Millstone Fellows

Millstone Fellows is a collaborative leadership training program designed for individuals who seek to deepen their involvement in the Jewish community. Through highly interactive sessions, you’ll join an exclusive cohort of emerging leaders who will be empowered to shape the future of the St. Louis Jewish community. If selected, you can expect:

Powerful Networking: Connect with diverse, passionate individuals who will become part of your lifelong leadership community.

Personal Growth: Discover your unique leadership style and learn to tackle challenging conversations with confidence

Real Impact: Graduate with concrete tools and frameworks that immediately enhance your leadership abilities

“Society is where we come together to achieve collectively what none of us can do alone…It is the realm in which all of us is more important than any of us.” – Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l

The 2026/2027 Millstone Fellows program will feature guest facilitators with backgrounds in coaching, dialogue, Jewish learning, community building and leadership. The program is designed for individuals ages 30-50; younger and older individuals are welcome to apply. This cohort experience is limited to 18 participants. A $299 participant commitment fee is due upon acceptance to the program. Details about each session and facilitator listed below.

Jewish Federation of St. Louis is now accepting applications for the 2026/2027 Millstone Fellows Cohort #10

Applications for the 2026-27 Millstone Fellows are now closed.

To learn more about Millstone Fellows or to be added to the list for future cohorts, please contact Marci Mayer Eisen, Director, Jewish Federation Leadership Initiatives, Meisen@JFedStL.org, 314-442-3810.

2026/2027 Program Schedule

The Millstone Fellows Program includes 8 unique sessions; 6 weeknight sessions and 2 Sunday sessions. There is also a pre-program opening reception. Lunch will be provided for the weekend sessions; a light dinner provided for weeknight sessions.

The 2026/2027 program is as follows:

Opening Reception – Thursday, October 15 6:30pm

Session #1 – Sunday, October 25, 9 am

Session #2 – Monday, November 16, 6 pm

Session #3 – Thursday, December 17, 6 pm

Session #4 – Tuesday, January 12, 6 pm

Session #5 – Wednesday, February 10, 6 pm

Session #6 – Sunday, March 7, 9am

Session #7 – Wednesday, April 7, 6 pm

Session #8 – Tuesday, May 11, 6 pm

Most sessions take place at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, #12 Millstone Campus Drive

Detailed Session Information

Session #1 – Opening Retreat – Sunday, October 25, 9:00 am – 2 pm. Building our Fellows Community. Facilitated by Ron Gubitz. With a focus on leadership development, the informal opening retreat will deepen connections, establish shared goals, and foster a strong sense of community, creating the foundation for a meaningful and collaborative year ahead. Ron is an exceptional facilitator and brings an extensive background in organizational dynamics, leadership and creativity. Currently the Executive Director of the Music Artists Coalition, he is a leadership coach and previously worked as a nationally recognized high school principal, Executive Director of Tulane Hillel and Managing Director of Programs for Teach for America.

Session #2 – Power of Philanthropy – Monday, November 16, 6 – 8:30 pm. Power of Philanthropy, with Jewish Federation’s Danny Cohn, President & CEO and Amy Bornstein, Chief Development Officer. Explore how philanthropy can transform communities and reflect personal values. Fellows will gain insight into the breadth of Jewish Federation’s impact and ways leaders can inspire generosity and meaningful engagement. Danny is a visionary leader who came to St. Louis in 2025 to inspire and guide Jewish Federation’s role in the community. He came from Birmingham where he served as President & CEO after a 20 year career in Marketing, Communications and PR. Amy has spent more than ten years advancing the work of Jewish Federation and is among the youngest CDOs serving a Jewish Federation nationally. She previously worked at The J and at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Session #3 – Giving Voice to Your Story – Thursday, December 17, 6 – 9pm. Telling Your Story, with Steven Harowitz, Executive Director, Campfire. Every leader has a story worth sharing. This workshop is where Fellows start telling theirs. Steven will introduce a simple framework for shaping a complete, compelling story in just a few lines. Through pair-sharing and small group exercises, participants will practice the skill in real time, building confidence, sharpening their storytelling and public speaking, and connecting more deeply with each other. Steven brings deep expertise in storytelling, public speaking, and group facilitation, and knows how to help people find and shape the stories they didn’t know they had. Fellows will leave with a practical tool they can use right away and a clearer sense of the story only they can tell.

Session #4 – Jewish Identity – Tuesday, January 12, 2027, 6-8:30 pm. Jewish Identity, with Karen Sher, Jewish Federation Chief Impact Officer. Examine the role of Jewish identity in shaping leadership, purpose, and community responsibility. Karen Sher brings more than 30 years of experience as both a professional and lay leader in the Jewish community and has participated extensively in national professional leadership programs. Karen oversees planning, allocations, partnership investments, and leadership initiatives for Jewish Federation and proudly served as founding staff and primary facilitator for Millstone Fellows Cohorts 1–8.

Session #5 – Conversations that Matter – Wednesday, February 10, 6 – 8:30 pm. Conversations that Matter, with Dr. Tabari Coleman. Develop the skills needed to navigate difficult conversations with empathy, trust, and authenticity. Dr. Tabari Coleman has over 25 years of experience facilitating impactful workshops locally, nationally, and internationally. His work focuses on fostering meaningful dialogue and creating safe spaces for understanding across diverse perspectives. Tabari has a doctorate in education and has worked in diverse spaces, including as Education Director at the ADL and leading hundreds of workshops with law enforcement, educators, nonprofits and corporations.

Session #6 – Solutions-Oriented Leadership for Israel and the American Diaspora – Sunday, March 7, 9:00 – 2:00 pm. With Roey Kruvi. Engage in thoughtful conversations about Israel, Jewish peoplehood, and global Jewish leadership. Roey Kruvi is the CEO of PeaceWorks Foundation, an organization that brings Israeli and Palestinian peace builders to American campuses. He brings extensive experience in Israel education and Jewish leadership development, having previously served as Deputy Director of North American Israel Strategy at Jewish Federation of North America, Senior Program Officer at the Schusterman Foundation and a Senior Director at Moishe House where he facilitated workshops for Jewish young adults around the world.

Session #7 – Leadership Today – Wednesday, April 7, 6 – 8:30 pm. With community leaders. Through engaging small-group discussions, Fellows will explore the realities, challenges, and opportunities shaping leadership today at the local, national, and global levels. Participants will examine how issues such as antisemitism, societal change, and evolving community dynamics impact leadership and community-building. Conversations will focus on the perspectives, skills, and strategies needed to lead effectively in a complex and rapidly changing world.

Session #8 – Closing Program – Tuesday, May 11, 6 – 8:30 pm. Celebrate the journey of Cohort #10, reflect on personal and collective growth and recognize the relationships and leadership skills developed throughout the fellowship experience. Explore opportunities for ways to be involved in the coming months and years.

Millstone Fellows will be recognized at the November, 2027 Morris & Steneck Presidents Circle.