Hannah Rosenthal, the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism, has accepted a position as the new chief executive officer and president of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. She will begin her new role this fall.
“We are very excited to bring a nationally recognized leader like Hannah Rosenthal to Milwaukee,” said Dan Bader, Chairperson of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s CEO Search Committee. “Hannah Rosenthal is the right person to lead the Federation into the future following the past year of community input and reimagining. She has a strong background as a transformational leader and an amazing grasp of organizational change.”
Rosenthal has Wisconsin roots. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison after starting her undergraduate studies at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley Massachusetts. She attended rabbinical school in Jerusalem and Los Angeles, and later returned to Wisconsin as the religious education director at Madison’s Temple Beth El. Following a stint as Midwest Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Rosenthal served as executive director of the American Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
Rosenthal was appointed special envoy in the state department in 2009. She reports on the status of anti-Semitism and other hatreds throughout the world to determine how to address anti-Semitism and other human rights abuses in U.S. foreign policy. She briefs the President, the Secretary of State and Congress on worldwide trends in these areas and creates strategies to combat hatred.
“I am thrilled to accept this position,” said Rosenthal. “I am so impressed with the vision the community has set for the future of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and believe we have the opportunity to become the model for Federations across the nation in engaging the Jewish community.”
Over the last 15 months, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation has engaged in a process of transformational change based on a deep and broad dialogue with the community. To help the organization achieve its new vision, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation recognized the need to engage a leader with deep experience in each of these areas. The Federation created a CEO Search Committee to conduct a rigorous national search for the right candidate. The committee was led by community volunteer Dan Bader and included diverse representation of Milwaukee’s Jewish community.
“Hannah is a truly exceptional individual, with a deep commitment to Jewish causes,” said Jerry Benjamin, Chairperson of the Federation’s Board of Directors and member of the CEO search committee. “I look forward to introducing her to the Board and the community, and to partnering with her in the work ahead as the Federation continues to evolve through the reimagining and transition processes. Hannah understands fundraising and community building and will be an enormous asset to our community as we continue to emphasize financial resource development and community outreach in our efforts going forward.”
Rosenthal is expected to begin her new role in fall 2012. Sheryl Primakow will continue as Interim Executive Director of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation until that time and then will move into a new position as Chief Operating Officer.
