Leadership

Danny Cohn was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. He received a B.S. in Journalism at The University of Kansas, and a master’s degree in Public Administration at The Ohio State University. Danny has almost two decades of experience as a strategic leader in marketing, operations, fundraising, branding, public relations, and social media for integrated marketing agencies and national foundations. He led integrated marketing teams at Edelman and Zeno Group, both in Chicago. From 2015 to 2020, Danny was the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Arbor Day Foundation in Omaha. Over the last two decades, prior to his arrival in Birmingham, Danny had been an active lay leader in many Jewish Philanthropic Institutions. Danny arrived in Birmingham in March of 2020. Since moving to Birmingham, Danny has impacted the Birmingham Jewish community through strategic planning, the reestablishing of the Jewish Community Relations Council as well as Sister City P2G programming, and the launch of a new Jewish Young Leadership Program. You can contact Danny about anything and everything related to The Birmingham Jewish Federation and the Jewish Community of Birmingham.

Riva Cullinan grew up in the Birmingham Jewish community and is very excited to be back. She holds a B.A. in History from Hendrix College and an M.A. in History and Museum Studies from the University of Alabama. Prior to joining the Birmingham Jewish Federation in 2023, Riva worked as a museum educator in Atlanta, GA. She oversees You Belong in Birmingham, BBYO, and the Young Leadership Program.

Coming all the way from Durban, South Africa, Claire moved to the United States in 2002. Prior to moving to Birmingham in 2018, Claire and her family lived in Indianapolis where she worked in Jewish preschools. Claire received a Master’s in Historical Archaeology with a minor in Environmental and Geographical Science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She has been working at the BJF since 2021. Contact Claire if you are looking to donate, need information on pledge balances/past donations that have been made, or copies of tax receipts/ acknowledgment receipts. Claire’s favorite thing about working at The Birmingham Jewish Federation is the people she works with.  

Sarah Cohen Gotlieb was born and raised here in Birmingham.  She received a BSW at the University of Georgia in 1999.  In 2002, Sarah received a double Master’s in Social Work and Jewish Non-Profit Management from the University of Southern California and Hebrew Union College.  Sarah worked in synagogue life in Los Angeles at Stephen S. Wise Temple, in Phoenix at Temple Chai and most recently, finished her 12th year as the Executive Director of Temple Beth-El of St Petersburg, FL.  Sarah returned to Birmingham with her husband, Stewart, who is also a Birmingham native.  They are thrilled to be back home!

Susan is a Birmingham native.  She received a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from The University of Georgia.  She worked in Atlanta as Assistant Director of Hillel for colleges in and around Atlanta.  She returned to Birmingham in 1983 and became an avid volunteer for the Birmingham Jewish Community.  Susan has served as the President of the Birmingham Jewish Federation and N.E. Miles Jewish Day School.   After receiving a master’s degree in Jewish Education from Siegel College of Jewish Studies, Susan worked as the Development Director for the N.E. Miles Jewish Day School where she ran the Annual Campaign and raised money for their endowment. She also served as Executive Director of the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation for 6 years.  Susan joined the BJF team in 2020 and has developed the curriculum for the Young Leadership Program and works on Women’s Philanthropy and the Annual Campaign. Her favorite part about working here is the people and the mission.

Hadas rejoined the Birmingham Jewish Federation in July 2022, after a twenty-two-year maternity leave!  Most recently she planned and implemented the L’Chaim Fundraiser for the Alabama Holocaust Education Center.  In addition to supervising the Shinshinim, her other responsibilities include staffing the Partnership Together (P2G), The Israel Committee, and the Israel@75 programming. She also helps with special projects as needed and is fluent in Hebrew, a tremendous asset to the Federation.

Emily began working for the Federation in February of 2022. Emily is originally from Houston, Texas, and moved to Birmingham in 2013. She got her BBA in Management, with a focus on the Non-Profit Sector, from the University of Montevallo. Emily’s love for the non-profit sector began when she worked at a camp in upstate New York for inner-city youth. Prior to her work at the Birmingham Jewish Federation, she worked as a Client Coordinator at Kid One Transport. Emily loves the variety of ways in which we are involved with the community. She says “There is always something new and exciting on the horizon.”

Florina was born in Kishinev, Moldova. With help from the BJF, CJFS, and other Jewish organizations, she moved to Birmingham with her family when she was just six years old. Florina got her degree in International Studies and Business at Birmingham Southern College.  Prior to joining the BJF team in 2015, she worked at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Florina oversees the Annual Campaign, Women’s Philanthropy, PJ Library, young family programming, Shalom Baby Bags, and our United Way partnership. You can find Florina in our snack pantry eating chocolate-drizzled popcorn.

Margaret Norman is Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, whose mission is to “build bridges of understanding within our Jewish community and to our broader community, combat antisemitism, and advocate for public policy and social justice issues important to the Birmingham Jewish community.” Before joining the BJF team in June of 2024, Margaret served as Director of Programming at Temple Beth El (2020-2024), where she oversaw programming and communications, drove engagement, and launched the Beth El Civil Rights Experience; a public history project exploring Birmingham’s Jewish and civil rights histories. Margaret holds a M.A in American Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and a B.A in Individualized Study from New York University. Prior to entering the Jewish professional world, Margaret worked with a variety of community-based nonprofits and public history projects, including Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, the Southern Foodways Alliance, Red Mountain Park and the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Margaret grew up between Central New York and Southern Vermont, and has called Birmingham home since 2016.

Victoria was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. She has a BS in Nonprofit Management from Indiana University (2009) and an MPA from George Washington University (2013). After finishing graduate school, Victoria moved to Tel Aviv for a 5 5-month internship program that led her to make Aliyah and live in Tel Aviv for over 5 years. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia where she runs her small business that does social media management & consulting for women-led nonprofits & small businesses. In July of 2022, she joined the BJF team as Assistant Director of Israel Advocacy & Engagement. Victoria loves that this role blends her passions for Israel, philanthropy & the Federation system, and that it allows her to deepen her connection to her forever home of Birmingham.

Samantha Levitt Palmer is a lifelong Birmingham native with a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Economy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.  She is active in the Jewish community, serving on the board of Temple Beth-El.  Before joining the team at the Birmingham Jewish Federation & Foundation, she worked with her husband Chris to start their family’s business, Green Garage.  She and her husband and three children live in Homewood.

Kim has been with the Birmingham Jewish Federation for over 20 years. Kim grew up in Decatur, Alabama, and right after high school started work for the Department of Defense in Huntsville for 10 years.  Kim pursued an Engineering degree in Huntsville until she met her husband. Kim started at the BJF as the Accounting Administrator and worked her way to the position she holds today. Kim’s favorite thing about the Federation is not only seeing a whole new generation being raised but also seeing them take on leadership roles to strengthen Birmingham’s Jewish Community as well as the broader community.  She considers her co-workers not only colleagues but friends as well.  She looks forward to seeing what the future brings to the Federation and our local Jewish agencies.

Joyce was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and received a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in Secondary Education from UAB. She has been working in the Birmingham nonprofit world for over 20 years. Joyce was the Jewish Community Relations Director for the Birmingham Jewish Federation from 2001 to 2012 and left to become the Executive Director of Magic Moments from 2012- 2016. Joyce served as the Interim Executive Director of the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center until 2018 and was recruited by Danny Cohn to return to her former position in May 2020. As the JCRC Director, Joyce educates and advocates for social justice issues important to our community. The JCRC responds to incidents of antisemitism, advocates for social justice issues, collaborates with the broader community, and communicates with our legislators on issues important to our Jewish community. Joyce loves the energy and passion of our staff, especially everyone’s dedication and full commitment to our overall mission of enriching our Jewish community.

With over three decades of serving and protecting, Damon Summers joined the Secure Community Network (SCN) in October 2024 as the Regional Security Advisor for the Birmingham Jewish Federation. Prior to joining SCN, Summers spent 28 years in law enforcement with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Retiring at the rank of Captain, whereafter Summers joined the American Red Cross and served as the Regional Disaster Officer for the Alabama-Mississippi Region where he was responsible for the states’ disaster preparedness, response and recovery programs. Most recently, Summers worked at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, the state’s largest and busiest airport, as an Operations Supervisor. In that role, he was responsible for monitoring and enforcing TSA and FAA security and safety compliance and regulations, as well as planning, coordinating and responding to aircraft emergency incidents.