M² Aleh Summit for JCC Movement Professionals 2026

Rabbi David Kessel, EdD, has served in senior executive roles at Hillel, BBYO, and Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), transforming organizations that engage Jewish teens, college students, and young adults. His leadership experience includes fundraising, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and designing meaningful Jewish experiences. As Senior Vice President & Director of the Mandel Center for Jewish Education at the JCC Association, Kessel works with lay, professional, and organizational partners across the JCC Movement to inspire vibrant Jewish communities.

He is a runner, vegan, and Adele fan.

Mark S. Young is the Vice President for Talent Development at JCC Association of North America, bringing more than 20 years of experience and leadership in nonprofit management ,Jewish education, and directing experiences that strengthen our workforce. Prior to JCC Association, Mark has held leadership roles at the William Davidson School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, Episcopal Social Services of New York, the 92nd Street Y, and the Mandel JCC in Cleveland. Mark holds dual master’s degrees from New York University and a bachelor’s degree from McGill University. Mark is the author of “Bless Our Workforce: Changing the Way We Manage Our People,” an alumnus of the Wexner Field Fellowship and Mandel Executive Leadership Program.

Mollie has over 10 years of experience teaching in a variety of Jewish educational settings – from formal classroom teaching to nature education, from theatre education to collaborative philanthropy education. She enjoys being in the field as well as building programs and trainings to support others. Mollie holds a double Master’s in Midrash and Jewish Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, a BA in Religion from Bard College and is a graduate of M²’s Senior Educators Cohort. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and children.

Kelly Cohen serves as the Senior Director of Experiential Jewish Education at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. Kelly has a wealth of experience as a Jewish educator working in camps, day schools, synagogues, Federations, Israel travel, and more. Most recently, Kelly served as the as the North American Director of Education for the Diller Teen Fellowship, guiding the Jewish educational vision and implementation for the global teen leadership program. She holds a BA in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University, a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew College, and is a graduate of both the Pardes Educators Program and M²’s Senior Educator Cohort. Additionally, Kelly is also the creator of Parsha Storybook Project, an online resource for early childhood Torah literacy.

Abby Mintz is a Senior Program Director at M², where she brings creative and ambitious visions to life with thoughtful attention to programmatic operations and facilitation. Since joining M² in 2021, she has drawn on her experience as a Jewish camp director, university instructor, and clinical therapist to help people grow and find meaning in their work and lives.

Abby earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Special Education and Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University, where she also completed her M.Ed. in Human Development Counseling. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a former yoga instructor, and most proudly a mom of 3 kiddos and 1 fur baby. She lives in Evanston, IL, and outside of work can be found reimagining home design or planning her next safari adventure.

Joanna is a Program Manager at M². Joanna holds a BS in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University. Prior to joining M², she worked at Evanston Township High School, where she facilitated a course that empowered students to use the design thinking framework to develop innovative solutions for community improvement. Joanna loves using her creativity to design engaging and meaningful program experiences and then produce organized action to bring these ideas to life.

Outside of work, you’ll find Joanna picking up a new book from her local public library, exploring farmer’s markets and new neighborhoods around Chicago, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and spending time outdoors with friends.