Executive Director
Rabbi Danielle Leshaw
office: 740.592.1173
; cell: 740.274.9265
leshaw@ohio.edu
Rabbi Danielle (as most students call her) has served as Hillel’s rabbi and Executive Director since 2002. A graduate of The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia, and Arizona State University in Tempe, she has also studied extensively in Israel at She'arim College for Women, Pardes, Machon Shechter, and The Conservative Yeshiva. In addition to her work with Hillel at Ohio University, Rabbi Danielle has served the Jewish student populations at Ursinus College in Philadelphia and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She currently serves on the Schusterman International Center Board of
Directors, The Post Editorial Board, The University Interfaith
Association, The Jewish Studies Certificate Committee, and is a member
of The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.
Rabbi Danielle is married to Kevin Haworth, author and English Professor at Ohio University. Together, they're the happy parents of two delightful young children, Zev and Ruthie.
Photo by Alex Snyder, OU Photojournalism Student.
Office Administrator
Ginger Gagne
740.592.1173
ohiohillel@yahoo.com
Ginger brings years of administrative experience to Hillel, having served in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors for nearly 20 years. Her office hours are as follows: M, T, and Th from 9:30 - 3:00, and Friday from 12:00 - 5:00. Drop by and say hello!
Board of Directors
Hillel’s Board of Directors oversees the goals, vision, and finances of Hillel at Ohio University. Please be in touch with any member of the board if you’d like to get more involved, see something happen, or have any questions.
Lee Freedman, OU '04, President: lfreedman@gmail.com
Lee Freedman is a marketing communications specialist at Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the United States. Prior to joining the company in November 2009, Lee was the communications manager at Agility Recovery Solutions. Outside of work, Freedman volunteers with the UNC-Charlotte chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In addition to his service for Hillel at OU, Lee has served on the Charlotte Chapter of Public Relations Society of America and City at Peace. Originally from Glencoe, Illinois, Lee earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Ohio University in 2004. He currently resides in Charlotte, N.C.
Shaina Allenick, OU '13: sa157809@ohio.edu
Shaina Allenick, a student board member from Cleveland, is a first year student studying Anthropology and Outdoor Recreation. A former camper and now staff member at Camp Wise, and a graduate of Jewish Day School, Shaina brings great Jewish depth and maturity to Hillel’s Board of Directors.
Molly Brenner, Secretary, OU '12: mb115107@ohio.edu
Molly Brenner, a student board member from Columbus, is a sophomore in the College of Health and Human Services studying Health Care Administration and Long Term Care Health. Along with her involvement in Hillel, she is a member of Jewish Women of Ohio and the Student Alumni Board, serving as the VP of Alumni Engagement. Molly also sits on the Faculty Excellence Committee through Student Alumni Board. Go Bobcats!
Andrea Anes: aanes@ohiohills.com
Joseph Krause: josephkrause@hotmail.com
Joe moved to Athens with his wife, Hollie, in 2004 from south Florida. Since arriving, they've grown their family to include Jacob (3) and newborn baby Abigail. A successful business owner, Joe and his extended family own a student rental company that serves Ohio University students. We're thrilled he's chosen to be an active member of the Jewish community, and look forward to his influence on our family programs and community events.
Casey Onik: caseyonik@gmail.com
Casey recently moved to Athens to attend the O'Bleness Memorial Hospital Residency in Family Practice. He graduated in 2009 from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. Casey received the Jonas Salk Health Fellowship in 2003 from the Jewish Health Care Foundation while concurrently completing a Masters of Public Health in the Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. Professionally, Dr. Onik seeks to understand the interplay between body, mind, and spirit as propounded by Andrew Taylor Still MD, DO, founder of Osteopathy in 1874, and strongly believes that integration of natural laws into public health and medicine will form a cost-efficient system that minimizes costly biomedical solutions to disease management.
Joel Rudy, Vice President: RudyHome@aol.com
Joel Rudy, retired Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Ohio University, and longstanding Athens Jewish Community member, divides his time between Athens and southern Florida. His other organizational commitments include Phi Kappa Tau Foundation, the Privateer Association, and the Athens Photographic Project. He’s the proud grandparent of two young grandchildren, and is happy to report that both his children attended Ohio University.
David Schiffman: david@SchiffmanConsulting.com
David Shiffman, the principal at Shiffman Consulting, is a twelve-year veteran of Fortune 500 firms. Starting with degrees in engineering and liberal arts from Alfred University, as well as an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management, his experience includes education, global sourcing, logistics and business process design. David has traveled extensively in North America and internationally, both on business and for his own education. David lives in Cleveland with his family and is the proud parent of a first generation bobcat.
Rabbi Eddie Sukol: rabbieddie@theshul.us
Rabbi Eddie Sukol founded The Shul, Cleveland's Open Synagogue, in 2007. His previous rabbinical appointments include service as the Hillel Director at Ohio University, the Director of Pastoral Care at the Montefiore Home and NCJW Hospice,and as a congregational rabbi. Rabbi Sukol is a Senior Rabbinic Fellow of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. He is an adjunct faculty member at Baldwin Wallace College. He currently serves on the Board of the Agnon School, InterAct Cleveland and is a member of the Pediatric Ethics Committee at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. He has completed specialized training in Clinical Pastoral Care and Counseling and is a part-time hospital chaplain. Rabbi Sukol is a past-president of the Greater Cleveland Board of Rabbis and has also served on the board of the Athens AIDS Taskforce and the Southeastern Ohio Foodbank.
Dan Weiner: weinerd1@ohio.edu
Dan Weiner, Executive Director, Center for International Studies and Geography Professor at Ohio University, brings 30 years of campus experience to Hillel's Board of Directors. His areas of interest are Israel and the Middle East, and we anticipate that Dan will help Hillel at Ohio University broaden its Jewish studies course offerings and connections with Study Abroad opportunities in Israel.
Jon Wilkof, OU '05: jwilkof@starkindustrial.com
Jonathan Wilkof graduated from Ohio University in 2005 with a degree in Industrial Technology. While at Ohio University, he was very active in Hillel, serving in a number of board positions and student leadership roles. He currently lives in North Canton, OH and works as a Manufacturing Engineer at Stark Industrial LLC, a third-generation owned family business. Jonathan’s younger brother is currently a student at Ohio University.