RABBI KATY ALLEN, JCAN CO-FOUNDER
Rabbi Katy Z. Allen is one of the co-conveners of the Jewish Climate Action Network, getting it started in December of 2013 at LimmudBoston. She is also the founder and spiritual leader of Ma’yan Tikvah. She began her career as a biology teacher and later became a writer and editor of educational materials. She started teaching Hebrew school, then became involved in family and adult education, and for a number of years performed professionally as a storyteller. Katy received a Masters of Arts in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College in Newton, MA, in 1999, and rabbinic ordination from the Academy for Jewish Religion in Riverdale, NY, in 2005. For three years she served as the rabbi of Temple Tifereth Israel of Winthrop before founding Ma’yan Tikvah. Rabbi Allen served for 10 years as a staff chaplain at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and then worked in hospice for two years before retiring from health-care chaplaincy. She considers herself an eco-chaplain and writes about matters of the spirit and the world.
DEB NAM-KRANE, CO-PRESIDENT
Deb Nam-Krane has been Co-President since 2024. She has been an urban gardener and compost enthusiast for over a decade and an activist for over three (somewhere there’s WBZ footage of her from 1989 protesting against fur). Deb is deeply concerned with the connections between climate change, food injustice, and human rights abuses. She has led JCAN-MA’s Soil Carbon team with the goal of educating people about the connections between agriculture and climate change and what they can do right now to help.
MATT LIEBMAN, CO-PRESIDENT
DAVID SCHREIBER, VICE PRESIDENT
David Schreiber has been a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) since 2003, and joined the socially responsible investment community as a Financial Advisor in 2006 after working as an independent registered representative of American General Securities, Inc. As founder and former communications director of NonProfit Net, David united the nonprofit organizations of the Lexington, MA community, and he is an active member of the Climate Action Business Association. David is also a graduate of New York’s famed LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. For many years he was a professional concert violist, appearing with such luminaries as Yoyo Ma and Lynn Chang.
SCOTT KADISH, TREASURER
Scott Kadish is a Certified Financial Planner ™ and a Chartered Socially Responsible Investment Counselor™ who since 2010 has helped his clients in all aspects of their financial lives. Scott lives in Newton, Mass. In his free time, he volunteers for several Climate action groups. Scott received a BA from Colby College, Waterville, ME, and an MBA at Brandeis University. He enjoys vegan cooking, all kinds of exercising and spending time with his two daughters.
THEA IBERALL, SECRETARY
Thea Iberall began focusing on the climate crisis in 2011 when she was doing research for The Swallow and the Nightingale. Thea has a Ph.D. from University of Massachusetts in computational neuroscience and is the author of three scientific texts. She was on the research faculty at the University of Southern California. A storyteller and teacher, Thea is an inductee into the International Educators Hall of Fame and is featured in the documentary “Poets, Passion and Poetry.” She has featured at almost 100 venues. Thea works with First Parish UU Church Medfield Green Sanctuary Committee
JANET GREEN, OUTREACH COORDINATOR
Janet lives in Malden and her career has included positions at Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA), the National Farm Worker Ministry, and the United Farm Workers, as well as in a small business, She has a B.A. in French and a B.A. in Biology from Middlebury College. She speaks some Spanish, and takes classes in Mandarin Chinese. Janet’s service on the Malden Recycling Committee led her to become a long-time Bike to the Sea board member and past president, and she has been instrumental in shepherding the Northern Strand Trail through every phase from concept to completion.