Executive Staff
Ahmir Lerner, Executive Director
Ahmir serves as Executive Director at Beit Issie Shapiro. Ahmir began his career as a navigator in the Air Force. He then served for twenty two years in the Prime Minister’s Office where his last two positions were Deputy Director of Logistics and Security, and Director of the Leadership School. Three years ago, Ahmir left the Prime Minister’s Office to join the social sector. He worked at Education Cities as a member of the management team, after which he joined the Mandel School for Educational Leadership fellowship program. Ahmir holds a first degree in Economics and Banking from the London School of Economics and an MBA from the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center.
Naomi Stuchiner, Founder
Naomi is the founder of Beit Issie Shapiro and served as Executive Director through its first 25 years of development. From 2006, Naomi dedicated herself to building international support for the organization towards enhancing its future sustainability. Naomi today serves as Founder, representing Beit Issie Shapiro in various frameworks in Israel’s social sector. Naomi has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. She has recently been awarded the Wind Annual Social Entrepreneurship Award by the IDC Herzliya Honorary Fellowship and is the 2020 recipient of the Rappaport Prize for Lifetime Achievement: Women Generating Change in Israeli Society and the prestigious Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement and Contribution to Society.
Shlomit Herz, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer
Michael Lawrence, Chief Advancement Officer (Global Partnerships and Philanthropy)
Michael joined Beit Issie Shapiro as Chief Advancement Officer in December 2020 to direct fundraising operations around the world. A qualified lawyer in both his native New Zealand and in Israel, Michael also has rich experience in the fields of nonprofit and global philanthropy. He served as Chief Development Officer and Israel Office Director at The Jewish Agency for Israel and previously as lead for the Jerusalem portion of a joint US-Israel fundraising and donor relations team at JDC, the largest Jewish humanitarian aid organization. Together with success in building and leading global teams, Michael brings a strategic and entrepreneurial approach to work with donors, lay leadership and partners. Throughout his career he has played a prominent role in stewarding significant relationships with major family foundations, and Jewish Federations, harnessing their philanthropic interests to impact vulnerable populations in Israel and across the globe.
Sigal Winter, Manager of Israel Resource Development & Public Relations
Sophia Berger, Director of Human Resources
Dr. Dana Roth, Director of the Research and Evaluation Department
Dana is the Founder and Director of the research and evaluation department and for the last decade has been promoting collaborative/inclusive research and evaluation approach with people with disabilities. She has published extensively in areas relating to quality of life, attitudes and stigma, accessibility, abuse and violence related to disability, self-advocacy, implementation of different treatment and intervention methods, applied research, inclusive methodologies, and most recently assistive technology and its impact on the lives of people with disabilities. Dana has chaired several international conferences and serves on journal editorial boards, as well as on national and international committees. Dana has a Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Haifa, a Master’s Degree in Special Physical Education from Adelphi University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Connecticut.
Dr. Benny Hozmi, Academic Director, Director of Knowledge Resources, and Director of Inclusive University
Benny specializes in Education in Developmental Disabilities. In 2006, 2011 and 2015, he co-chaired Beit Issie Shapiro’s International Conferences on Disabilities. Benny’s pioneering educational programs for people with learning difficulties are world known and he established Beit Issie Shapiro’s Inclusive University affiliated with Israel’s leading universities. Benny has a a Ph.D in Social Work from Bar Ilan University.
Maddie Appel, Manager of the Global Professional Development Department
Maddie is in charge of developing Beit Issie Shapiro’s international professional network, as well as marketing consultation and training packages in the field of disabilities to international stakeholders.
Orit Grinstein, Director of the Technology Center
