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Our Staff

Our Staff

Emily Johnson
Amanda Herring

Kurtz Family Executive Director

Amanda Herring is an experience curator and Jewish educator. She is currently the Hillel Director at Virginia Tech, as a 2011 Hokie and former Hillel President and staff member, this role feels full circle.

Emily Johnson
Amanda Herring

Kurtz Family Executive Director

Amanda Herring is an experience curator and Jewish educator. She is currently the Hillel Director at Virginia Tech, as a 2011 Hokie and former Hillel President and staff member, this role feels full circle.

Michael Lee
Rabbi Beryl Trauth- Jerman

Assistant Director

Beryl Trauth-Jurman is a Jewish educator and engagement professional. A long time Virginia resident, Beryl is a proud alum of George Mason University Hillel. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Conflict Resolution Studies.

Michael Lee
Rabbi Beryl Trauth- Jerman

Assistant Director

Beryl Trauth-Jurman is a Jewish educator and engagement professional. A long time Virginia resident, Beryl is a proud alum of George Mason University Hillel. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Conflict Resolution Studies.

Michael Lee
Rabbi Beryl Trauth- Jerman

Assistant Director

Beryl Trauth-Jurman is a Jewish educator and engagement professional. A long time Virginia resident, Beryl is a proud alum of George Mason University Hillel. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Conflict Resolution Studies.

Michael Lee
Sasha Stadnik

IACT Coordinator

Sasha graduated from the University of Florida in December 2022 with a BA in Economics and a minor in Secondary Education and Teaching. After graduation, she moved to Israel in January 2023 to participate in a Masa teaching program. While there, she taught English in a middle school in Holon, a city outside of Tel Aviv. In the 7 months she was there, Sasha deepened her relationship to Israel and embraced her passion for education.

Michael Lee
Sasha Stadnik

IACT Coordinator

Sasha graduated from the University of Florida in December 2022 with a BA in Economics and a minor in Secondary Education and Teaching. After graduation, she moved to Israel in January 2023 to participate in a Masa teaching program. While there, she taught English in a middle school in Holon, a city outside of Tel Aviv. In the 7 months she was there, Sasha deepened her relationship to Israel and embraced her passion for education.

Michael Lee
Sasha Stadnik

IACT Coordinator

Sasha graduated from the University of Florida in December 2022 with a BA in Economics and a minor in Secondary Education and Teaching. After graduation, she moved to Israel in January 2023 to participate in a Masa teaching program. While there, she taught English in a middle school in Holon, a city outside of Tel Aviv. In the 7 months she was there, Sasha deepened her relationship to Israel and embraced her passion for education.

Michael Lee
MacKenzie York

Ezra Springboard Fellow

MacKenzie grew up in North Carolina and spent several years in Jacksonville, Florida during High School and College. He graduated from the University of North Florida (UNF) with a BA in History and a minor in Jewish Studies in 2023. While in school, MacKenzie was incredibly active in his university’s Jewish Student Union and Chabad House, and played a significant role in the creation of UNF’s own Hillel shortly after graduating. Both during and after college MacKenzie worked as a religious school teacher at the Jacksonville Jewish Center, which inspired him to pursue a career in Jewish Education.

Michael Lee
MacKenzie York

Ezra Springboard Fellow

MacKenzie grew up in North Carolina and spent several years in Jacksonville, Florida during High School and College. He graduated from the University of North Florida (UNF) with a BA in History and a minor in Jewish Studies in 2023. While in school, MacKenzie was incredibly active in his university’s Jewish Student Union and Chabad House, and played a significant role in the creation of UNF’s own Hillel shortly after graduating. Both during and after college MacKenzie worked as a religious school teacher at the Jacksonville Jewish Center, which inspired him to pursue a career in Jewish Education.

Michael Lee
MacKenzie York

Ezra Springboard Fellow

MacKenzie grew up in North Carolina and spent several years in Jacksonville, Florida during High School and College. He graduated from the University of North Florida (UNF) with a BA in History and a minor in Jewish Studies in 2023. While in school, MacKenzie was incredibly active in his university’s Jewish Student Union and Chabad House, and played a significant role in the creation of UNF’s own Hillel shortly after graduating. Both during and after college MacKenzie worked as a religious school teacher at the Jacksonville Jewish Center, which inspired him to pursue a career in Jewish Education.

Michael Lee
Jules Narinski

Jewish Agency Israel Fellow

Originally from Ukraine, Jules made aliyah in 1997. For the last 6 years she has been living in Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Israel before moving to Virginia. She studied mechanical engineering at Afeka College of Engineering. During the 4 years of college, she volunteered at "Aharay". Jules was also the vice president of the student union at her campus. Before coming to VT she was working as a mechanical planner, planning and designing elevators.

Michael Lee
Jules Narinski

Jewish Agency Israel Fellow

Originally from Ukraine, Jules made aliyah in 1997. For the last 6 years she has been living in Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Israel before moving to Virginia. She studied mechanical engineering at Afeka College of Engineering. During the 4 years of college, she volunteered at "Aharay". Jules was also the vice president of the student union at her campus. Before coming to VT she was working as a mechanical planner, planning and designing elevators.

Michael Lee
Jules Narinski

Jewish Agency Israel Fellow

Originally from Ukraine, Jules made aliyah in 1997. For the last 6 years she has been living in Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Israel before moving to Virginia. She studied mechanical engineering at Afeka College of Engineering. During the 4 years of college, she volunteered at "Aharay". Jules was also the vice president of the student union at her campus. Before coming to VT she was working as a mechanical planner, planning and designing elevators.

Lisa Noss

Marketing & Development Manager

Based in New Jersey, Lisa supports Hillel at Virginia Tech, Hillel of Buffalo, and UMass Hillel in their fundraising, donor engagement, and communications efforts. She works closely with each campus team to share the impact of Hillel’s work and help ensure the long-term sustainability of Jewish life on campus. Before joining Hillel, Lisa held marketing roles at several national Jewish nonprofit organizations and founded a chronic pain recovery coaching practice inspired by her own personal journey. When she’s not at work, Lisa enjoys biking, traveling, and spending time with her family. Her top strengths from StrengthsQuest are developer, empathy, harmony, consistency, and positivity.

Michael Lee
Lisa Noss

Marketing & Development Manager

Based in New Jersey, Lisa supports Hillel at Virginia Tech, Hillel of Buffalo, and UMass Hillel in their fundraising, donor engagement, and communications efforts. She works closely with each campus team to share the impact of Hillel’s work and help ensure the long-term sustainability of Jewish life on campus. Before joining Hillel, Lisa held marketing roles at several national Jewish nonprofit organizations and founded a chronic pain recovery coaching practice inspired by her own personal journey. When she’s not at work, Lisa enjoys biking, traveling, and spending time with her family. Her top strengths from StrengthsQuest are developer, empathy, harmony, consistency, and positivity.

Lisa Noss

Marketing & Development Manager

Based in New Jersey, Lisa supports Hillel at Virginia Tech, Hillel of Buffalo, and UMass Hillel in their fundraising, donor engagement, and communications efforts. She works closely with each campus team to share the impact of Hillel’s work and help ensure the long-term sustainability of Jewish life on campus. Before joining Hillel, Lisa held marketing roles at several national Jewish nonprofit organizations and founded a chronic pain recovery coaching practice inspired by her own personal journey. When she’s not at work, Lisa enjoys biking, traveling, and spending time with her family. Her top strengths from StrengthsQuest are developer, empathy, harmony, consistency, and positivity.

Michael Lee
Greg Herring

Hillel Chef

Greg Herring studied Culinary Arts and Patisserie at the Jerusalem Culinary Institute in Israel, the world’s only kosher mehadrin culinary school (now defunct). He was the opening Head Chef at the Malcolm Rosenberg Hillel Center before going on to broaden his culinary horizons in NYC, where he worked in a broad diversity of cultural cuisines in varying degrees of fine dining. He then was the first full apprentice at Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, a whole-animal retail butcher shop. He continued in whole animal butchery for 8 years before returning to Blacksburg with his wife Amanda (Executive Director), two kids Abraham, and Simkha, and dog Mensch. Greg enjoys the opportunity to translate and trace culture through cuisine, and introduce people to new flavors and cooking techniques.

Michael Lee
Greg Herring

Hillel Chef

Greg Herring studied Culinary Arts and Patisserie at the Jerusalem Culinary Institute in Israel, the world’s only kosher mehadrin culinary school (now defunct). He was the opening Head Chef at the Malcolm Rosenberg Hillel Center before going on to broaden his culinary horizons in NYC, where he worked in a broad diversity of cultural cuisines in varying degrees of fine dining. He then was the first full apprentice at Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, a whole-animal retail butcher shop. He continued in whole animal butchery for 8 years before returning to Blacksburg with his wife Amanda (Executive Director), two kids Abraham, and Simkha, and dog Mensch. Greg enjoys the opportunity to translate and trace culture through cuisine, and introduce people to new flavors and cooking techniques.

Michael Lee
Greg Herring

Hillel Chef

Greg Herring studied Culinary Arts and Patisserie at the Jerusalem Culinary Institute in Israel, the world’s only kosher mehadrin culinary school (now defunct). He was the opening Head Chef at the Malcolm Rosenberg Hillel Center before going on to broaden his culinary horizons in NYC, where he worked in a broad diversity of cultural cuisines in varying degrees of fine dining. He then was the first full apprentice at Dickson’s Farmstand Meats, a whole-animal retail butcher shop. He continued in whole animal butchery for 8 years before returning to Blacksburg with his wife Amanda (Executive Director), two kids Abraham, and Simkha, and dog Mensch. Greg enjoys the opportunity to translate and trace culture through cuisine, and introduce people to new flavors and cooking techniques.

Michael Lee
Rabbi Bruce Aft

Rabbinical Advisor

Beryl Trauth-Jurman is a Jewish educator and engagement professional. A long time Virginia resident, Beryl is a proud alum of George Mason University Hillel. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Conflict Resolution Studies.

Michael Lee
Rabbi Bruce Aft

Rabbinical Advisor

Beryl Trauth-Jurman is a Jewish educator and engagement professional. A long time Virginia resident, Beryl is a proud alum of George Mason University Hillel. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Conflict Resolution Studies.

Michael Lee
Rabbi Bruce Aft

Rabbinical Advisor

Beryl Trauth-Jurman is a Jewish educator and engagement professional. A long time Virginia resident, Beryl is a proud alum of George Mason University Hillel. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Conflict Resolution Studies.