Faith Alexander

Faith Alexander is the incoming president of the WRJ Southeast District. She has served as an area director, parliamentarian, and most recently as the first vice president of the district. Through her district position, Faith also serves on the WRJ Board and the WRJ Accessibility Committee.  Faith is an active member of Congregation Schaarai Zedek in Tampa, Florida where she is a past sisterhood president and has served on the congregation’s board of trustees as well as various temple committees.

Before making the decision to stay home with her then young children, Faith was a practicing attorney in the area of insurance defense litigation for many years. Her time is now devoted to causes related to her kids and the Jewish community.  Faith has two teenage daughters, Lauren and Emma and a crazy goldendoodle named Riley.

Rabbi Richard Birnholz

Rabbi Birnholz graduated from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, and was ordained in 1971. From 1971 to 1973, he was the Assistant Rabbi of Temple Israel in Memphis, Tennessee. From 1973 to 1986, he was Rabbi of Beth Israel Congregation, Jackson, Mississippi, where he also served as a Visiting Professor in the Religion Department at Millsaps College.  He has served Congregation Schaarai Zedek since 1986!

Rabbi Birnholz has won numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to Reform Jewish life. In 1977, he won the Samuel Kaminker Memorial Curriculum Award for the outstanding informal education curriculum in the country. In 1983, he was Alumni-in-Residence at Hebrew Union College in Rabbi Birnholz graduated from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of New York. In 1989, he was a United Jewish Appeal National Rabbinic Award Winner. In 1991, the professional title of Reform Jewish Educator was conferred on him by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. In March of 1996, he was conferred with an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion for serving the spiritual and intellectual needs of the Jewish community for 25 years. Rabbi Birnholz was elected to serve on the Executive Board of the Central Conference of American Rabbis from 1996-1998.

He has been published in numerous magazines and lectures extensively on “Jewish Assertiveness Training. ” He is currently listed in ‘Who’s Who in Religion.”

Rabbi Marla J. Feldman

Rabbi Marla J. Feldman, Executive Director of Women of Reform Judaism since 2012, is a  Reform rabbi and lawyer. She was previously Director of the Commission on Social Action of  Reform Judaism and Director of Development of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ).

Prior to her work with the Reform Movement, Rabbi Feldman worked in the Jewish Community Relations field in Detroit and Delaware, where she also taught as adjunct faculty at the University of Detroit-Mercy and the Widener University College of Law respectively. She also previously served congregations in Sarasota and Orlando, FL.

She earned her J.D. from the University of Florida and is a member of the Florida Bar. She was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York, where she also received her M.A. in Hebrew Literature. She earned a B.A. in Jewish Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. Rabbi Feldman also received a Certificate in Fundraising from the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Feldman’s articles and op-eds have appeared in Jewish publications and newspapers nationwide. She served as guest editor of the CCAR Journal Reform Jewish Quarterly symposia on pay equity (Fall 2018) and single-gender programs (Spring 2021) and is the author of several Reform Movement action manuals. Rabbi Feldman also writes modern Midrash, which have been published in numerous publications. She is the author of the upcoming book, “Biblical Women Speak: Hearing Their Voices through New and Ancient Midrash” (JPS, 2023).

Blair Marks

Blair Marks is a past president of Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), WRJ’s Southeast District, and the sisterhood of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim in Charleston SC. During her tenure as WRJ President, Blair led the change that opened affiliation beyond the boundaries of women’s groups in URJ-affiliated congregations, extending participation to anyone who identifies as a Reform Jewish woman.

Blair is a member of the North American Board of the Union for Reform Judaism and the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism. She has also served on the Board of Governors of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and the North American Advisory Board of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

Professionally, Blair recently retired as the vice president of ethics for a global security and defense company. She began her career as an engineer and spent many years as a program manager – ask her about airplanes! She has served on Georgia Tech’s Women in Engineering program advisory board as well as the board of the Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers, and she is a graduate of Leadership Cobb.  Blair was recognized with the Women in Aerospace Outstanding Leadership Award and the Ethics and Compliance Initiative’s Carol R. Marshall Award for Innovation in Corporate Ethics.

Blair’s a Ramblin’ Reck from Georgia Tech and also holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Georgia State University. She holds professional certifications as a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional and as a Leading Professional in Ethics and Compliance.

Amy Smyler

Camp Coleman Camp Director Amy Smyler McFarland holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a focus on Organizational Design.  She served as the NFTY-STR Regional Advisor from 2001-2003 and served as the Assistant Director of Camp Coleman from 2001-2008.  Amy returned to Coleman in 2015 as the Associate Director after spending 7 years working as an independent leadership coach and consultant which allowed her to experience over 50 non-profit summer camps in action. Having seen, experienced and even created best practices in camping, Amy leads Coleman with a passion for helping young people be their best selves and a love and commitment to Reform Jewish life. Nine months of the year, she lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with her daughter, Mikayla.

Diane Porat

Diane Porat is an active leader of social action in her community. As our WRJ Southeast District Advocacy Chair and Congregation Schaarai Zedek’s Sisterhood Social Action Chair, Diane enjoys organizing educational and engaging projects and events for participants of all ages. She designs programs to benefit both the giver and the receiver. WRJ has recognized some of these programs through the honor of bestowing them with the Or Ami Light of My People Award for Special Achievement in Programming for exemplary social justice, community service, and educational events that can serve as role models for other WRJ Districts and Sisterhoods. Diane is also the 2023 recipient of her Sisterhood’s Audrey Maas Shine Leadership Award for embodying the mission and ideals of Sisterhood and whose volunteer efforts on behalf of Sisterhood have been above and beyond expectation.

Diane is a teacher at heart. She has taught preschool, elementary, middle, high school, and college students. In addition, she has created and led professional development training and workshops in school districts, and at conferences and conventions. Currently, Diane is an adjunct professor who teaches University of Tampa education department students who are elementary and secondary education majors. She also volunteers in schools and spearheads social action projects for students, faculty members, staff, and administrators to make a positive difference that can enhance their educational experience and their lives. 

In her personal life, Diane is married to her college sweetheart, Ron. Together they have raised and are proud of their three sons, Jonathan, Michael, and Andrew.

Pattie Schreiber

Pattie Schreiber is the principal and lead coach at Greater Good Leadership Coaching.

Prior to launching her executive coaching practice, Pattie held, over 2 1/2 decades, leadership and professional positions with cause-related and social service nonprofit organizations. Her background encompasses a wide range of initiatives for individual development, team building, staff training, facilitation, and goal attainment.

Pattie is an area director for WRJ’s SE District She Is a member of Congregation Schaari Zedek in Tampa, FL. She served as a Past Co-President of their Sisterhood as well a Vice President for the Temple’s Board of Trustees. She was awarded the President’s Cup for outstanding volunteerism in 2017.

As a sought-after and dedicated volunteer, Pattie has served as a numerous boards and committees including Tampa Jewish Family Services, Lighthouse for the Blind and Low Vision and International Coaching Federation-Central FL Chapter.

Pattie earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Recreation from the University of Florida and holds a post-graduate certification in Personal & Executive Coaching from the CaPP Institute. Pattie also earned the Associate Coaching Credential (ACC) from the International Coach Federation.

Robyn Schickler

 Robyn Schickler:  Planned Parenthood's chief medical officer pledges to assist patients after  Roe decision.  Robyn is an Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist who is currently the CMO  for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.  She is a 2013 graduate of  University of South Florida Health Morisani College of Medicine.

Karen Sim

Karen Sim is the WRJ First Vice President. She is a member of Isaac Mayer Wise Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio. Karen became a member of the WRJ Board in 2003. She has served on the Executive Committee, as Vice President of Districts and Member Services, and as Vice President of Development. She has served on many committees and task forces including Strategic Planning, Affiliate Development, YES Fund Grant Allocation, the WRJ Centennial committee, the Budget Committee, Alumni Development, Individual Membership Development, and Speaker Training. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the WRJ Central District Board.

In addition to her work with WRJ, Karen is a Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Board member. She also serves on the Board of Overseers for the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) Central Region.

Karen is married with two adult children. She enjoys the support of her husband and her children for her volunteerism in the Jewish community.

Amy Weintraub