Executive Director – Marlene Copeland
Marlene is a Chicago native, originally from West Rogers Park. After graduating from the Business College at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Finance, Marlene spent the first half of her professional career working for Andersen Consulting as an IT Consultant and HR Manager. While taking time off to start a family she became an active lay leader at her synagogue and became their President. Her work as a lay leader inspired her to return to work as a Jewish communal professional and for eight years was the Midwest Regional Director for ARZA – the Zionist voice of the Reform Movement. During that time, Marlene earned her master’s degree in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. After ARZA, Marlene became the Executive Director for a small medical research related non-profit called the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy and then the Executive Director for Illinois with Jewish National Fund-USA. Marlene proudly became the Executive Director of SHALVA in January 2023.
Clinical Director – Barbara Siegel, MS, NCC, LCPC, ICDVP
Barbara has been providing counseling to SHALVA clients since 1996 and became Clinical Director in 1999. Barbara is a nationally certified Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor as well as an Illinois- Certified Domestic Violence Professional. She holds a masters’ degree in education and counseling.
In addition to counseling clients, Barbara facilitates trainings and consults with other clinicians, mental health agencies, community organizations, attorneys and school personnel, on treating and identifying individuals and families affected by domestic violence. Her work has empowered countless women to break the cycle of violence and abuse. Barbara believes that domestic abuse erodes the very foundation of Judaism, and that when Jewish groups work together to facilitate change, the community can be strengthened. Awards include: “Women to Woman: Making a Difference Award” given by the Illinois State Treasurer and “1 of 50 People Who Make Chicago a Better Place” by the Chicago Sun Times.
Board of Directors
President
Naomi Ragins Senser
Community Member, Retired Pediatrician
Treasurer
Stephanie Oettinger
Community Member, Former Financial Consultant and Non-Profit Director
Secretary
Amy Brown Tuchler, MBA
Co-Owner and Controller, Gifts for You Now
Rachel Kipnis, JD
Attorney
Abra Alscher
Community Member
Sara Block, JD
Director of Advocacy, Ascend Justice and Adjunct Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Bluma Broner
Managing Director, CIBC
Marilyn Eisenberg
Founder, Chicago Children’s Museum and Community Activist
Amy Starr Feder
Community Member, Retired Wealth Advisor and Attorney
Carol Ring Gooze
Realtor, @ Properties
Joseph Greenberg
VP Global M&A, Walgreens Boots Alliance
Stacy Halpern
Community Member
Tracy Madansky
Community Member
Andrea Yusim Meltzer
CEO and Co-Founder, Compatibility LLC
Rebecca Berlin Melzer, JD
Attorney and Founding Partner, Berlin Melzer Law
Helene Paris
Community Member
Esther Shkop, PhD
Community Member and Former Director, Wisdom of Torah Institute
Fayge Siegal
Community Member, SHALVA Founding Mother
Dianne Tesler
Community Member
Carolyn Winick, JD
Contract Attorney