Wise Board of Directors 2022-23 Biographies

Executive Committee

Steve Bram, President
Steve Bram, President

Steve Bram grew up at Stephen Wise Temple. His family joined in 1967 just before the temple moved from its Westwood site to its current location. He became Bar Mitzvah at SWT in 1969. Steve and his wife Julie have been active members of the temple for over 30 years. Both their children, Ben and Alanna, became Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and were confirmed at the temple. Steve served on the temple’s Budget and Finance Committee for many years and Steve and Julie have hosted numerous temple events at their home, including study sessions and Shabbat in the Neighborhood events. During the recession, Steve served on the Real Estate Advisory Counsel, helping temple members with their real estate and job-related issues. 

Steve is also active in community affairs. He served as Chairman of the Real Estate and Construction Division of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles where he’s been a member for 33 years. Steve is also a founding member of the Real Estate Principal’s Organization (RPO), a group of 20 Presidents of Real Estate Organizations in LA who meet and do pro-Jewish work in LA, under the leadership of the Federation. He served on the Budget & Finance Committee for the Federation. Steve is also a founding partner of the Los Angeles Jewish Venture Philanthropy Fund, a group dedicated to supporting innovation in the Jewish world for over 20 years, and is on the Los Angeles board of the American Jewish Committee.

Steve and Julie support a wide range of organizations both here and in Israel. They include the Hand in Hand Schools in Israel that educate Israeli Arab and Jewish children together, NewGround, A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change, IsraAID, and the Jerusalem Youth Chorus. Steve is an active member of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and is a member of the AIPAC LA Real Estate Leadership Council, along with AIPAC’s Political Action Committee. Steve is the Co-Founder of the Jewish National Fund’s Commercial Real Estate Society of Los Angeles (CRESLA), a network of 40-50 professionals who raise money for JNF projects.

In his spare time, Steve is President and co-Founder of George Smith Partners, Inc., a real estate financing firm that specializes in securing loans for large commercial properties. Steve and his team have arranged over $9.0 billion of financing in over 800 transactions during his 38 years at GSP. Steve arranged a new first mortgage for the American Jewish University in 2015 along with Temple Beth Haverim (Agoura) and Temple Akiba (Culver City). Steve is also active in the Real Estate development business as a partner in many ground-up developments and stabilized assets.

Steve earned an MBA from The Wharton School of Finance in 1984 and his BS from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and spent time studying economics at Claremont McKenna College.

At some point, Steve hopes to slow down enough to enjoy life away from his desk and to play for many hours with his precious three-year-old grandson.

Dana Ehrlich, Vice President
Dana Ehrlich, Vice President

Dana Ehrlich and her family joined Stephen Wise Temple in 2007 and immediately became active in the school and temple community. Dana was involved in the Wise Parents Association and has been an Alumni Parent Lay Leader for the Wise School Generations Endowment. She has been a student of Rabbi Yoshi’s weekly study class and traveled with her family on the Wise Israel Trip in 2014. Dana has been a Melton student and currently sits on the Melton Advisory Board. For Dana, being a Wise Temple Board Member and Executive Board Member has been fulfilling and meaningful. In this capacity, she served on the High Holy Days taskforce, Z3 committee, attended the URJ Biennial, co-chaired Wise Women, and now works on inclusion initiatives. In addition, Dana is passionate in her support of her alma mater, Smith College, which has reinforced the value of connection and community. She has been happily married to Scott for 27 years; their son, Josh, a Wise School ’15 alum, is studying at Wesleyan University.

Alexsondra (Alex) Shore Fixmer, Vice President
Alexsondra (Alex) Shore Fixmer, Vice President

Alexsondra Fixmer has been a member of Stephen Wise Temple her entire life. She was raised in a Wise Temple home, attended Wise School since early childhood, and her commitment to our community has extended into adulthood. She and her husband were married by Rabbi Eli Herscher and their two children attend Wise School. She is a member of the Executive Committee, Governance Committee (Vice Chair), Nominating Committee, Center for Tikkun Olam Advisory Committee, and proudly chairs the Educational Advisory Committee. Prior to joining the Board, Alex was involved in the WPA, Parent Community Task Force, and as a room parent at Wise School. Alex also volunteers year-round at Public Counsel, where she represents low-income families through the adoption process. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, an organization dedicated to advancing the rights of children in foster care so that they have access to stability, healthcare, education, and family support. Professionally, Alex is the lead lawyer at The Walt Disney Company responsible for the legal function globally for the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution technology and business development teams. Those teams build, manage, run, and support the technology platforms and operations for Disney’s streaming products and all traditional domestic and international broadcast and cable television networks and radio stations. In this role, she is responsible for all contracts and business transactions related to the technology behind the production, marketing, distribution, and security of Disney’s video assets around the globe. Her role covers technology for all Disney’s brands including ABC, Fox, Disney Channels Worldwide, Disney+, ESPN, ESPN+, NatGeo, and Marvel, among others. Alex draws on her personal and professional experience to help support and advance the temple community, which has been so near and dear to her and her family for more than three generations.

Lori Goodman, Vice President
Lori Goodman, Vice President

Lori Goodman and her husband Rob have been Stephen Wise Temple members for over 40 years. They joined after moving to Los Angeles from Toronto, Canada. They have three childrenMitchell, Jordan, and Daniwho attended the Parenting Center, the Elementary School, became Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, and were confirmed at Wise. Lori began her temple involvement on the Social Action Committee many years ago and it continues to be one of her passions. In 2020, she joined the Board of Wise Readers to Leaders, the summer literacy program for underserved students in Los Angeles. Her other community activities have included chairing events for Oakwood School and Jewish Federation. Lori has been on the board of the Women’s Conference, the Bureau of Jewish Education, and her Neighborhood Association. She works on the ArtWorks committee for the Anti-Defamation League and helped with the Wise School WASC Accreditation process this past year. Lori is honored to have been on the Wise Board of Directors for the last five years and the Executive Committee for two years. She is a member of the Development and Tikkun Olam Committees.

Philip Koosed, Vice President
Philip Koosed, Vice President

Philip Koosed has served on the Board of Stephen Wise Temple and the Financial Oversight Committee for the past few years. Wise Temple has been an incredibly significant part of Philip’s life and the lives of his entire family. Philip is a Wise School alumnus and Wise School parent. He began at Wise Temple in Mommy and Me and continued through to become Bar Mitzvah, eventually going through the confirmation program. His two sisters also attended Wise School and his two oldest sons (Asher and Itzhak) and three nephews (Ollie, Sawyer, and Archie) attend Wise School. Philip’s newborn Avraham is only a few years behind the family’s Wise Wolf Pack. Philip is deeply passionate about the continuation of the Jewish tradition and truly believes that Stephen Wise Temple is an instrumental part in continuing these traditions.

Ira Pianko, Vice President
Ira Pianko, Vice President

Ira Pianko, his wife Robin, and their two sons David and Brian, moved to Los Angeles more than 30 years ago and immediately became part of the Stephen Wise Temple community. Both David and Brian eventually graduated from the Elementary School and over the years, Stephen Wise Temple has continued to be an important part of their family. Rabbi Herscher and Cantor Lam both officiated at David and Brian’s Bar Mitzvahs, Brian and Marissa’s wedding, the baby namings of their children, as well as other life cycle events. The love and support from the community when David passed was a source of strength for the family. Over the years, Ira has been a partner with an international accounting firm as well as the Chief Operating and/or Chief Financial Officer at a music publisher, a real estate firm, and a K-12 school. Ira has served on the board of the Oakwood School since 1991 and Stephen Wise Temple since 2018. He has also been involved in a number of community-based organizations. Both Robin and Ira participate in the Florence Melton program as well as community learning opportunities at Wise Temple. Since becoming a member of the Board of Directors, Ira has served on the Executive Committee, Financial Oversight Committee, Audit Committee, and Nominating Committee, and has co-chaired the advisory committee of the Center for Jewish Life.

Rabin Pournazarian, Vice President
Rabin Pournazarian, Vice President

Rabin Pournazarian and his wife, Lora, have been Stephen Wise Temple members for 14 wonderful years. Their three childrenRachel, Eli, and Jonahgraduated from Wise Elementary School and are attending Milken Community School. Rabin was raised in Encino, obtained his undergraduate degree from USC, and took his graduate degree from Pepperdine Law School. He spent his junior year abroad at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was USC Hillel President, and worked at Herzl Camp in Webster, Wisc., for three years, concluding as the Co-Director of the 10th grade program. Rabin is currently a partner at Price Law Group specializing in debt relief and consumer advocacy. He is a member of the Executive, Financial Oversight, and Educational Advisory Committees at Wise Temple. Lora and Rabin have hosted Havdalah services, along with Wise Dads and Party Book Events at their home, in order to help cultivate a sense of community. Their family thoroughly enjoys the friendships and bonds that have been created at Stephen Wise Temple.

Jeremy Rosen, Vice President
Jeremy Rosen, Vice President

Jeremy Rosen, his wife Jodi, and their son, Ethan, joined Stephen Wise Temple in 2006. Jeremy is currently a member of the Board of Directors, serving as Vice President and Secretary of the Executive Committee. Jeremy also serves on the board of Wise Readers to Leaders. Outside of Wise Temple, he is a partner at Horvitz & Levy LLP, where he specializes in handling civil appeals in state and federal appellate courts. Jeremy graduated with a B.A. in History and Government from Cornell University and received his J.D. and L.L.M. in International and Comparative Law from Duke University School of Law.

Congregational Directors

Nasi Bamshad, Congregational Director
Nasi Bamshad, Congregational Director

Nasi Bamshad and her family joined Wise Temple in 2005 after the birth of their first child. At the time, they were long-time membersalong with their extended familyat another Los Angeles temple. The Bamshads chose Wise for the amazing parenting center and preschool. For several years, they held dual membership, until they realized that Wise had become a home for their family. The Bamshads’ two oldest children graduated from Wise Elementary and their youngest child currently attends Wise School. Nasi is a pediatric dentist practicing in Los Angeles and her husband is a urologist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

Donna Donay, Congregational Director
Donna Donay, Congregational Director

Donna Donay and her husband, Elias, have been members of Stephen Wise Temple for 18 years. Their children attended preschool at Wise, became Bar and Bat Mitzvah at Wise, participated in WTY programs, and volunteered with Wise Readers to Leaders. Donna is grateful that Wise Temple has provided her family with countless opportunities to serve the community. Donna has volunteered for numerous Wise Tikkun Olam activities including providing pro bono legal services to benefit the causes supported by the temple. She has also participated in many of the activities of the Center for Jewish Life and other educational events. Outside of the temple, Donna is an active member of Jewish World Watch, reads UCLA Alumni Scholarship applications, and volunteers with the UCLA Alumni Mentor Program. She also volunteers her legal services with Public Counsel, a pro bono public interest law firm, and Bet Tzedek Legal Services. Professionally, Donna is the founder of Yamini Law Group, which specializes in business and intellectual property litigation. She is delighted to be considered for a seat on the Stephen Wise Temple Board and hopes to deepen her commitment and service to the temple as a board member. Donna would be honored to serve. 

Stephen Kay, Congregational Director
Stephen Kay, Congregational Director

Stephen Kay and his family moved to Los Angeles from the New York City area in 2003 and joined Stephen Wise Temple the same year. Steve and his wife, Susan Bloch Kay, have three sons: Aaron, Jesse, and Julian. When the Kays moved to Los Angeles, Aaron enrolled at Milken as a freshman, Jesse enrolled at Wise Elementary School as a sixth grader, and Julian entered Wise Elementary as a first grader. The Kay family was “all in” with the Stephen Wise community from day one, and they have continued to be actively involved in the community for the past 20 years. The Kays have participated in and supported many programs at Stephen Wise Temple and have also been actively involved with Milken. The Kays’ oldest and youngest sons now live in Los Angeles. Aaron is married to Lyndsay Nevins (another graduate of Stephen Wise and Milken) and they have a young daughter. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Steve moved to the East Coast after he graduated from U.C. Berkeley. He attended law school at Boston University and then practiced corporate law in New York City before moving to Los Angeles. After moving to Los Angeles, Steve continued to work as a lawyer in both in-house and law firm roles. Since 2014, he has served as the General Counsel of Roku.

Jodi Kirkbride, Congregational Director
Jodi Kirkbride, Congregational Director

Jodi Kirkbride and her husband, Rick, have been active Wise Temple members for more than 30 years. Their two children attended Wise elementary and religious schools, during which time Jodi served on the school executive board and chaired many events. Jodi currently participates on committees as a temple board member and has been the Chair of Development for the past four years. In that role, she works to ensure strategies are implemented to further meaningful temple-community relationships. Jodi also serves on the Jewish Federation women’s philanthropy board and supports AIPAC and various other organizations throughout Los Angeles. She previously served as a member of the University of Pennsylvania parents board for four years. Jodi and her family have enjoyed celebrating life cycle events with Wise clergy and other temple members since their children were in Mommy and Me. She looks forward to continuing her involvement with Stephen Wise Temple and Schools.

James Leewong, Congregational Director
James Leewong, Congregational Director

James Leewong and his wife, Laurie Glickman, have been Wise Temple members for over 44 years. James converted here, married here, and his two daughters became Bat Mitzvah and chanted haftorah on High Holy Days here. Life cycle events for the family have been more meaningful with Wise clergy. The temple has become his spiritual community and home, and has allowed him to successfully integrate his Chinese heritage with his immersion into Wise tradition, providing a balance of ancient Chinese principles and values for living an ethical and moral life through the guidance of our Torah and teachings about the presence of the Almighty in all things. This has blessed James with a wonderful family, a 43-year marriage, two married self-confident daughters (and their spouses), and three grandchildren, all committed to our tradition. James thanks all the people, including his wife, who have served the temple and made it possible for their family to derive the aforementioned benefits. Serving on the Board would be an important opportunity for James to “give back” for all that he has and continues to receive. James is a retired attorney and CPA. He advised high-net-worth foreign families on international business and tax matters with a focus on U.S. transition. He is also a director and operations officer of a petroleum vessel charter company in Luxembourg with international operations. James also served as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Calabasas. He currently serves as a board member and Treasurer of his residential HOA.

Keili Lefkovitz, Congregational Director
Keili Lefkovitz, Congregational Director

Keili Lefkovitz joined Stephen Wise Temple in 2012 after getting to know this special community and campus through Mommy and Me classes and Pre-K. Since that time, she, her husband, and their two awesome boysShep (2018 Wise School graduate) and Gunner (sixth grade)have fully immersed themselves into almost everything Wise Temple has to offer. From spiritual, to educational, to cultural and social, the family has benefitted from throwing themselves headfirst into the Wise Temple universe. Over the years, Keili has been honored to host many successful party book events. In partnership with Wise Templeand utilizing the incredibly gifted student body and staffshe’s written and produced music videos for Wise Temple and the greater Jewish community, and in 2021, Keili was honored to co-host the virtual Wise Temple Gala. Her prior involvement with the Wise Parents Association (WPA) has been as a chair for M’dor L’dor and the Maccabi Games, as well as being a docent/ambassador for prospective Wise School families. She then joined the WPA Board as VP of School Events before taking on the Co-President position with Rama Fakheri. Perhaps Keili’s greatest and most favorite stint has been as the Wise School mascot—a tradition she has brought back to Wise School which has been a huge hit with the kids, helping to exemplify school spirit. Go Wildcats!

Erin Naimi, Congregational Director
Erin Naimi, Congregational Director

Erin Naimi immigrated from Iran to the United States as a young child with her parents and two brothers in 1980, and she has considered Los Angeles her home ever since. Erin, her husband Nadim, and their two daughtersSienna (9) and Emmie (7)have been members of the Wise community since 2015, when Erin started attending Mommy and Me classes at the Early Childhood Center. Both girls began attending preschool at the ECC soon thereafter and have continued as students at Wise School.

Since becoming a parent in the Wise School community, Erin has had the opportunity to volunteer for various WPA committees and events, has chaired Parent WISE for the past three years, is involved with the Center for Tikkun Olam, and is on the DEI Committee headed by Rabbi Ron Stern. Professionally, Erin has been a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist (RDN) since 2000 and in addition to her private practice, has served as Nutrition Therapist and consultant in a variety of settings within Los Angeles including Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Monte Nido Treatment Center, and The Eating Disorder Center of CA—where she consults individuals and groups with a variety of medical needs including eating disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and various other medical conditions.  Erin is deeply passionate about her work in helping individuals heal their relationship to food and body. In her private practice, Erin also mentors dietetic student interns and new RDNs in the field. Erin serves on the board of Recovered Living, New Zealand where she is co-facilitating the opening of New Zealand’s first Residential Eating Disorder Treatment Center. Being able to honor a variety of perspectives with respect and empathy is the cornerstone of Erin’s personal and professional philosophy, and it is the perspective she will bring if she has the privilege of serving on the Stephen Wise Temple Board of Directors.

Farnaz Neman, Congregational Director
Farnaz Neman, Congregational Director

Farnaz Neman and her husband, Robert, have been members of Stephen Wise Temple since 2003 and their childrenSophia and Michaelattended and graduated from the elementary school. Farnaz chaired and organized events throughout the time their children attended Wise School, and during her first three years as a Temple Board member, Farnaz co-chaired the Educational Advisory Committee with Rabbi Yoshi and was a member of the Development Committee. Farnaz also co-chaired the high school graduation gathering for children who graduated from the elementary school and organized college outreach efforts by sending Hanukkah care packages to the temple’s college students. As a former member of the Executive Committee, Farnaz has been involved with the temple’s membership initiative and committee, Development Committee, and has served as an Ambassador.

Debbee Schwartz, Congregational Director
Debbee Schwartz, Congregational Director

Debbee Schwartz is an LA native who, along with her husband Robert and sons Carey and Casey, has been a proud member of Stephen Wise Temple since 1987. Carey and Casey attended Wise Elementary, where Debbee served as a head room parent every year the boys were in school. They then graduated from Milken Community High School, where Debbee also sat on the board. Debbee has worked in the entertainment industry for the past 30 years, representing writers, directors, and producers. Robert has been Executive Director of the Los Angeles City College Foundation for the past 10 years and was an entertainment attorney prior. Debbee’s connection with Stephen Wise Temple and Schools runs deep, experiencing this special community as an extension of her own family. She’s thrilled at the prospect of returning to serve the place she and her family have and continue to cherish.  

Michael Wachtell, Congregational Director
Michael Wachtell, Congregational Director

Michael Wachtell has been affiliated with Stephen Wise Temple since his two daughters started in the inaugural class of the Wise School over 30 years ago. During that time, Michael and his family were actively involved throughout their daughters’ confirmations as teenagers. Wise Temple has been their primary spiritual home for the entire range of life cycle events involving the family for over 38 years. Michael has served on the Temple Board since 2011 and has been very active in assisting Wise as a member of the Legal Committee as well as serving on the Governance and Nominating Committees. Michael’s late wife, Marsha, and his current wife, Lindawhose two daughters are also Wise School alumnae were and are both active at Wise Temple as well as in community activities, Jewish organizations, and charities. Linda and Michael can often be seen at Wise Temple events, especially Soulful Shabbat services, which they attend whenever they are available. Michael has practiced law in California for over 50 years and is currently a shareholder in the law firm of Buchalter, P.C., where he specializes in corporate, real estate, litigation, and commercial law. In addition to being privileged to serve on the Temple Board, Michael is also a board member of Bet Tzedek, a member of the Executive Committee of the Senior Lawyers Division of the LA County Bar Association, and a member of Chancery Club. Linda and Michael are members of the Cedars Sinai Board of Governors, which is a fundraising arm of the hospital. In addition, they are active supporters of AIPAC, Jewish Federation, the LA Jewish Home, Hadassah, and many other philanthropic organizations.