Please be in touch! We cannot wait to meet you!

Debbie Yunker Kail (She/Her)
Executive Director

Debbie Yunker Kail has proudly spent 17 years in the Hillel movement, including 9 as Executive Director for Hillel at Arizona State University. By prioritizing pluralism, innovation, collaboration, and leadership development she is overseeing a revitalization of Jewish life on campus. The Covenant Foundation recognized Debbie’s leadership and ambitions with the Pomegranate Prize award in 2015. Debbie is passionate about the Hillel International movement, holding several volunteer positions including member of the Hillel International Board of Directors and Chair of the Hillel Directors’ Cabinet.

Debbie has also served as co-chair for the Hillel International Global Assembly in 2017 and volunteered for two years on the core team for Hillel International’s Measuring Excellence Program, a group of professionals that redefined metrics of excellence for the entire Hillel movement.  Locally, she also serves on the board of FruitfulAZ and is a graduate of the ADL Glass Leadership Institute. In December 2020, Debbie was recognized with Hillel International’s highest honor, the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence. Debbie holds a B.A. in psychology from Emory University and an M. A. in Higher Education Administration from New York University. She lives in Phoenix with her husband Ben, son Gabe and daughter Emma.

debbie@hillelasu.org

Presentations
Anti-Semitism at ASU? Being Jewish on Campus | FEB 16 2021
ADL's Never Is Now 2021 | Confronting Antisemitism on Campus: A How-To Guide

Taylor M Silverman (She/Her)
​Assistant Director

Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Taylor is a proud California native. For her undergraduate studies, Taylor attended Sonoma State University where she received a B.A. in Psychology and held numerous leadership roles in residential and campus life, as well as Sonoma State Hillel. Upon graduation, Taylor decided to take her passion for student life full-time and served as the Director of Engagement at Santa Barbara Hillel. Building meaningful micro communities for a diverse student population, Taylor strived to bring intention to all of her engagement efforts.

After three years in sunny Santa Barbara, Taylor decided to trade in her beach bag for a backpack as she pursued a dual-degree master’s program in Los Angeles. She received a Master of Social Work from USC and a Master of Jewish Nonprofit Management from Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. During her time in graduate school, Taylor focused her research efforts on stress and wellness management, studying best practices in mitigating burnout and integrating effective wellness initiatives into the workplace. 

Taylor is a recipient of The Rosalind Ellenson Prize for Commitment to Social Concerns at HUC and The Order of Arete at USC for her leadership efforts on and off campus. 

When Taylor is not at Hillel, she is most likely exploring a new coffee shop, hiking one of Arizona’s trails, or perusing the local farmer’s market with her husband, Zach. While Taylor will always be a beach bum at heart, she is so excited to be exploring all of the beauty the desert has to offer! Forks Up (and Fight On!) ​

​taylor@hillelasu.org

​Rabbi Suzy Stone (She/Her)
Senior Jewish Educator/Campus Rabbi

Born and raised in Minnesota, Suzy is proud to be among the “frozen chosen” (along with Alaskan Jews of course) who have endured real winters and enjoyed summer days under 100 degrees. When she isn’t busy unpacking Jewish texts or reinventing Jewish tradition, she enjoys cycling, cooking, and comedy.  Having lived in Boston, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and D.C., she is happy to be in the Phoenix area where her family now lives part-time.
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After graduating from Brandeis University in 2002, with a B.A. in History and Art History, she worked as a community organizer. She set out to become a rabbi as a way to balance her passion for Tikkun Olam (healing the world) with her belief in the need for Tikkun HaNefesh (healing one’s self).
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Most recently, Suzy served as a Senior Organizer at the Religious Action Center where she worked with Reform synagogues to restore the vote 1.5 million Floridians. As part of the inaugural cohort of the Jewish Emergent Network, Suzy served as rabbinic fellow at Sixth & I where she created innovative shabbat, holiday, and interfaith programmings for young professionals in the D.C. area.
 
Before moving to D.C., Rabbi Suzy enjoyed running on the beach and hiking in the mountains of Santa Barbara, where she served for four years as an Associate Rabbi at Congregation B’nai B’rith. She was ordained by the Reform Movement at HUC-JIR in 2012 and is a proud alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship

​rabbisuzy@hillelasu.org

Jake Shulman (He/Him)
Community Experience Specialist

​Hailing from Rockville, MD, Jake graduated from Tulane University in the Big Easy - New Orleans, LA - in Spring 2020. A Political Science major with a concentration in International Relations, Jake opted to balance his reading-and-writing intensive studies with a deep dive into the prolific Tulane Athletics program (Roll Wave!). Whether working behind the bench as the Women’s Basketball Student Manager, manning the field goal nets as a member of the Game Operations team, or making up the entire student section at Yulman Stadium, Jake considered himself one of the few die-hard fans of the Tulane Green Wave. 

Also at Tulane, Jake served in a variety of roles at Tulane Hillel, finding a community he never realized he was searching for come alive in front of him. Those experiences, combined with his passion for Jewish summer camping, pushed him to become the Engagement Associate at Hillel at ASU in Spring 2021.
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Jake now sits as the Community Experiences Specialist planning all of the major social and holiday moments for Hillel at ASU. He also runs Hillel’s social media channels and the infamous Shmear Society (catch him on campus every Monday for bagels and shmear!)

​jake@hillelasu.org

Devin Davidson (She/Her)
Community Engagement Specialist: Birthright & Greek

​Devin was born and raised in Highland Park, IL, about 25 minutes from downtown Chicago. She graduated from Michigan State University (go Green!) in May of 2022, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Media and Information with a concentration in film production and a minor in Religious Studies. Whether she was active within her sorority, Sigma Delta Tau, or busy studying at Hillel, she was very involved at MSU.

Devin held numerous positions in Sigma Delta Tau including internal and external social chair, PR chair, and standards board representative. Aside from her time spent within the Greek community, she was very active in Hillel. Within MSU Hillel, she held multiple roles including Birthright intern, Multimedia intern, a member of the Jewish Student Union, and more. Since Hillel was such a pivotal part of her college career, she wanted to continue on by working professionally for another one!

If you are interested in going on Birthright, learning more about Jewish Greek life on campus, or just want to hang out and chat, her door is always open! Devin is looking forward to meeting you all this upcoming school year! 

​devin@hillelasu.org

Shira Khotim (She/Her)
Community Engagement Specialist: Barrett & First Year Students

Shira is a Phoenix native who studied Rehabilitative Services and Special Education at the University of Arizona where she graduated in Spring 2021. At UA, Shira worked as a resident assistant, volunteered with Project Sunshine (a global organization that works with children's hospitals), and interned with adults who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. 
 
Post graduation she moved to Netanya, Israel for a year to help teach English in an elementary school to third through sixth graders. During the second half of her year in Israel, Shira participated in a Masa- Hillel Fellowship where she realized that she wanted to pursue Hillel opportunities upon completion of the program. 
 
Shira is passionate about the Jewish community as she grew up going to Camp Stein in Prescott, AZ. During her free time, you can find her hiking, learning more about photography and traveling. As a Community Engagement Specialist, Shira focuses on first year and Honors College students, ensuring each and every student is warmly welcomed to ASU and Hillel.

​shira@hillelasu.org

Arielle Rauch (She/Her)
Special Projects & Administrative Coordinator

Arielle grew up in San Francisco, CA. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from ASU in spring 2022 (woo Sun Devils!). She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies and a minor in Criminology & Criminal Justice. At ASU, Arielle was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society, was very involved with Hillel, and was a part of the Sigma Kappa sorority. 

Throughout college, Arielle was a college intern for Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, a summer intern for the Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, and held numerous positions at Hillel. Within Hillel, Arielle was the Vice President of Marketing, a marketing intern, and a programming intern. She also took the Israel Fellowship course and the Social Justice course. Since Hillel was such a massive part of her college experience, Arielle thought working for the organization post-graduation was a perfect fit. 

Arielle works full time at the Hillel building on anything from facilities management, calling vendors, to managing the website. If you want to stop by the building, have questions regarding anything Hillel and ASU-related, or just want to talk, she is here to offer you a warm welcome!

arielle@hillelasu.org

Ali Seltzer (She/Her)
​Campus Marketing/Development Manager

​​Ali grew up on Long Island and moved to Columbus, OH to become a Buckeye! She graduated from The Ohio State University in 2017 with a B.S.B.A in Marketing and minor in Nonprofit Management. She loved her experience as a Jewish Buckeye so much that she then joined the Ohio State Hillel team, first as an Engagement Associate and then as the Program and Marketing Director. After three years at OSU Hillel, she relocated to Washington D.C. and has started a new chapter with Hillel International where she supports UF, Arizona State, and Vermont Hillels with their grassroots fundraising efforts. Ali is excited to be a part of ASU Hillel community and help tell our Hillel story to our incredible supporters, families, and alumni. Outside of work, Ali has a Bernedoodle puppy, Bernie, who keeps her busy! She enjoys taking time to explore the city through many walks, runs, and bike rides.

​aseltzer@hillel.org

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Rabbi Lee ​impacted countless students in his 42 years at ASU Hillel. We miss him greatly. If you would like to submit a tribute to be shared with his family, please click here to do so.

Barton Lee, Rabbi Emeritus Z"L

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 celebrated Texas Independence day with students, he loved the desert, the Grand Canyon, ASU students, classical concerts, Israel, politics and sports. But most of all, Rabbi Lee loved ASU students, schmoozing with them, helping with problems, or studying Torah as it relates to our lives.