The $54,000 Strategy, Step 2- Making Change Happen

Sara Shapiro-Plevan is a doctoral student and adjunct faculty member in the Davidson School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary.Her research focuses on the impact of social and professional networks on the career trajectory of congregational educators, team teaching, and communities of practice in support of professional learning and growth. Sara prepares graduate students in the field of congregational education to take leadership roles in the field as a part of the Synagogue Educational Leadership practicum, and teaches basic pedagogy to students in the Davidson, Cantorial and Rabbinical Schools.

Sara is the founder of Rimonim Consulting, which supports organizations, congregations and individuals as they develop their capacity for leadership and engage in institutional change efforts.Her clients include congregations, Jewish organizations and individuals who are in need of support as they articulate vision, support alignment, and strengthen their capacity for collaboration. Sara most recently served as a consultant for the Board of Jewish Education NY-SAJES, (now The Jewish Education Project) working directly with congregational educators in the greater New York area to build strong collegial networks, improve practice and cultivate leadership. She has served as director of education and as assistant director of education in three Manhattan congregations, and has served as the director of professional development for theMETNY region of USCJ, where she developed professional learning programs for teachers in congregational schools. Sara holds a BA inNear Eastern and Judaic Studies from BrandeisUniversity, an MA in Jewish Education from JTS, and was a fellow in the Senior Educators’ Program at theMelton Centre at Hebrew University.