Meet Our Members

Our members span a wide range of disciplines, research interests, career stages, and organizations/universities. We strive to be a collaborative group that supports each other's efforts and growth. To learn more about our group, below are profiles of some of our members. You can also search by areas of expertise.

Allison Draizin

Allison Draizin is an educator, nonprofit leader, and PCI Certified Parent Coach® with more than 30 years of experience in education, parent engagement, and school community building. Her work focuses on the relationships between families and schools, particularly how Jewish parents navigate questions of identity, belonging, and antisemitism in private K–12 education. Allison currently leads education and partnership initiatives at the Jewish Parent Alliance in Schools (JPAS), a national nonprofit that prepares Jewish parents to engage constructively with their school communities. Previously, she spent 13 years at Bank Street School for Children, where she taught Spanish, served as World Languages Team Leader, and co-founded the Faculty Jewish Affinity Group. She also founded the Council for Jewish Educators in Private Schools (CJEPS). Drawing on her background in restorative practices, social-emotional learning, parent coaching, and educational facilitation, Allison emphasizes intellectual empathy, perspective-taking, and constructive dialogue. Her approach is grounded in the belief that education should equip people to think critically, consider multiple perspectives, and navigate difficult conversations while maintaining meaningful relationships.

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Jewish Identity, Elementary Education Shana Medel Jewish Identity, Elementary Education Shana Medel

Liz McCallum

Liz McCallum, PhD, is a Professor and Chair of the Counselor Education and School Psychology Department at Duquesne University. Her research has focused on developing evidence-based academic and behavioral interventions for K-12 students. More recently, she has collaborated with colleagues on projects supporting Jewish students in schools. Dr. McCallum serves on the Board of Trustees at her synagogue and as a faculty advisor for the Jewish student association at her university, and she is interested in mentoring early career Jewish faculty on issues of belongingness within the social sciences.

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Malka Shaw

Malka Shaw, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice with over 25 years of experience treating trauma, specializing in work with adolescents and their parents. She is the founder of Kesher Shalom Projects, where her work sits at the intersection of clinical trauma treatment, Jewish cultural humility, and antisemitism education. She developed the BRIDGE Protocol, a framework for working with youth and adults affected by indoctrination and radicalization, and ORAH, a parent-facing framework for raising resilient, proudly identified Jewish children amid rising antisemitism. She has written for Sapir, The Times of Israel, and The Jerusalem Post. She holds an MSW from Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work and is licensed in New Jersey, New York, and Florida. She is interested in connecting with researchers and practitioners working to translate emerging evidence into practice for Jewish students in K through 12 settings.

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Jessica Weil

Jessica Weil is a school psychology doctoral candidate at The Chicago School and the founder of Waverly Literacy & Learning, LLC. She holds two master’s degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she conducted award-winning research in curriculum and teaching. Jessica has taught, developed programs, and consulted with Jewish day schools across North America. Some of this work includes developing robust Holocaust education programs and helping schools respond effectively to antisemitism. Her work spans pediatric neuropsychology,  early literacy, learning disabilities, and social-emotional learning, with an emphasis on translating research and assessment findings into practical support for students. A proud Jewish day school alumna and the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Jessica is deeply committed to helping Jewish students feel safe, connected, and unwavering in their Jewish identities.

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