Compiled by Sharon Wisch-Ray
sharon@tjpnews.com

7 appointees join the Dallas Holocaust Museum board

The Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance  appointed seven new members to its board of directors last month. The Museum’s mission is to teach the history of the Holocaust and advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred and indifference.
“We’re very pleased to welcome these individuals to our board and look forward to their keen leadership and insights into the ongoing development of our museum,” said Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance President and CEO Mary Pat Higgins. “Their credentials and experiences will be invaluable as we work toward building a new, larger facility.”
The appointees are:
David B. Ackerman is the managing principal and chief investment officer at Ackerman Capital Management LP, an investment advisory firm. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a past-president of the CFA Institute of Dallas-Fort Worth. He is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a member of the Financial Planning Association.
Beth Bull is the chief financial officer and senior vice president of Communities Foundation of Texas, one of the largest community foundations in the nation. In 2013, she was named Nonprofit CFO of the Year by the Dallas Business Journal. Before joining CFT, she had a 26-year career with Texas Instruments, the last six years as Treasurer.
Mike Cohen is co-founder and co-CEO of Kelli’s Gift Shop Suppliers, the nation’s largest wholesaler to hospital gift shops. Before his startup career, he was a financial analyst at Sun Oil Company. Kelli’s Gift Shop Suppliers is a true family business with Mike and his spouse Lori serving as co-CEOs and son Justin as president.
Janiece Evans-Page is the head of Global Giving and the Fossil Foundation at Fossil Group. She joined Fossil in 2013 to lead this newly developed position and organization within the company. Before Fossil, she led Community Engagement at AT&T. During her 22-year career at Hewlett-Packard in Silicon Valley, she was one of the first African-American females to lead a business unit.
Brendan Miniter is the founder of Idea Management, LLC, a boutique consulting firm. He began his career as a journalist and eventually became a writer and editor at The Wall Street Journal. He moved to Dallas in 2011 and led the team that designed the permanent exhibit of the George W. Bush Presidential Museum.
Thear Suzuki is the advisory managing partner for the Southwest Region at Ernst & Young LLP. EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction, and advisory services. Thear has 20 years’ experience leading technology transformation programs and providing consulting services to Fortune 500 companies across a range of industries.
Michele Valdez is a community volunteer and former humor columnist for Preston Hollow People. She was a vice president at American Eagle Airlines where she managed human resources and served as chief negotiator in union negotiations. She was also an attorney with American Airlines.
— Submitted by Randy Pruett

Debbie Katz is Torah Fund honoree at Anshai Torah

Debbie Shusterman Katz will be honored at Congregation Anshai Torah’s Sisterhood Torah Fund Shabbat services at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, March 26 the synagogue, 5501 West Parker Road, Plano. This year’s Torah Fund theme is “She Plants a Vineyard.”
A naturalized Texan, Debbie graduated from W.T. White High School, Dallas and the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in communications. Following a career in real estate management, Debbie has devoted her time and skills toward raising her family and volunteering.
An active congregant since 1999, Debbie served as president of Congregation Anshai Torah from 2008-2010. The synagogue’s major building expansion, which included the beautiful Behringer Sanctuary occurred under her leadership. Her many roles on the Anshai board of directors include executive vice president, vice president, and recording secretary. Debbie has also co-chaired numerous committees, which include membership, social, religious school, and the search committee for a second rabbi.   In addition, she has co-chaired fundraising events including the 2015 Anshai Torah Dream Event, Anshai Unplugged and Casino Night. Debbie participates as a member of Sisterhood, as well as Hadassah and the Jewish War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary.
Throughout the years, Debbie has volunteered for school leadership positions including president of the Parent Association of Levine Academy and co-chair of Casino Night (a major fundraiser for the school), board member at Haggar Elementary School, and PTO treasurer and vice president of recruitment at Yavneh Academy, where all her children have attended.
Debbie and her husband, Bruce have three children, Jared (22), Justin (20) and Jenna (17).
The Torah Fund Campaign ensures the future of Conservative Judaism by supporting The Jewish Theological, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies by providing rabbis who offer wisdom and education, hazzanim who enhance the beauty of our prayers, educators who transmit the richness our heritage and community professionals and lay leaders who serve the community.
— Submitted by Diane Kufert