Leadership and Staff

We're proud to have an outstanding team of lay leaders and professionals guiding our congregation as we pursue our mission. To contact any of our staff, please call our main office at (323) 606-0996 and use the extensions below. You may also click any name to send an email. 

 

Tel: 323-606-0996     Fax: 323-606-0997      Facebook      Twitter      Instagram
1200 N. La Brea Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90038

 

 

Matt has been part of the Kol Ami community for eight years and a board member for five. Matt's family joined Kol Ami when it was time to start Sunday School. Matt is a native Angeleno and went to school at Pitzer College. He works in the insurance industry and has done so almost long enough that his first job was at Lloyds when it was just a coffee house. He currently works for AXA XL Insurance as a Large Loss Specialist. Matt is also on the board of The J LA. 

 

 

I have been a member of Congregation Kol Ami for almost seventeen years now, joining just after the High Holy Days in 2006. That was a challenging year for me, and Rabbi Denise Eger provided the comfort and counseling I then needed—while the shul provided a community of support. Through the shul, I learned about Jewish Big Brothers and have been a Big Brother to a fatherless Jewish boy for nine years. I have volunteered for nearly twenty summers as a Theater Manager at Outfest, an LGBT film festival. As Kol Ami moves to a new era with the search for a new rabbi, I hope to help our shul navigates the challenges ahead and find a path forward so that it remains a strong and vibrant community and a second home for some many Jewish Angelenos of so many diverse backgrounds.

 

For nearly 30 years, Kol Ami has been central to my life — the place where I met and married my beloved Carolyn, raised our daughter Sarah, and mourned my dear mother, Adair; a community that has embraced three generations of my family through worship, celebration, and remembrance.

My heart is deeply woven into our congregational life. Serving on the Board during the planning and construction of our permanent home on La Brea, studying in the inaugural B’nai Mitzvah Class, and sounding the Shofar during the High Holy Days - a role especially dear to me - have all deepened my commitment to Jewish learning, tradition, and service. I’ve cherished creating innovative community events such as the Annual Break the Fast and Music of the Menorah, as well as leading initiatives like Women of Kol Ami, the Mitzvah Group, and our Membership Directory — each one strengthening the bonds that make our community vibrant, bringing us together in fun and meaningful ways.

It is an honor to be elected to the Board of Trustees. As both a realtor and architect, I bring experience and skills in planning, design, promotion, and creative problem-solving. Working alongside our Board, Rabbi Reznick, and members, I look forward to helping shape an even greater spiritual home for Kol Ami to ensure a vibrant future -L’dor Vador, from generation to generation.

 

Kegan Jones (he/him)
I started attending Kol Ami, along with my fiance Rachel, in early 2022 shortly after moving to the neighborhood, and it quickly became a huge part of my life. 
 
I serve as a member of the Open Yad Leadership Council, occasionally provide music at events and Shabbat services, help organize our Transgender/Nonbinary group, and had the immense privilege of serving on the Rabbinic Search Committee and helping to find Rabbi Lindy Reznick and bring her into the Kol Ami family.
 
During high school and college, I served on the Trevor Project’s Youth Advisory Council, the North Shore Alliance of GLBTQ Youth (NAGLY) Outreach & Education Team, and worked with the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition as a part of their Suicide Prevention Working Group. In my professional life, I work in VFX and Video Games as a Lead Technical Animator.
 
I am profoundly honored to be a part of this Board and look forward to being a part of Kol Ami's continued growth as it evolves into this new chapter of its history.

 

 

I was one of the original founding members of Congregation Kol Ami and served as a Member of the Board in the Board's first term. Kol Ami has been a very meaningful part of my life and is where my husband and daughter were converted to Judaism, where my daughter had her bat mitzvah, and where recently a Memorial Service was held for my late husband. I know the importance of  continued support and inclusion that Kol Ami provides its congregants and the greater community. My goal as Board Member is to support efforts to keep Kol Ami as a vibrant congregation, with amazing clergy and services. I fully support a transparent and fiscally responsible Board. I understand the Board will have a challenging job in this time of transition, I am committed to doing my share to sustain Congregation Kol Ami.

 

Rebecca Shurz and I serve on the Board of Trustees as Immediate Past Co-Presidents. Kol Ami has been a special place for my boyfriend, Evin Rolens, and me for more than 7 years. There is a strong need for a place that celebrates LGBTQ+ Jewish life and is a safe place for Jews of Color, interfaith couples, and people who are exploring or have chosen Judaism. I have enjoyed getting to know many temple members and learning about what Kol Ami means to them, and am inspired by Rabbi Lindy Reznick’s leadership to build the future of our community. We can’t do this alone, so I hope you’ll consider getting involved in a way that is meaningful for you. I graduated with my Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California in 2023. Outside of Kol Ami, I work for the Alternative Crisis Response Unit at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. When I’m not working, you can find me catching a show at the Hollywood Bowl or Pantages, volunteering for The Trevor Project, or playing with my dog, Chompers.