Meet the board

Cathy Stern, President

Cathy joined the Board 12 years ago, soon became a Vice-President and is now President. Her motivation for joining Hillel Council was having college-age nieces and realizing the importance of having Hillel represented on smaller campuses. She is a graduate of Boston University and Pennsylvania College of Optometry (now Salus University). Cathy specializes in behavioral, developmental and neuro-optometry where she is used to working with students of all ages helping them improve visual processing for lifelong success. Cathy brings that same passion for helping students succeed with her commitment to Hillel Council. When not in her office or helping Hillel Council, she can be found mentoring students and teaching colleagues here and around the world.

Molly Galler, Vice Chair

Molly is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, MA, a campus currently served by the Hillel Council of New England. In her time at Wheaton, Hillel was a student-run organization only, and it was a struggle to find like-minded peers to observe or celebrate occasions with throughout the school year. Molly joined the board to help spread the word about Hillel Council’s important work supporting Jewish life on campus. Molly is a vice president at LaunchSquad, a strategic communications firm in Cambridge, MA. She is proud to offer her professional expertise to the board as the chair of the Communications Committee. Molly lives in Watertown, MA with her dog, Scout. 

Philip C. Katz, Treasurer

Phil joined the Board in 2019 as Treasurer to give back to Boston’s Jewish community and take advantage of his experience in the finance and insurance areas. Phil retired in December 2018 as Vice President and Risk Manager of Boston based GID Investment Advisers, a national multifamily real estate developer, owner and property manager. During Phil’s 30+ years at GID, he was also the Controller for 22 years. Prior experience included two stints in the high technology sector. Phil, a CPA, began his career at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Boston. Phil is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he received his BSBA in Accounting, and an MBA with a concentration in finance.

Phil has two sons, Gregg, (also a Board member), an attorney and his wife Jessica who are the proud parents of three sons and Matthew, a veterinarian who lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife Kate. Phil is a nine-year rider in the Pan Mass Challenge, and also plays golf, tennis and most recently pickleball. Phil now splits his time between his homes in Sudbury, MA, and Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

Deborah Lakin, Secretary

Deborah became a member of the Board in 1983 when she was appointed Hillel Commissioner as the B’nai B’rith representative for New England and New York.  She later was elected Board Secretary, and continues to serve in that position. Deborah is a graduate of Simmons College (now Simmons University) and spent her professional career as a training and information consultant, specializing in the Life Sciences industry. Now semi-retired, Deborah manages and facilitates the Entrepreneurial Think Tank at the MassHire Metro North Career Center in Cambridge.

Deborah resides in Framingham, MA with her cat Lady Grey.  She loves reading and baking for friends and family, taking daily walks and practicing Yoga.  When not running the Entrepreneurial Think Tank, Deborah enjoys helping women business owners achieve WBENC Woman-Owned business certification through the Center for Women and Enterprise.

Ori Dragon, Student Representative

Ori Dragon is from Rochester, New York. He is currently a Senior at Emerson College, majoring in Visual and Media Arts. Growing up, his family has always been active in Jewish life. When he went to college it was extremely important for him to maintain that connection to the Jewish community. An alumnus of Boston Onward Israel, Alternative Spring Break (ASB), and Hillel International’s Israel Leadership Network (ILN), Ori has been an active participant in HCNE’s immersive Israel experiences and Israel engagement strategy.

David Billig, Board Member

David Billig, CFA, is a Vice President and Associate Portfolio Manager on the Securitized Credit team at Amundi Asset Management. Prior to joining Amundi, David was a Research Analyst at New England Asset Management, and was previously an actuary and a data analyst. David holds an MBA from Yale University, an MA in Economics from the University of Toronto, and a BA in Quantitative Economics from Tufts University. He is a CFA® charterholder and an Associate of the Society of Actuaries.

Gregg Katz, Board Member

Gregg Katz has been a member of the Board since 2006 and works as a partner at Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston.  As a member of Goodwin’s Technology Companies and Life Sciences practice, Gregg works on a wide variety of public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions and other complex transactions. His practice centers on companies in the software, hardware, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and other technology-driven industries.  Gregg’s representation of start-up and later-stage companies spans the entire corporate lifecycle, including pre-incorporation planning, venture capital financings, public offerings, SEC reporting and disclosure, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate representation and counseling.

Gregg holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School and an A.B. in Public Policy and Psychology from Duke University.  He lives in the Boston area with his wife and three boys (who would be upset that he didn’t also mention the dog).

Melanie Gerard, Board Member

Melanie is currently Interim Director of Strategic Initiatives at UMass Hillel. In this role, she partners with senior leadership to guide special initiatives and frame a strategic capital campaign. Melanie was formerly the Director of Advancement at UMass Hillel (between 2019 and early 2023) and most recently served as Director of Development for Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley. Melanie started her fundraising career at Camp Yavneh in 2013 and dedicated her time as a volunteer lay-leader for organizations including Hadassah Boston, Solomon Schechter Day School, and the City of Newton Creative Arts Council. Prior to this, she worked in the private sector as a Business Development and Market Research professional. Melanie graduated with an MBA in Marketing, BS in Economics & Finance, and minor in Gender Studies from Bentley University. She lives in the metro-Boston area with her family.

Rachel Goldsmith, Board Member

Rachel is a graduate of Wellesley College and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She is a certified urban planner and works as a consultant to public transit agencies and State Transportation Departments to help them maximize their non-fare revenue, particularly from their real estate assets. A former member of the Wellesley College Hillel Alumnae Board, she joined the Hillel Council of New England board in 2015 and focuses on helping students connect to their Judaism and Jewish heritage. When not at work, Rachel can be found organizing bake sales for her children's school, jogging around Jamaica Pond, or skiing in Vermont. 

Katie Sack, Board Member

Katie has been a member of the Board since she graduated from Emerson College in 2017, initially serving as a Young Alumni Representative. While at Emerson, she was inspired to further explore her Jewish identity after becoming involved in Hillel and joining the student E- Board (during which time she met and had the opportunity to work with one of her mentors and current Hillel Council of New England Executive Director, Miriam Blue). Katie enjoyed the community created by Hillel and wanted other students to feel the sense of belonging that she did. She is proud to serve on the Board as the chair of Young Alumni Engagement. Outside of serving on the Board, Katie works on the Events team at the Alumni Affairs & Development Office at Harvard University and enjoys spending time with her family and their dog, Rascal.

JENNIFER STONE, Board Member

Jennifer Stone grew up in Peabody, Massachusetts. She attended Lesley University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Expressive Arts Therapy, and then spent a wonderful, and warm, two years down in Tallahassee, Florida where she earned her Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration. Jennifer had been working in a variety of settings within higher education. She then decided to take her passion for Judaism, college students, Israel, and bagels; bundle it all together and turn it into a career! She began her time with Hillel as the Director of Student Life at the Santa Barbara Hillel and is now Assistant Director at Northeastern Hillel.

Jennifer enjoys traveling, (she has been to 23 countries and keeps that list growing) all things Harry Potter, kickboxing, reading on the beach, creating and experimenting with new art techniques, trying out new recipes, re-watching all 7 seasons of Gilmore Girls, and tries to get to NYC at least once a year to see a Broadway show!

DEBBIE HOWITT EASTON, BOARD MEMBER

Debbie currently co-chairs the Governance Committee. She has been a practicing attorney for over 25 years. The majority of her career was in private practice, with a focus on commercial real estate. In 2017 she made the move to in-house and became Assistant General Counsel to Ameresco, a leading cleantech integrator and renewable energy asset developer, owner, and operator with clients throughout North America and the United Kingdom. Debbie received a BA from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University. She lives in Somerville, MA with her husband Todd, their three, children, and dog Malcolm.