Lois previously served as the Senior Vice President, International Affairs, for the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. In that position, she oversaw Federation’s activities in Israel and other world Jewish communities. This included the Tel Aviv-Los Angeles Partnership, Pluralism and other grant programs, World Jewry programs, and the Federation’s liaison to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI).

Lois has her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California and her Masters in Jewish Communal Service from Hebrew Union College-Los Angeles. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Illinois.

Lois has been the President of Jewish Communal Professionals of Southern California and has received their Career Achievement Award. She is the recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Jewish Communal Service from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and of the Tzedek Award from Ameinu (formerly the Labor Zionist Alliance).

Lois, who was raised in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, has been a resident of Los Angeles since 1974. She lives in Studio City and has a daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Matthew Wayne, and is the proud Savta of their son, Aydin.

Michael Jeser will become Jewish World Watch’s Executive Director on July 1, 2013.

Jeser is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Allen & Ruth Ziegler Executive Director of the USC Hillel Foundation and the USC Jewish Alumni Association. In this position, he is responsible for overseeing the financial, development and programmatic operation of a campus Hillel serving more than 2000 Jewish undergraduates. During his four years at USC Hillel, the organization doubled its fundraising results, underwent a capital renovation (called “the Extreme Hillel Makeover”), and achieved national recognition for its programs, fundraising initiatives, and creative campus coalition building efforts.

Prior to joining USC Hillel, Jeser served as Director of the Real Estate & Construction (REC) Division, the most successful business division of The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. Under his leadership, the REC Division raised more than $8 Million in 2008, the largest campaign in its history. He led successful fundraising events that generated more than $3 Million over 2 years, not including the acquisition of multiple seven figure endowment gifts for the Jewish Federation.

Prior to his tenure at The Jewish Federation, Jeser served from 2004-2007 as the JCC at Milken’s Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Executive Director, performing critical development, administrative, and programmatic roles.

Jeser began his professional career in Jewish communal service when he worked as a Youth Services Professional and Jewish summer camp administrator at the Jewish Community Center of Metro West, New Jersey. After leaving JCC Metro West in 1999, he participated on UJC’s Project Otzma in, living in several of Israel’s development communities, teaching English, and working with Russian, Ethiopian, and Moroccan immigrants.

Following his volunteer experience in Israel, Jeser served as the Youth Outreach Professional of TeenJCC, at the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston from 2000-2002. His responsibilities included teen outreach, program development, teen leadership development, and year-round JCC Maccabi youth sports programming.

Jeser received his BA in Psychology from the University of Arizona in 1998 and completed the Double Masters program from HUC’s School of Non-Profit Management and the USC School of Social Work in 2002. Michael is engaged to the beautiful and talented Laura Rosenberg.

Naama Haviv, who holds an MA/ABD in Comparative Genocide from Clark University, joined JWW’s team in April 2007. At JWW, Naama develops education and advocacy programs, implements JWW youth activist initiatives, researches current world conflicts to assess the risk of genocide, and works to ensure the strength and quality of JWW-supported relief and development projects. Before joining the JWW team, Naama created and managed educational programs connecting students from the U.S. to students in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Tajikistan and the West Bank for Relief International, and held research positions with the Institute for the Study of Genocide, the Middle East Media Research Institute and the American Anti-Slavery Group.

Naama lives in Los Angeles with her husband Greg and their new daughter, Lena.

Jan not only assures our office runs smoothly on a day to day basis but also has helped JWW effectively streamline its operation. In 1985, Jan and her husband Doug started one of the nation’s first Interconnect companies, which they owned and operated for 25 years. Jan is a graduate of California Institute of the Arts. Jan and Doug, along with their children Zach and Aleah, are active members of Congregation Kol Tikvah.

Miriam joined Jewish World Watch in December 2012. She brings a portfolio of experience in program and resource development, communications and external and membership/client relations in the not-for-profit sector, education and private industry. She previously served as Vice President of Programs- Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Director of Development- Cal State Northridge College of Business and Economics, Campaign Associate- The Jewish Federation, and Manager of Programs and Administration- UCLA’s Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. In addition, she has experience in her local public schools as a volunteer and in the classroom, including working with children with special needs. She is passionate about the work of JWW and honored to have the opportunity to help further its mission!

Miriam holds a BA in Political Science from UCLA and an MSc in International Relations from The London School of Economics. She and her family (husband Curtis, an urban planner/environmental consultant, children Gaby, Ben, Rebecca and Jeremy, and dog Zoe) live in the Conejo Valley.

Liz, a graduate from UC Berkeley, decided to take her English degree and go down the most obvious path: genocide activism. Since starting at JWW in September 2009 as a volunteer, she has spent intervals as JWW’s Policy Intern, Volunteer Coordinator, 2011 Walk Coordinator and unofficial copy editor. In June 2011, she returned to the policy work she enjoys most in her position as JWW’s Outreach and Advocacy Fellow, which a year later became an Associate position.  She contributes to JWW’s annual genocide risk assessment, drafts grants, maintains a dialogue with local congressional representatives and helps facilitate  JWW’s advocacy campaigns, community events, and publications. In her free time, she tells her friends and family all about coup d’états and the funniest rebel leader names.