Staff
Please send an email to contact@cjpac.ca and let us know who you’d like to reach out to and why.
Jill Cordes is a passionate community leader who recently moved to Vancouver from Los Angeles. In LA, Jill was a key member of Heart Forward, a growing non-profit dedicated to supporting the formerly unhoused. Working closely with its visionary founder, she played an instrumental role in helping to manage the organization’s operations, earning a reputation as a “doer” and a force for good. With a background in journalism, she excels at meeting fast-paced deadlines, organizing large-scale events, and connecting with people through the art of conversation.
Now settled in her new city, Jill is ready to dive back into her passions and is eager to leverage her skills and experiences to continue her purpose-driven career. She and her husband have two kids – a tween boy and a teen girl, an Australian Shepherd who can’t get enough walks in Pacific Spirit Park, and two cats.
Michelle started her career as a leader in the education sector both in teaching and developing programs for children with neurodiversity. Michelle moved into the role of a secondary school vice principal before transitioning into the political sphere. As Director of Operations, Ontario for the federal Liberal party, Michelle spent time leading her team which excelled in hitting fundraising targets and expanding stakeholder engagement. These experiences honed a proficiency in not only meeting but exceeding the objectives in political campaign operations, which she then used to fuel the mission at JACS Toronto to drive change through strategic philanthropy. At JACS, Michelle was the Director of Development leading the fundraising and event efforts. Michelle is excited to be back in the political space at CJPAC and looks forward to using her experience to help move CJPAC’s mission, vision, and values forward. In her spare time, Michelle volunteers in the community, enjoys travelling, spending time with her family and is a pilates enthusiast!
Born in British Columbia, Debbie Dorfman is a highly engaged with her local Jewish community in Toronto which she has called home for the past 25 years. She brings extensive experience from her roles at a bustling synagogue, a special needs youth organization, and a large community organization. Debbie is passionate about fostering connections and cultural engagement. In her spare time, she runs a well-regarded social group for Jewish people in Toronto and enjoys cooking, baking, and hosting meals as a true balabusta. Debbie looks forward to continuing her work in service to our community’s mission.
Noa Farage has been involved in Jewish Community life since she was born. She has worked for both BBYO and for Hillel, in Winnipeg, and Vancouver, respectively. Working on many diverse projects through her experience at both organizations, she has developed an expertise in community programming, building relationships, and connecting with young people. She has been a volunteer with the Rady JCC in Winnipeg for over a decade. She is currently a member of CIJA’s LGBTQ2+ National Advisory Committee, leading the way for Jewish and Queer initiatives across Canada. In her spare time, you can find her cycling, watching documentaries about rockstars, or trying a new recipe.
Graduated with a B.A in Political Science and Religious Studies from the University of Quebec in Montreal and the University of Montreal, Mathieu has gained a good understanding of political and social issues. Bilingual, with a particular attachment to Francophone and LGBT issues, he has involved in socio-political and civic affairs since his teenage years. Born and raised in France, his convictions and experience stem directly from his family’s history and his desire for justice and freedom. This guides his vision of a society where every individual is fully recognized and respected, and free in their commitments and speech, without fear.
Diplômé en science politique et études religieuses de l’Université du Québec à Montréal et de l’Université de Montréal, Mathieu a acquis une solide compréhension des enjeux politiques et sociaux. Bilingue, avec un attachement particulier aux questions francophones et aux enjeux LGBT, il s’est engagé très jeune dans les affaires sociopolitiques et citoyennes. Originaire de France, ses convictions et son expérience découlent directement de l’histoire de sa famille et de son aspiration pour la justice et la liberté. Cela guide sa vision d’une société où chaque individu est pleinement reconnu et respecté, et libre dans ses engagements et sa parole, sans crainte.
Born in Toronto, Mitchell holds an Honours BA in History and English Literature from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Arts in History from Queen’s University. Prior to joining CJPAC, Mitchell lived in the UK for six months, completing coursework. He then worked at Hillel Ontario as an Advocacy professional, and developed experience in outreach, programming, communications, and developing educational content. In his spare time, you can find him conducting genealogy research, reading a book, attending concerts, or listening to a podcast while out for a walk.
Ilana Hirt is a seasoned Development Director with expertise in donor relations, major gifts fundraising, and event planning. With previous roles as Director of Development at Tel Aviv University Canada and the Ashkenaz Foundation, she is highly engaged within the Jewish community. Ilana has also contributed her skills to organizations such as the MS Society of Canada, MNjcc, and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. She holds a joint B.A. in Sociology and English Literature from the University of Toronto, along with a certificate in Public Relations from Humber College. In her leisure time, Ilana enjoys volunteering, spending quality time with family, and crafting bespoke cookies.
Klara is passionate about the non-profit sector, leading social impact initiatives, and working with her community. A graduate from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, Klara has worked for different charitable organizations such as Shorefast, where she worked on rural community economic development, Experiences Canada, where she worked directly with youth across the country, and the Banff Forum, one of Canada’s preeminent public policy forums. Klara was most recently Director of Communications for a candidate in the recent Quebec provincial elections. In her free time, Klara enjoys running ultra-marathons and participating in triathlons – another way in which she connects with her community in Montreal.
Kara Mintzberg has been involved with British Columbia’s Jewish community for years. She has won local and provincial awards for projects she’s developed for several mission-driven organizations, including being the youngest recipient of Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver’s Young Leadership Award. Kara earned her MBA and MA from Brandeis University, and her BA from the University of British Columbia. She is an avid skier – snow and water.
Brooke has always been passionate about international and domestic human rights, as well as policy and meeting new people. While studying Political Science and Human Geography at the University of Toronto, she eagerly took part in the democratic process. Brooke has volunteered on numerous political campaigns, worked at both provincial and federal government levels, and completed CJPAC’s Fellowship program. In her spare time, she loves staying engaged in politics, traveling, and adding to her ever-growing board game collection.
Emile is an accomplished leader with extensive political experience at all levels of government in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
During his time in partisan politics, Emile worked in key communications and issues management roles in the BC provincial government, including in the Premier’s Office and Ministry of Health. He went on to serve as director of communications and then Executive Director of the BC Liberal Party — a coalition that included both federal Conservative and Liberal supporters. In that role, Emile oversaw strategy and execution for a leadership race, two by-elections, and a provincial referendum while overhauling the Party’s fundraising operations, membership engagement, and financial governance.
In the private sector, Emile has managed provincial community affairs for CN Rail, overseen regulatory and reputational matters for a recently acquired technology startup, and led communications for a fast-growing Canadian fintech company.
Emile is an alumnus and former co-chair of the CJPAC Fellowship Program. While earning his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Carleton University, he was deeply involved in campus Israel advocacy and student politics. He is also a past member of CIJA’s Pacific Local Partner Council.
A proud and steadfast ally of the Jewish community, Emile is originally from Kamloops, BC.
Benjamin’s involvement in the Jewish community started in high school at the Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto and continued during his studies at York University, where he graduated with an Honours BA in Global Political Studies. At York, Benjamin belonged to both Hillel York and the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity. After the October 7 tragedy, Benjamin pivoted to engage with and strengthen the Jewish community through political action.
Through CJPAC, Benjamin was connected with several important political campaigns. He worked as a volunteer and later as the Data Manager for a Conservative nomination campaign in Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill. Shortly thereafter, Benjamin joined Don Stewart’s successful Conservative campaign in the Toronto—St. Paul’s by-election and became the Canvass Chair. Most recently, Benjamin served as the Campaign Manager for Robert Kolosowski’s Public School Trustee campaign in Richmond Hill, where a plan to combat antisemitism in public schools, along with a well-executed get-out-the-vote strategy, led to a landslide victory.
Regina Shimov is an experienced database specialist working with Salesforce for over 6 years. She was born in the USSR and raised in Israel, where she completed a BSc at the Technion in Haifa. She has been operating in the philanthropy sector in Toronto since 2015, specializing in reporting, integration, and optimization of the Salesforce database. Regina believes that the non-profit sector is vital for the solidarity and resilience of every community, and is proud to be part of it. Thus, she is a big supporter of Chai Lifeline Canada and volunteers in her free time at the JRCC.
Rebecca Vath has a Master of Library and Information Science and a B.A.(Hons), with degrees in English and Developmental Psychology. Before coming to CJPAC she worked with special needs infants, toddlers and preschoolers in London, Ontario and volunteered as an adult literacy tutor. She spends her spare time curating and selling vintage clothes, growing and maintaining her extensive plant family, and listening to podcasts.
Lesly Weinstein was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She is currently the Executive Assistant of CJPAC. Prior to her role at CJPAC, Lesly was the Human Resources Manager for the first international expansion of a large American retailer. Lesly has sat on committees and volunteered at organizations including The Hospital for Sick Children, Chai Lifeline Canada and Beth Tzedec
Congregation. Along with her husband Peter, Lesly is very active in advocacy and fundraising for childhood leukaemia research.
Joshua Wolfe is a government relations and community outreach specialist who graduated from Princeton University. After graduation, he spent five years as a political advisor to a Member of the Quebec National Assembly. In 2012, and prior to coming to CJPAC, he joined CIJA’s Quebec office to lead their government relations team. He has been politically active at all levels of government, and was most recently named by Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante as a member of her newly-created Roundtable on Diversity, Inclusion and the Fight Against Discrimination.
Matt Woods Baum is a seasoned marketing professional and entrepreneur with nearly two decades of experience driving brand growth and innovation. He has a proven track record of successful community engagement and relationship building. With a rich educational background rooted in the Jewish community, Matt brings a deep understanding of its core values and dynamics. As the founder and Director of a digital consultancy, he specialized in crafting tailored digital marketing strategies for growing businesses. Now venturing into the non-profit sector, his passion for political engagement and community empowerment aligns perfectly with CJPAC’s meaningful mission.