Meet the Team

Behind every meaningful experience at Hunter Hillel is a passionate team dedicated to empowering Jewish students. Our staff creates a welcoming, vibrant, and inclusive community where students can explore their Jewish identity, build lifelong friendships, and develop as leaders.

From inspiring programs to one-on-one mentorship, our team is here to support and guide students on their journey. Reach out to us — we’d love to connect with you!

  • Executive Director

    Merav Fine Braun is the Executive Director at the Rita Levine Rabin Hillel at Hunter College and a proud member of the Hillel movement. She is a graduate of NYU's Wagner/Skirball dual Masters program in Nonprofit Management and Judaic Studies, and she holds a BA in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Merav has been featured in the New York Jewish Week's 36 under 36 for her work supporting diverse students on a commuter campus, and was awarded the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award in 2023. She is proud to serve the Hillel Movement in her role as Directors Cabinet Co-Chair.

    Merav is as passionate about supporting colleagues in professional development and career advancement as she is about supporting her students at Hillel. In her spare time she practices and teaches yoga, loves to host a Shabbat meal, and spends time outdoors with her husband, Adam, and her three children, Doron, Eitan, and Maayan. She is a fierce advocate for really good ingredients, enjoying the journey, the color yellow, and curly hair care.
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    Book a meeting with me here!

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  • Assistant Director

    Yael Kornfeld, LCSW, is the Assistant Director of the Hunter Hillel. Yael started with Hunter Hillel in October 2021 as their first ever full time Social Worker and in January of 2024 was promoted to AD. Yael received her MSW from the Silberman school of social work in 2010 and holds a BA in Jewish Studies from Rutgers University with a special interest in Yiddish language. After graduating from Rutgers, Yael participated in AVODAH, the Jewish service corps, working in Washington D.C. at a day shelter for homeless women. Yael was a synagogue social worker at DOROT for ten years, working with older adults on the upper west and east sides of Manhattan.

    Yael was also one of the founders of Base, in 2015. Base is a program that provides Jewish young adults with a welcoming, home-based environment for Jewish learning, community building, and engagement and which now lives under the umbrella of Moishe house.

    Yael is passionate about supporting college students as they journey through this time. She loves thinking about what kind of programs and events they will love and actualizing the students interests and dreams.

    Yael enjoys singing, and has led a number of high holiday services (even in Australia), in addition to leading services at her local synagogue. She bakes and cooks, but nothing fancy. Yael is a strong advocate of lemon loving, letter writing, and messy cooking.

    Yael's greatest sidekicks include Revaya (13), Hillel (9) and Shabtai (5).

    Book a meeting with me here!

  • Social Worker

    Julia is a social worker at Hunter Hillel who integrates adaptive leadership with clinical practice to support individuals and communities through meaningful transformation. She brings a background in innovation, storytelling, and student engagement, with a focus on amplifying underrepresented voices and fostering connection.

    Previously, Julia served as Director of Special Projects and Director of Innovation and Student Engagement at Tulane Hillel, where she founded The Portrait Identity Project, a nationally recognized initiative combining portrait photography and narrative storytelling that has reached more than 1,000 students nationwide. She also coached students as a Springboard Innovation Fellow, guiding them to co-create initiatives that shape their communities through human-centered design and relational engagement.

    Julia holds a Master’s in Social Work from New York University (2025) and a BFA in Photography from The Ohio State University (2019).

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  • Program and Engagement Manager

    Maya Parness (she/her) is excited to be the Program and Engagement manager at Hunter Hillel! A Queens native, Maya has B.S. in secondary education and mathematics from Vanderbilt University, where she spent much of her time on Hillel leadership and co-founding Vanderbilt’s Association for Women in Math. After graduating in 2022, Maya started her career in Jewish education as the Director of Youth Engagement at the Community Synagogue of Rye and CLASP Fellow (Camp Leadership and Synagogue Professional) with URJ Eisner Camp, which she has called home since 2011!

    Maya is passionate about community building, social justice, and Jewish joy, and is thrilled to bring all of that with her into her role at Hunter. She loves to sing and play guitar, see new works of theatre, watch cooking shows with her family, and host a pluralistic 20’s and 30’s minyan.

    You can meet her in person and/or reach her by email: maya@hunterhillel.org

  • Jewish Agency Israel Fellow

    Orit, 25, was born and raised in Israel. Deeply rooted in Israeli society and Jewish values, she grew up active in the Bnei Akiva youth movement and was selected as a Diller Teen Fellow, where she built lasting connections between Israeli and Diaspora Jewish communities. Her passion for peoplehood, identity, and meaningful dialogue has guided her since.

    Orit is currently a third-year student in the Government and Data Science Honors Program at Reichman University. Alongside her studies, she took part in the StandWithUs Fellowship and other pro-Israel leadership programs.

    In Israel, Orit supported Place-IL as a Data Analyst, advancing diversity in tech, and contributed to the Israeli-American Chamber of Commerce, helping Israeli healthtech startups craft their U.S. market entry strategies. She’s curious about people, the structures around them, and the ideas that emerge when complexity is met with curiosity!

    You can meet her in person and/or reach her by email: orit@hunterhillel.org

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  • Springboard Fellow

    Katie Faour is originally from Houston, Texas and graduated from Penn State in 2024 with a degree in Sociology. At Penn State, she was an active member of Penn State Hillel, where she served on the Student Executive Board as Secretary and facilitated multiple JLF cohorts. Katie is living in Brooklyn now and is excited to be in her second year of the Springboard Fellowship. 

    Katie is passionate about community, thrifting, arts and media, and Israel, and has enjoyed bringing her passions to life within Hunter Hillel. Whether it’s through Jewish Movie Nights, Pizza, Parsha and Pop Culture learning or social media trends, Katie has loved introducing her style of Judaism to Hunter Hillel while also learning from her team and students!

    Book a meeting with me here!

  • Social Work Intern

    Chelsea Leeds grew up in New Jersey and spent part of her high school years in the Berkshires, where she developed a deep appreciation for nature and community. Chelsea holds a bachelor's degree in business with a focus on hospitality and food and beverage management. Chelsea has worked across several facets of the hospitality and food industry, gaining experience in client services, marketing, and project management — all centered around creating thoughtful, people-oriented interactions.

    Now pursuing her MSW, Chelsea brings her work and life experience, along with a deep desire for learning, to a new setting. She is passionate about supporting individuals in meaningful, human-centered, and holistic ways, always striving to make a positive impact on the lives of the clients she serves. Chelsea finds joy in reading, cooking and baking for friends, spending time outdoors, and engaging in the Jewish community. She’s excited to bring her warmth, curiosity, and commitment to connection into her internship with Hillel at Hunter College.

    You can meet her in person and/or reach her by email: chelsea@hunterhillel.org

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  • Chief Executive Assistant

    Mel Marquez brings over a decade of experience in operations and project management, specializing in process optimization, community engagement, and executive support. With a background in both startups and established organizations, Mel has helped businesses streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and improve user experiences. Previously, they served as a Program Operations Coordinator at PILOT, where they optimized systems to strengthen engagement and retention.

    Passionate about community building, Mel has also led their own consulting business, Whistle & Work, providing administrative and strategic support to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Outside of work, they are very involved in LGBTQIA+ community organizing and have a background in independent radio, having served as a DJ and Assistant Marketing Director at CHIRP 107.1 FM.

    Mel shares their life with their wonderful partner, Anna, and their beloved dog, Vivian.