JWAAA Board Officers & Directors
-
Civia Tamarkin is an award-winning investigative journalist, documentary filmmaker, and President of the Jewish Women's Alliance of Arizona (JWAAA), a role she has held since May 2019. Before turning her focus to full-time community advocacy, she built a distinguished career in national news, serving as a top executive at CNN and as an investigative reporter and producer for major outlets including ABC and Time Inc.
She also directed, wrote, and executive-produced the acclaimed documentary "Birthright: A War Story," which examines the decades-long legislative effort to restrict reproductive healthcare access across the United States. Since taking the helm at JWAAA, Tamarkin has transformed the organization into a leading progressive force for social justice, championing reproductive autonomy, gender equity, and civil rights through voter outreach, public education campaigns, and legal advocacy alongside organizations like the ACLU. One of her most groundbreaking achievements is the founding of Ruth Place, a pioneering sexual violence trauma recovery center that opened in November 2023, offering transformational, non-medication healing programs to help survivors rebuild their lives. A passionate ERA advocate, she also works closely with local task forces to advance gender equity protections at both the state and federal level.
President
-
Julie Gunnigle serves as co-Vice President of Legal Affairs for the Jewish Women's Alliance of Arizona (JWAAA), bringing her background as an attorney, former prosecutor, and progressive activist to help drive grassroots social change, impact litigation, and community advocacy across the state. A highly visible figure in Arizona's legal and political landscape, she was the Democratic nominee for Maricopa County Attorney in both 2020 and the 2022 special election, running on a platform centered on criminal justice reform, police accountability, and reproductive rights.
She also co-founded the Full Spectrum Law Collective, a legal practice focused on affordable housing, drug policy reform, and protecting patient rights, and has served as State Director for Arizona NORML, where she organized over 60 free expungement clinics to help Arizonans clear their records following the passage of Prop 207. At JWAAA, Gunnigle applies her legal expertise to reproductive justice advocacy, public education, and systemic reform, including serving as a featured panelist for the organization's community forum on demanding international accountability for sexual violence. Her work reflects a deep commitment to turning progressive ideals into concrete policy action and ensuring equal treatment under the law for all.
Vice President of Legal Affairs
-
Amy Levine Herman serves as Vice President of Strategic Planning for the Jewish Women's Alliance of Arizona (JWAAA), bringing her expertise in organization development and change management to help shape the board's vision and drive localized social justice advocacy across the state.
A credentialed professional holding both an MSOD (Master of Science in Organization Development) and a PCC (Professional Certified Coach) designation, she works as a change management practitioner for the federal government and leverages that experience to design and facilitate strategic planning offsites for nonprofit governance. After relocating back to Arizona from Washington, D.C., Herman channeled her professional skills into community leadership, helping direct volunteer efforts and resources toward the issues that matter most to the organization. Her advocacy work spans reproductive rights, voting rights, immigration reform, and trauma recovery, including support for Ruth Place, the section's pioneering sexual violence trauma recovery center. Whether she is coaching organizational leaders or mobilizing community members around critical state-level issues, Herman brings a thoughtful, strategic lens to everything she does at JWAAA.
Vice President of Strategic Planning
-
Jen specializes in procurement and SaaS implementation, helping organizations refine their Human Capital Management and Financial systems to drive efficiency and value. As a Client Director, she leads global teams to optimize processes and support transformation. Jen has served on the NCJW board since 2023, strengthening financial accountability and modernizing budgeting for both NCJW AZ and Ruth Place. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, she earned her BA and MBA at ASU and has called Phoenix home since 2003. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her husband and three kids, good fiction, and local restaurants.
Treasurer
-
Jen Rogers is the co-founder of Hudson West, a bi-coastal communications agency with offices in Arizona and New York, where she has built a reputation for delivering high-impact media campaigns through strong relationships across digital, print, and broadcast platforms. Prior to launching Hudson West, Jen held leadership roles overseeing daytime syndicated series for HARPO, Sony Pictures Television, and Telepictures. Deeply committed to community service, Jen takes active roles both professionally and personally, supporting numerous charitable and educational organizations throughout the Valley and nationwide.
Director
Director
-
Suan joined NCJWAZ in 2010 and immediately embraced its mission, commitment to tikkun olam, and history of helping women, children and families. She has sat on several committees, overseen many events and fundraisers, and served on the board since 2011 in many capacities, including as President, as Vice President of Social Action, and most recently as Recording Secretary. Her commitment to the organization remains strong.
Immediate Past President
-
Cindy Weiser serves as Vice President for the Jewish Women's Alliance of Arizona (JWAAA), combining her professional background as a licensed clinical social worker with a deep commitment to progressive social justice advocacy across the state. A Scottsdale-based mental health professional, she holds a degree from Vassar College and a Master of Social Work from Boston University, and practices as an LCSW at Our Counseling Office, where she specializes in marital conflict, depression, anxiety, life transitions, and young adult struggles.
She is also a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. At JWAAA, Weiser brings both her clinical insight and her passion for community welfare to the organization's grassroots advocacy work, overseeing public policy initiatives and educational programming focused on reproductive rights, voting rights, gender equity, and humane immigration reform. Her background in mental health gives her a uniquely compassionate lens through which she approaches the organization's work, particularly around issues of domestic violence, sexual violence, and community healing. Weiser is a thoughtful and grounded leader whose professional and volunteer work alike reflect a lifelong dedication to building a more just and equitable Arizona.
Director
-
Elise Adland is originally from Edmonton, Alberta, but has called Arizona home for the past 26 years. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist and owner of EZ Therapy, LLC, and has worked in school-based and private practice settings since 2004. Married to an Arizona native and mother of two, Elise is active in her community through local nonprofits, her children’s school site council, and support of the district’s Dual Language Immersion program. She is passionate about helping children and families thrive and has served on the JWAAA Board since 2025.
Vice President
Vice President, Policy
-
Lynn is a powerful convener and collaborator who believes in the power of partnership to build vibrant, inclusive community. Currently serving as interim Executive Director of Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center, she builds connections among individuals, agencies and organizations across the state to advance social justice and promote human rights. Lynn has spent the bulk of her career in nonprofit arts administration and Jewish communal life, creating values-based programming that amplifies the work of local artists, engages audiences, and celebrates the diversity of Southern Arizona. Lynn brings local presence to our members residing in Southern Arizona.
Vice President
-
With a background spanning journalism, advocacy, and strategic communications, Julie has spent more than two decades shaping Arizona’s civic and media landscape. A former producer at KPHO TV5 and 3TV, she founded Erfle Uncuffed in 2016, advising organizations and campaigns on strategic messaging, brand development, and media relations. Julie is a former executive director of ProgressNow Arizona, an award-winning columnist for the Arizona Mirror, and a fellow of Leading for Change and the Flinn-Brown Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.
Vice President, Communications
Director
Director
-
Julie Cieniawski (Director) is a Minnesota native and first-generation college graduate, earning both her Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Education degrees from the University of Minnesota. She has been a tireless advocate for the well-being of children and their families in our communities since she began her career as a public-school educator in 1986. Her service to our community consists of many assorted leadership roles, including: past president of the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board and serving many non-profit organizations in assorted capacity.
Director
Director
Director
-
Liz Kaplan, CFRE, is a philanthropic leader with more than 25 years of experience supporting nonprofit and healthcare organizations. As a Development Officer at Mayo Clinic, she partners with benefactors across the West to advance clinical care, research, and education. Her background includes leadership roles with the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix, TGen, Make-A-Wish Arizona, and the Arizona Coyotes Foundation. Liz has served as Board President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater AZ Chapter and was an Estee Lauder Vital Voices Visionary Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona and lives in Scottsdale.
Director
Director
Director
-
Jordan Passon brings over 25 years of expertise in marketing strategy, advertising, branding and messaging, having worked with some of the world's largest companies. As we move forward with our new brand, Jordan's expertise will be especially valuable. She is wildly optimistic about this rare opportunity—a moment in time to tell our stories, attract new members, and retain the ones we have. Jordan is ready to collaborate, harness her leadership skills, and give back to an organization she cares deeply about.
Director
-
Molly joined the NCJW AZ Board in 2021. A second-generation Holocaust survivor, she was born in the Bergen-Belsen displaced persons camp and came to America with her parents in 1950 at age 3. She attended the University of Houston and was active in Sigma Delta Tau Sorority. Politically and socially engaged, Molly volunteers with NCJW AZ’s Access for Abortion initiative and supports the Power and Persistence fundraiser. She and her husband, Ron, lived in Seattle for 32 years and have two sons, Matt and Casey, and three grandchildren: Davis, Riley, and Amelia.