Andrea is the Director of Faculty and Community Relations for Hillel at UCLA. She is grateful for the opportunity to bring her extensive experience as a higher education administrator, as well as a background in Jewish communal work to support Jewish faculty (and staff) and work with the community to combat antisemitism at UCLA, and higher education as a whole. There's work to be done, but knowing that we are one team supporting our community makes it easier and so much more meaningful.

Andrea was active at the Hillel at the University of Pennsylvania, and while there was able to work with a theater group that enabled observant Jewish students to participate in performing arts while still being able to celebrate Shabbat and all chagim. This was a very significant development, given the standard theater schedule, and a source of honor for Andrea to this day. That Andrea would have been excited to know where she would land!

Most recently, Andrea was an award-winning administrator at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA where she supported students and faculty for over 20 years. Leaving a job you love seems crazy, but when we allow ourselves to be open to wondering where we are truly supposed to be, sometimes the answer hits us on the head, and all we can do is humbly accept.

Andrea is a native Angeleno, met her husband Josh while working at Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, and eventually they moved to the San Fernando Valley literally 3 days before their son, Jackson, was born. Now back in her family home, the mighty trio enjoys off-roading, watching movies, hiking and swimming. 

UCLA’s motto of Fiat Lux is one which squares with Andrea’s overarching perspective, and is emblematic of the work Hillel at UCLA is already doing. May we always remember the words of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi that “a little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness.”