Leadership Team
Board of DirectorsExecutive Committee
SAUL SOLOMON
President
Originally from New York, Saul received a B.A. from the University of Michigan and his J.D. (high honors) from the University of North Carolina.
Saul is married and has three adult children. Saul is passionate about music and plays guitar and bass often and poorly. Saul is fluent in Spanish and has a love for Latin rock and roll, culture, and literature. Saul is the Treasurer of the Lost Boys Foundation, which is a support organization for Sudanese refugees in Nashville. Saul is also on the Board of Directors of the Nashville Bar Association and is a member of its Executive Committee.
PAM KELNER
Vice-President
Pam graduated from Boston University with a BA in Marketing and Finance.
Pam currently serves on the board of Congregation Sherith Israel as Treasurer, Akiva School, inclusion tn, Age Well’s Leadership Council, and serves as the Board Chair for the local board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).
Pam was named a Women of Influence in Nonprofit Leadership by the Nashville Business Journal in 2019 and Nashville Pride Ally of The Year in 2022.
ELLEN LEVITT
Secretary
Ellen is a parent of three Akiva graduates, and was involved when they were students, when Akiva was a much smaller school. I am happy to once again be a part of the board. My children received an excellent academic education, and also learned the importance of Jewish values which they continue to apply in their adult lives.
PHIL SHMERLING
TREASURER
Phil Shmerling is a Senior Vice President and Relationship Manager at Studio Bank. Phil graduated from Indiana University with a BS in accounting and finance, and also has an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. Phil and his wife, Laura, have three children, two of whom currently attend Akiva.
Board of Directors
didi biesman
Board Member
Didi Biesman is a graduate of Akiva School, and the parent of three Akiva graduates. She graduated from the University of Michigan and Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. Didi is an active member of the Nashville Jewish community having served as president of the JCC, president of the Jewish Middle School, and a member of the Federation board.
BRUCE GOLD
Board Member
DAVID HELLER
Board Member
David graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University, received his law degree from Widener University School of Law and a Masters in Tax Law from Georgetown University.
David has been awarded the top “AV” rating by Martindale- Hubbell and serves on several boards and committees for non-profit organizations throughout middle Tennessee.
LARRY HYATT
Immediate Past-President
Larry has served on the Akiva School Board for 9 years, including as its President. Larry is committed to Akiva because he loves how it provides a high quality Jewish and general education in a caring and loving environment.
JEREMY LANDA
Board Member
Jeremy is the CFO of Qualifacts Systems, LLC. Jeremy is a graduate of Akiva and appreciates the tremendous impact the school has on its students and the broader community and is honored to be included on the Board of Directors.
MOISES PAZ
Board Member
JON POSTER
Board Member
RABBI LAURIE RICE
Board of Rabbis Representative
Rabbi Laurie is the co-senior Rabbi of Congregation Micah. She loves Akiva School and has three alumni children whose core Jewish identity and values were shaped by the teachers and experience at Akiva. She is honored to serve on its Board.
IRIS ROTKER
Board Member
Iris currently works as a medical consultant for the TN Department of Human Services. Iris’s sons are Akiva graduates and Akiva continues to be an integral part of her life. Iris is also an artist and her work has been exhibited at several juried events, art shows and fundraisers.
GORDON SIEBERT
Board Member
Gordon earned a BS in civil engineering and an MS in Public Management & Policy from Carnegie-Mellon University. Most of his career was in local government financial and engineering management. His interest in Akiva School is mainly in its facilities, which he hopes to improve as he serves on the Board.
AARON STEIN
Board Member
JANET WEISMARK
Federation Representative
Janet is a native Nashvillian,
married to an Israeli, and has three sons who graduated from Akiva School. Janet has served on the board of the Jewish Federation and raised money for the Federation Campaign,
which helps fund Akiva School. She enjoys serving on the Akiva School Board, ensuring that any
Jewish child can get a Jewish education.
Contact Us
P: 615-356-1880
F: 615-356-1850
info@akivanashville.net
809 Percy Warner Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37205
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