[email protected]Rachel Isaacs was named one of “America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis” (2014) by the Jewish Daily Forward. Ordained in 2011 by the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she studied as a Wexner Graduate Fellow, Isaacs is the spiritual leader of Beth Israel Congregation. She is also the inaugural holder of the Dorothy “Bibby” Levine Alfond chair in Jewish Studies, teaching courses on Hebrew, Jewish theology, and Jewish humor. In 2016, she delivered the final Hanukkah benediction of the Obama administration at the White House. She lives in Waterville with her wife, Melanie Weiss, and their daughters, Nitzan and Hadas.

 David Freidenreich is the Pulver Family Professor of Jewish Studies and chair of Colby’s Jewish Studies department. He teaches a wide range of courses on Judaism, Jewish history, and civic leadership. After receiving a B.A. from Brandeis University, he earned his Ph.D. at Columbia University and rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

[email protected]Vanessa Bernier brings extensive expertise in strategic relationship building and community engagement to the Center. As founder of Ten21 Consulting and former program officer at Rose Community Foundation in Denver, she has spent over a decade building meaningful partnerships with funders and stakeholders with a results-oriented approach. Through Ten21 Consulting, she works to advance donor intent through strategic philanthropy, community partnerships and research. At Rose Community Foundation, she managed a $3M annual grantmaking portfolio, developed strategic grantmaking frameworks, and created systems to assess community impact. She has also led a Jewish community study that informed regional philanthropy and community priorities. A new Mainer, Vanessa enjoys exploring New England with her family.

[email protected]Melanie Weiss is the assistant director at the Center.  She also serves as executive director at Beth Israel Congregation in Waterville, Maine. Melanie is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and a Dorot Fellow. A native of New York, she loves working and living with her family in beautiful Maine.

 Rabbi Erica Asch is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth El in Augusta, Maine. She received her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2008 and then took a position as a community organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation. After three years with IAF, she served at Temple Sinai in Washington, D.C., before moving to Augusta in June 2013. She served as president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis from February 2023-March of 2025. She lives in Hallowell with her family.

Lauren Cohen Fisher serves in a joint role as Director of Jewish Student Life and Jewish Studies faculty, where she teaches about Israel/Palestine. Using a pedagogical framework that explores controversial issues through the eyes of their stakeholders, Lauren helps students of all ages explore how different demographic groups in Israel/Palestine understand their relationships to power, identity, land, and each other. Lauren has been recognized as a national leader in Israel education, consulting for the Foundation for Jewish Camps, BBYO, Makom, Hillel International, Moving Traditions, and Moishe House. Pastorally, Lauren works hard to make sure that every student feels seen and heard, with a view towards  making for [ourselves] a heart of many rooms (Tosefta Sota 7:12). Lauren received her BA in Government from Colby (a proud alumna!), and her MA in Political Science, and is pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Studies. When not on campus, Lauren can be found singing niggunim to herself, camping/canoeing, or finding new trails for her dog Max to play in.

 Caitlin Kincaid  is the program coordinator for the Center for Small Town Jewish Life. Caitlin supervises the civic engagement and interfaith programs and fellowships at the Center, and provides general program support wherever needed. She graduated from Colby in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and Middle Eastern Studies. She enjoys living and working in Waterville. 

 Sheila Nesis is Associate Director of Spiritual Music at the Center and Cantor in Residence at Etz Chaim Synagogue in Portland, Maine. She is an alumna of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s clergy leadership program and member of their Hevraya program. Cantor Nesis seeks to cultivate awakeness through prayer, teaching, and song. Her writings appear in various Jewish publications, including The Times of Israel, Kveller, The Forward, and Ritualwell. Originally from Argentina, she lives in Cumberland Foreside, Maine, with her husband and two children.

 Bill Robinson has over 30 years of experience building impactful nonprofit organizations and writing about the future of Jewish life and learning in America. He served as executive director of Na’aleh: The Hub for Leadership Learning in Baltimore, building the largest community-based Jewish leadership organization in North America and designed its distinctive training model, which focuses on seven core practices of Jewish leadership. A scholar of and longtime advocate for the transformation of Jewish education, Robinson has written numerous articles on new approaches to learning. As dean of the Jewish Theological Seminary’s William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education and the Chief Strategy Officer of the Jewish Education Project, he also helped to make that transformation a reality. He holds has an interdisciplinary doctorate in the social sciences with a dissertation focused on rabbinic leadership.

[email protected]Liz Soloway Snider serves as program and communications manager, supporting all Center programs and running the Fall Shabbaton.  Previously she served as administrator and educator at Adas Yoshuron Synagogue in Rockland, Maine. She also worked at the Wexner Learning Center of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and as an editor at Moment Magazine. A native of New York, she graduated from Brown University with a degree in religious studies. She lives with her family in Belfast, Maine.

Caralyn Soucy is the administrative assistant for the Center for Small Town Jewish Life.  A native of Waterville, Maine, Caralyn brings with her over 10 years’ experience as an administrative professional. Caralyn works with all of the Center’s staff in a broad array of tasks, providing general support wherever needed.