Meet Our Staff
We're excited to meet you!
Have a question? Scroll down to see who to contact and click on the grey arrows to read our full bios.
Have a question? Scroll down to see who to contact and click on the grey arrows to read our full bios.
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Contact Debbie about...
debbie@hillelasu.org |
Debbie Yunker Kail, Executive Director
A self-identified coffee addict, Debbie can most likely be found in a local coffee shop chatting with students, staff or community members about why Judaism is amazing, inspiring and challenging. Debbie prioritizes pluralism, innovation, collaboration, and leadership development and her favorite Hillel moments bring these values together in ways that are advancing ASU Hillel to become one of the best Hillels in the country. She welcomes conversations with students from all political and religious backgrounds. After completing SafeZone training, Debbie is recognized by Arizona State University as an Ally for the LGBTQIA community.
Debbie works hard to strengthen the Jewish community on and off campus, cultivating partnerships between ASU Hillel and BBYO, NFTY, Moishe House Phoenix, AIPAC, JNF, and several local synagogues. Debbie uses these partnerships to bridge the gaps between high school, college, and post-college Jewish life. Debbie also serves on the core team for Hillel International’s Measuring Excellence Program, a group of professionals redefining metrics of excellence for the entire Hillel movement. Outside of the Hillel world, she serves on the Camp Daisy and Harry Stein Advisory board and the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s NOWGen Task Force. She is a mentor for the Women’s Jewish Learning Center Women’s Leadership Institute and serves on the board that founded LimmudAZ.
Before coming to ASU, Debbie spent seven years at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel, overseeing a multi-tiered engagement approach to Jewish life on campus. While at Penn, Debbie completed Weinberg ACCELERATE: Hillel’s Executive Training Program. Debbie began her Hillel career at Washington University in St. Louis where she was a Steinhardt Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow for two years. Originally from Framingham, MA, Debbie holds a B.A. in psychology from Emory University and an M. A. in Higher Education Administration from New York University, where she also worked in residential and fraternity/sorority life and planned a national conference about the Jewish college student experience. Debbie lives in Phoenix, AZ with her husband Ben and son Gabe. They enjoys supporting the local food movement (buying, cooking, and eating!), working out, exploring the Valley, and traveling.
Debbie works hard to strengthen the Jewish community on and off campus, cultivating partnerships between ASU Hillel and BBYO, NFTY, Moishe House Phoenix, AIPAC, JNF, and several local synagogues. Debbie uses these partnerships to bridge the gaps between high school, college, and post-college Jewish life. Debbie also serves on the core team for Hillel International’s Measuring Excellence Program, a group of professionals redefining metrics of excellence for the entire Hillel movement. Outside of the Hillel world, she serves on the Camp Daisy and Harry Stein Advisory board and the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s NOWGen Task Force. She is a mentor for the Women’s Jewish Learning Center Women’s Leadership Institute and serves on the board that founded LimmudAZ.
Before coming to ASU, Debbie spent seven years at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel, overseeing a multi-tiered engagement approach to Jewish life on campus. While at Penn, Debbie completed Weinberg ACCELERATE: Hillel’s Executive Training Program. Debbie began her Hillel career at Washington University in St. Louis where she was a Steinhardt Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow for two years. Originally from Framingham, MA, Debbie holds a B.A. in psychology from Emory University and an M. A. in Higher Education Administration from New York University, where she also worked in residential and fraternity/sorority life and planned a national conference about the Jewish college student experience. Debbie lives in Phoenix, AZ with her husband Ben and son Gabe. They enjoys supporting the local food movement (buying, cooking, and eating!), working out, exploring the Valley, and traveling.
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Contact Madeline about...
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Madeline Dolgin, Jewish Student Life Coordinator
Madeline joined ASU Hillel as part of the first cohort of Hillel International’s Springboard Fellowship program after graduating from New York University in 2016 with an individualized major in business, human rights, and sustainability. At NYU, she was active with NYU’s Hillel, the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life. Madeline served as a Hillel engagement intern sophomore year where she hosted the first student-led Shabbat dinners, brought friends on tours of Jewish history through the group “Let’s Jew Things,” and sang as part of the reform community’s “Shabband” for holidays and Shabbat services. Additionally, she participated in the pilot programs for several interfaith initiatives including serving on the Multi-Faith Advisory council, a group of 13 students of various faith backgrounds helping to teach about interfaith on campus and spearheading an educational week around the Syrian Refugee Crisis. She received the first ever “Social Justice Award” from NYU’s Global Spiritual Life office for her leadership in building interfaith initiatives at NYU! On campus, Madeline also performed as a member of the NYU Dance Team and served as a resident assistant. Outside of Jewish life, Madeline has been dancing since age 2! From ballet recitals to theater shows to cheering at basketball games, Madeline has never stopped dancing. She is currently performing around the valley with an all-women’s dance squad! Madeline’s other hobbies include sewing her own clothes, finding new ways to be a more sustainable human being, listening to Podcasts such as these ones on feminism, politics, mindfulness, and neurobiology, and hiking with her best friends in the group “Jews Who Hike and Camp!” Madeline loves getting together over a glass of iced tea to chat about whatever is on student’s minds, especially if it includes dreaming up new internship positions for Hillel or figuring out a career path!
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Contact Andrew about...
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Andrew Gibbs, Israel Education Coordinator
Andrew Gibbs joined Hillel in August 2015 as our Israel Education Coordinator through a great partnership with Jewish Arizonans on Campus. This position is generously funded with support from the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix. Although he was born in the Sunshine State, Andrew has been fortunate to call Arizona home for 24 years. A graduate of Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Andrew spent his first year after graduation in Israel attending Hebrew University in Jerusalem and doing community work in Be’er Sheva. A die hard Sun Devils fan, Andrew returned to Arizona and graduated from ASU with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and certificates in Jewish Studies and International Relations. During his undergraduate career, Andrew co-founded Sun Devils for Israel (now Students Supporting Israel).
Whether preschool at the JCC, attending Jewish summer camp or in more recent years, holding various leadership positions in numerous local Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, Andrew has been involved in the Jewish community for as long as he can remember. Outside of Hillel, Andrew has previously served on the boards of Ahavas Torah: The Scottsdale Torah Center, Arizona JNFuture, and AIPAC Arizona. He is also a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s Israel Advocacy Task Force.
Before joining Hillel, Andrew was a Development Associate for BBYO. When he’s not engaging with the great students of ASU, Andrew also teaches various classes in Congregation Beth Israel’s Religious School. After seeing firsthand the apathy many Jewish young adults have for Israel, he feels privileged to have the opportunity to share his passion for the Jewish homeland through educational, cultural, religious, and social events.
Andrew’s door is always open to talk all things Israel, Judaism, sports, sitcoms, and 80s music. Andrew lives in Scottsdale with his wife Rachel and adorable son Ezra.
Whether preschool at the JCC, attending Jewish summer camp or in more recent years, holding various leadership positions in numerous local Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, Andrew has been involved in the Jewish community for as long as he can remember. Outside of Hillel, Andrew has previously served on the boards of Ahavas Torah: The Scottsdale Torah Center, Arizona JNFuture, and AIPAC Arizona. He is also a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix’s Israel Advocacy Task Force.
Before joining Hillel, Andrew was a Development Associate for BBYO. When he’s not engaging with the great students of ASU, Andrew also teaches various classes in Congregation Beth Israel’s Religious School. After seeing firsthand the apathy many Jewish young adults have for Israel, he feels privileged to have the opportunity to share his passion for the Jewish homeland through educational, cultural, religious, and social events.
Andrew’s door is always open to talk all things Israel, Judaism, sports, sitcoms, and 80s music. Andrew lives in Scottsdale with his wife Rachel and adorable son Ezra.
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Contact Mikayla about...
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Mikayla Laufer Stokes, Engagement Associate and Ezra Experiemental Jewish Education Fellow
Mikayla is a graduate of Northern Arizona University where she majored in Geology. While completing her degree, Mikayla was involved with NAU’s Alpha Omicron Pi where she served as VP of Academic Development, was a Senior Student Ambassador of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation, and served as “Headmistress” of the Harry Potter Appreciation Club. Mikayla took particular interest in fundraising for Juvenile Arthritis and advocating for funding for higher education in Arizona. While not involved in her local Jewish community in Flagstaff, Mikayla’s annual Purim party and Passover Seder were a hit among her friends.
After graduating from NAU in the spring of 2016, Mikayla spent a year in Israel teaching English at a religious school in Ashdod. During that time, she completed fellowships with the Masa-Jewish Federations of North America, Hillel International, and Birthright Israel. Mikayla also served as a Hillel Shabbat Scholar, working alongside Hillel Professionals on Birthright Israel trips implementing Shabbat programming. It was while in Israel that Mikayla discovered her passion for Jewish education and outreach.
Mikayla grew up as a member of the “frozen chosen” in Alaska and was active in the Anchorage Jewish community from a young age. She’s excited to continue to expand her network in the Phoenix Metropolitan Jewish community and is looking forward to working with students on all things Birthright Israel, Hebrew, Jewish Learning, Student Engagement and Bagels!
Mikayla loves and is always excited to discuss Israel, rocks, her killer Amazon skills, baseball (Go Dodgers!!) and lives in Mesa with her husband Derek and their two fur babies Persie and Sirius.
After graduating from NAU in the spring of 2016, Mikayla spent a year in Israel teaching English at a religious school in Ashdod. During that time, she completed fellowships with the Masa-Jewish Federations of North America, Hillel International, and Birthright Israel. Mikayla also served as a Hillel Shabbat Scholar, working alongside Hillel Professionals on Birthright Israel trips implementing Shabbat programming. It was while in Israel that Mikayla discovered her passion for Jewish education and outreach.
Mikayla grew up as a member of the “frozen chosen” in Alaska and was active in the Anchorage Jewish community from a young age. She’s excited to continue to expand her network in the Phoenix Metropolitan Jewish community and is looking forward to working with students on all things Birthright Israel, Hebrew, Jewish Learning, Student Engagement and Bagels!
Mikayla loves and is always excited to discuss Israel, rocks, her killer Amazon skills, baseball (Go Dodgers!!) and lives in Mesa with her husband Derek and their two fur babies Persie and Sirius.
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Contact Sara about...
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Sara Schack, Office Manager
Sara studied City and Regional Planning at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, on the central coast of California. She has held many leadership roles not only in the college, but in the community as well. She comes with over 15 years of volunteer and work experience with Jewish youth and community members. She grew up attending Congregation Eilat in Mission Viejo, California. She has been a part of a few other synagogues as she relocated from Aliso Viejo to San Luis Obispo and now to Phoenix. She attended Jewish youth group and Jewish leadership camp weekends from 2001-2006. She then followed her passion and became a youth adviser for Jewish youth groups in Mission Viejo and then San Luis Obispo from 2006-2012.
Since moving to Phoenix, Sara has become an integral part of the Jewish community. Her experience with Camp Daisy and Harry Stein was just the start of the great impact she strives to have to be involved and encourage others to be involved in the Jewish community. She is excited to pursue her passion of working in nonprofits by joining the Hillel community.
She currently lives in Phoenix. Her family followed right behind her and has relocated to Phoenix as well. She has a perfect little nephew in Phoenix who was born in 2016. She loves spending time with her nephew and family, running, traveling, working out, attending sporting events, and finding new restaurants around town. Sara currently lives down the street from her family in Ahwatukee with her fur baby Boomer; she is happy to show you pictures of her puppy.
Since moving to Phoenix, Sara has become an integral part of the Jewish community. Her experience with Camp Daisy and Harry Stein was just the start of the great impact she strives to have to be involved and encourage others to be involved in the Jewish community. She is excited to pursue her passion of working in nonprofits by joining the Hillel community.
She currently lives in Phoenix. Her family followed right behind her and has relocated to Phoenix as well. She has a perfect little nephew in Phoenix who was born in 2016. She loves spending time with her nephew and family, running, traveling, working out, attending sporting events, and finding new restaurants around town. Sara currently lives down the street from her family in Ahwatukee with her fur baby Boomer; she is happy to show you pictures of her puppy.
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Contact Rabbi Lee if you are an alum or old friend of Hillel! Rabbi Lee is still in town and would love to hear from you! He also is sometimes available for Jewish lifecycle events. bentzion@hillelasu.org |
Barton Lee, Rabbi Emeritus
Rabbi Barton Lee came to Hillel at ASU in 1972 and served as Executive Director for 42 years. He studied at Stanford, Hebrew University, and the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati where he earned a doctorate. A native of Texas who still celebrates Texas Independence day with students, he loves the desert, the Grand Canyon, ASU students, classical concerts, Israel, politics and sports. But most of all, Rabbi Lee loves ASU students, schmoozing with them, helping with problems, or studying Torah as it relates to our lives.
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