leads major initiatives, and oversees activity according to the terms of the TBA Constitution. Executive Board members are elected to a single 2-year term. At-Large members are elected to a two-year term with a limit of two 2-year terms.
The Executive Committee of the Board meets on the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 pm. The entire Board meets on the third Thursday of every month at 7:30 pm. All TBA members are welcome to attend full board meetings.
To learn more about the board and its current agenda, please contact TBA President Heather Luxenberg at TBAPresident@bethami.org.
TBA Board of Directors
Fiscal Year 2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027)
Heather Luxenberg – President
Heather, her husband, Rich, and children, Brandon and Madison, have been members of Temple Beth Ami since 2013. Both of her children attended Machane and became B’nei Mitzvah at TBA. Heather served on the Rabbi Transition Committee when Rabbi Pokras joined TBA and has also served on the Purim Planning Committee, Challah Bake Committee, Culinary Crew Member, and TBA Cares. She and her husband actively participate in Temple events and have enjoyed the community that they have found and continue to find at TBA. Heather has been honored to serve on the Board of Directors since 2021 and is looking forward to her role as President of our amazing congregation.
Stacy Derrick – 1st Vice-President
Stacy, her husband Greg, and children, Sara and Matty, have been Temple members for over 11 years. Greg is a pre-school teacher at Gan Ami, and both of her children attended Gan Ami (then TBANS), Machane, and TBA High. Stacy first joined the Board of Directors in 2017 and served on several committees, including the Mental Health, Inclusion, and Security Committees. After a brief hiatus, she returned to the Board and continued her dedicated service to the congregation. She is honored to step into the role of 1st Vice-President and looks forward to working alongside her fellow board members to strengthen and support our vibrant community.
Gail Orendorff Weiner – 2nd Vice-President
Gail, her husband, Barry, and children, Paul and Isabelle have been members of Temple Beth Ami since 2009. While her children attended Gan Ami (then Temple Beth Ami Nursery School), Gail co-chaired the nursery school’s silent auction several times and developed close ties with the staff and fellow parents of the nursery school. Gail teaches 3rd grade Judaics and Hebrew in Machane every Sunday and is a member of WTBA. Gail’s children became B’nei Mitzvah in January 2020 and November 2021, respectively. Gail herself became Bat Mitzvah through TBA’s adult B’nei Mitzvah class in the spring of 2023. She is honored to have served the TBA community as a member of the Board of Directors.
Samantha Kravitz – 3rd Vice President
Samantha, her husband, Michael, and their identical 13-year-old twin girls, Madelyn and Hailey, joined TBA in 2021. However, Samantha is no stranger to TBA, as she was a member more than 38 years ago and celebrated her Bat Mitzvah in the old building on Hurley. You can also see her confirmation picture on the wall! Madelyn and Hailey became B’not Mitzvah at TBA in October 2025 and love attending TBA High. Samantha is a family law attorney at Offit Kurman practicing in Maryland and DC. When she is not in a courtroom, you can see her performing in TBA’s Purim Shpiel, attending Moms of Teens (MOT) events, playing Mah Jongg, and participating in TBA Cares. Samantha previously served as the Board’s General Counsel.
Ron Weinstein – Treasurer
Ron and his family have been members of Temple Beth Ami for over 13 years. He has served as the assistant financial secretary, financial secretary, a Member at Large on the board, has chaired the Security and Spirituality 2020 committee, and is active in TBA Brotherhood. Ron and his wife Lisa have two kids in Machane TBA. Most recently, his daughter became Bat Mitzvah, and his son was confirmed on the same Shabbat in May 2026!
Dave Barash – Assistant Treasurer
Dave and his wife Shari have been proud members of Temple Beth Ami for 16 years and he is chairing the Budget Committee. He has led Kehillah groups for parents of teens and tweens and is active in the Free Birds social group. Dave has also served on a human resources task force and the billing practices committee. Their children, Seth and Leah, became B’nei Mitzvah at Temple Beth Ami and attended Machane and TBA High. Dave is a Board member so he can help give back to the Temple and make a difference for his fellow congregants.
Andra Abramson – Financial Secretary
Andra Abramson has been a member of TBA for 17 years. For the past two years, Andra served as the Assistant Financial Secretary, and she previously served as an at-large member of the Board for 4 years. Andra has been a member of the Financial Aid Committee at TBA for the past 10+ years and has played a key role in transforming the financial aid process into the straightforward, equitable operation it is today. Andra and her husband Jordan live in the Lakelands. Their daughter, Meredith, attended TBANS starting at age 2 and finished Machane in the Confirmation class of 2022. She now attends Bryn Mawr College in Philadelphia.
Bob Drummer – Assistant Financial Secretary
Bob and his wife, Susan Stiles, have been members of Temple Beth Ami for about 10 years. They have two adult sons, each of whom is married and three delightful granddaughters. He is a dedicated member of the Torah Study class led by Rabbi Pokras, a member of the TBA financial aid committee, and a volunteer for TBA TV. Bob was a practicing attorney from 1978 until his retirement in 2022. He was the Senior Legislative Attorney for the Montgomery County Council from 2007 until 2022. Prior to that, he was the Senior Counsel for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) for 23 years, an Associate County Attorney for Prince George’s County for 5 years, and an associate attorney for a private law firm for 1 year.
Rachel Schwartz – Recording Secretary
Rachel and her husband, Scott, have been members of Temple Beth Ami since 2015. They have three children in Machane, Hannah (14), who serves on the Teen Board and will be volunteering at Kayitz this summer, Josh (12), who will be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah this year and will also be volunteering at Kayitz this summer, and Emma (8), who attended Gan Ami and will be a camper at Kayitz this summer. Rachel is the Associate Vice President for Conferences and Events at Hillel International. She co-founded/co-leads Moms of Machane (MOM) and serves on the Purimpalooza Planning Committee.
Vanessa Sophir – General Counsel
Vanessa and her husband Eric have been members of TBA since 2012. They have three children, all of whom had their B’not Mitzvah at TBA. Izzy and Sammy continued through confirmation and Machane graduation and are now juniors in college. Joey is in the current TBA Machane confirmation class. Vanessa is an attorney at Bokman + Wright, a child-centered family law firm, where she specializes in child welfare cases. Vanessa is a member of the Women of Temple Beth Ami, and especially enjoys attending book club discussions and Mah Jongg nights.
Kal Migler – Immediate Past President
My wife and I have been members of the Temple for almost thirty years, starting on Hurley Avenue when our oldest child was in the 2’s. Our three children have since become B’nei Mitzvah at Temple Beth Ami. I enjoy giving back to the synagogue by serving on the Board, and have worked in various capacities, including Secretary, Treasurer, and Financial Secretary. I find the Temple to be a wonderful Jewish home that creates many meaningful ways to celebrate our community.
Lauren Bogart – Past President
Lauren is a proud mother of three young adults and a 27-year Temple member. All three of her children attended TBANS and Machane TBA. Lauren has served on the Temple Board for ten years, nine of them on the Executive Committee, and was a member of the Rabbi and Executive Director search committees that hired Rabbi Pokras and Debbie Ezrin. Lauren is an estate planning attorney and previously worked for the National Brain Tumor Society. Temple Beth Ami has been a support for Lauren’s family in good times and bad, and she is honored to have the opportunity to give back to the Temple community through lay leadership roles.
Judi Rosenzweig – WTBA Representative
Judi Rosenzweig and her husband Elliot joined TBA in early 2022 after moving from NY. They have 2 married sons and 5 grandchildren. Although new to Maryland and TBA, Judi is not new to temple life. Since joining TBA Judi joined the board of WTBA and is involved in Encore planning. Judi does a lot of volunteering, at “I support the Girls”, “Comfort Cases”, “Manna”, and making soup for ill congregants. Judi also volunteers at Gan Ami regularly and runs the Cooking Chug on Sundays for pre-K-2nd graders in Machane. She is known in school as “Morah Judi”. She is a regular at services and enjoys Live and Learn, Rosh Chodesh, Broadway Buzz, and the friendships she’s making. Judi is happy to represent WTBA on the board, paying forward the warm welcome she received at TBA as a new member.
Matthew Rosenstock – Brotherhood Representative
Matt, his wife Lori, and daughter Julia have been members of Temple Beth Ami for 13 years. Lori works for Machane TBA (religious school), and Julia is a rising freshman at Lynn University. Matt chaired the Executive Director search committee and is currently the President of the Brotherhood. Matt enjoys cooking and baking at TBA for events and programs.
Jennifer Blacker –Member at Large
Jennifer and her husband, Scott, have been members of the Temple Beth Ami family since 2016. They have two daughters in Machane. Samantha (16) became a Bat Mitzvah in 2023, volunteers in the Madrachim program, and is in the confirmation class of 2026. Lexi (11) is a rising 6th grader in Machane. Scott and Lexi have enjoyed participating in several Purim Spiel productions. Jennifer has been honored to serve on the Board of Directors since 2022.
Matthew Felrice – Member-At-Large
Matt and his wife Erin, along with their two children Leo and Dylan, have been members of Temple Beth Ami since 2014. Both kids became B’nei Mitzvah through TBA. Matt is on the Fundraising Committee, has served on the Rabbi search committee, and was manager of the TBA Blue softball team. Matt has been a veterinarian in Montgomery County for over 20 years and currently owns Glenvilah Veterinary Clinic. Erin has been a teacher at Machane TBA for the past 9 years. Leo and Dylan were volunteers at Kayitz. Dylan is currently attending TBA High and was confirmed this past year.
Jill Lachter – Member-At-Large
Jill and her husband Lou have been members of Temple Beth Ami since 2008. Her children attended TBANS, Machane TBA and had their B’nei Mitzvah at TBA. Jill is currently a substitute teacher weekly at Machane and occasionally in Gan Ami and at Kayitz. During the school year, she also is a shadow for a child with a rare neurological disorder. Jill was a member of the TBANS Parent Committee and the Challah Bake Committee and currently serves on the Purimpalooza Planning Committee and TBA Cares.
Cindy Danielson Mintz –Member at Large
Cindy, her husband Jeremy, and their daughters Zoë and Sadie joined Temple Beth Ami in 2020. Both of her children attend Machane, and Cindy enjoys attending Moms of Machane (MOM) events throughout the year. She and her family are regular attendees at Camp Shabbat services and enjoy celebrating Shabbat and Jewish holidays with the TBA community throughout the year. Cindy is a scientist by training who works in a health science policy analyst role at the National Institutes of Health. She is looking forward to serving the TBA community as a member of the Board.
Geoffrey S. Platnick – Member-At-Large
Geoffrey is an attorney specializing in family law. Geoff and his wife, Tobi, and two daughters, Morgan (22) and Gracyn (17) have been members of the Temple since 2011. Geoff’s daughters had their B’not Mitzvah at TBA. Geoff has previously served as the board’s General Counsel.
Alysa Reich – Member-At-Large
Alysa and her family joined Temple Beth Ami ten years ago when her children, Ben and Katie, were old enough to attend Machane. The kids also enjoyed several summers in TBA’s Kayitz program. Ben’s B’nei Mitzvah was in August 2022, and Katie’s was in August 2024. Alysa has actively participated in temple activities, including volunteering at Makom events, New Neighbors Interfaith Alliance (NNIA), Rebuilding Together, and as a weekly driver for Meals on Wheels with JSSA. She is also involved with TBA’s Mom’s of Teens (MOTs) group and occasionally substitutes for the wonderful teachers and adorable children at Gan Ami.
Heather Walter – Member-At-Large
Heather and her family have been active members of the Temple community for the past 10 years. She formerly served as the Inclusion Specialist for Machane TBA and was a member of both the Inclusion Committee and the Cantor Search and Transition Committee. Her children attended Gan Ami and are now part of Machane. Outside the Temple community, Heather has served on multiple boards, and was most recently the Board Chair of Green Acres School. She is currently an Associate Professor of Education at George Mason University and the founder of Heather Walter Consulting, a change management consultancy that supports leaders in organizations navigating complex implementation challenges.
Brian Weiss – Member-At-Large
Brian and his family have been members of Temple Beth Ami since 2019. His son became a Bar Mitzvah this past March (2026) while his daughter is starting 4th grade in Machane in the fall. He has served on the transition committee in support of Cantor Sharett-Singer that welcomed her and her family into the TBA community. More recently, he served as a co-chair of the L’Dor V’Dor Torah Committee that oversaw the education, awareness, and introduction of a new Torah into the congregation in honor of Rabbi Jack Luxemburg. Brian is a lifelong Montgomery County native, having grown up in the Quince Orchard cluster and attended the University of Maryland, where he obtained numerous degrees in engineering. Staying within the general vicinity, Brian spent 27 years at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and then transitioned to be a research engineer at the University of Maryland, where he’s been since 2022.
Kate Wernick – Member-At-Large
Kate and her husband Seth have been members of TBA since 2010. Their three boys went through the Nursery School and continue to study and serve with Machane and TBA High, and as madrichim. Kate has taught kindergarten and first grade at Machane TBA, served on the Nursery School Parent Advisory Committee, 20th and 25th anniversary committees, and as President of the Parent Committee. She has served on the Rabbi Search Committee that selected Rabbi Pokras and the Cantor Search Committee that selected Cantor Inbal Sharett-Singer, as well as the TBA 50th anniversary gala committee. Recently, Kate has used her background in musical theatre to direct TBA’s large, intergenerational Purim Shpiels. Kate and Seth also support the USHMM, FIDF and the JFofGW.
Michael Wolly – Member at Large
Mike has been a member of the Temple since 1979. He previously served on the Board for 10 years and was Temple President in 1996 when the congregation decided to move from Hurley Avenue. He then chaired the fundraising campaign for the new building. Most recently, he served as Treasurer. He has written and participated in many of the Temple’s theatrical productions and Purim shpiels. His three sons all became Bar Mitzvah at TBA and are graduates and confirmands of the religious school. Now retired, Mike was a labor and employment lawyer who served as General Counsel for several national railroad labor unions. He and his partner Cathy Friedman are regular attendees at Friday night services and serve as greeters, welcoming all who come to share in the special spirit that is a TBA Shabbat.