Who's on the JCCSLO Board
A mix of Jewish community leaders from throughout the county:
Executive Director: Lauren Bandari
As Executive Director, Lauren is leading JCCSLO in establishing its community presence and growing to serve the community at large. She coordinates its programs and services, and works to collaborate with other community organizations. She runs fundraising activities, as well as researches and writes grant proposals, and works to cultivate individual donors. Lauren also volunteers her time with Central Coast Hadassah and the SLO Advisory Committee of the Anti-Defamation League. She recently joined as a member of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce's Diversity Committee.
President: Jon-Erik Storm
Jon-Erik G. Storm lives in Los Osos with his wife Lara and their two children, Dinah and Asher. Jon-Erik runs his own law practice; he specializes in employment law. He is an arbitrator with the Santa Barbara County Bar Association. He used to teach Hebrew at CBD's religious school. Aside from his legal education, Jon-Erik also has graduate degrees in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College and philosophy from the Claremont Colleges. Jon-Erik served as the Vice President of JCCSLO and has served on the board since 2008. Jon-Erik has served on the boards of other Jewish organizations in San Luis Obispo county, and on other non-profits, such as the San Luis Obispo Symphony.
Secretary: Phylissa Kwartner
Phylissa is a forensic psychologist at Atascadero State Hospital. She grew up in Queens, NY, where Jewish life was prevalent at everyone’s fingertips. She looks forward to growing with an organization and seeing that new residents of this county know where to find Jewish life, should they want it.
Treasurer: Leo Tendrih
Leo is an active member at Temple Ner Shalom. Leo hails from Brazil by way of New York City, and has much passion about building a vibrant Jewish community in SLO County, as he begins to raise his family here. He resides in Arroyo Grande with his wife, Dafna and new baby boy, Noah. Leo just earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
Past President: Jan Durocher
Jan served on the JCCSLO Board as President, after her term as Vice President and Secretary. She is a former board member of Congregation Beth David and still helps with hospitality at her synagogue. Jan is a retired architect from the construction management industry and relocated here from Seattle.
Members at Large
Hildy Gal
Hildy Gal was born in the U.S. and lived in Israel for thirteen years on kibbutzim, where she met her husband and they had their three children. They came to America 26 years ago. Hildy and her husband Giddy own a small business, Country Copy, which deals in office equipment. She previously was a social worker, a profession from which she is now retired. Hildy volunteers, gardens, does yoga, reads, and loves to watch movies.
Cynthia Wood
Cynthia Wood has been in SLO County since 1979, having moved here from Southern California. Cynthia has had a varied career, working both as a CPA and presently in Hotel Management. She appreciates the cultural contribution that the JCCSLO provides to the residents of SLO County.
Susan Stern Pearl
Susan Pearl is a long-standing member of San Luis Obispo’s Jewish community. She is passionate about seeing our local community thrive and is thrilled to see JCCSLO programs connecting us together. Susan is a Charter Member of JCCSLO, a retired nurse and business-owner.
Liaisons & Committee Members
Interfaith Liaison: Rabbi Janice Mehring
Rabbi Mehring is the rabbi at Congregation Ohr Tzafon ("Northern Light") in Atascadero. She has been an active member of the Central Coast Jewish community for over twenty years. Rabbi Mehring is a member of the San Luis Obispo Ministerial Association, an interfaith council of local religious leaders and is a board member of the San Luis Obispo chapter of the ADL, Anti Defamation League.
Membership Committee Chair: Marty Meltz
Marty has taken the reins of our Membership Committee and is spearheading our efforts to increase membership. He is a retired Radiation Biologist who recently moved to the Central Coast from Texas, where he was a Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Marty is a community volunteer and advocate for the homeless across SLO County.
Jewish Family Services Lead Coordinator and Committee Chair: Jack Pearl
For thirty-three years, Jack Pearl served in Education (K-8) teaching, counseling and administration. Concurrently, Jack was in private practice at Santa Maria Youth and Family Center, and conducted individual group and family therapy with wide-spread presenting issues. He has lifetime credentials for teaching history, school counseling and administration, and is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Jack has been a member and served on the Board of Congregation Beth David, a member of Temple Ner Shalom, and a founding member of the JCC.
Visit the Committees page to see how you can get involved with JCCSLO leadership.
As Executive Director, Lauren is leading JCCSLO in establishing its community presence and growing to serve the community at large. She coordinates its programs and services, and works to collaborate with other community organizations. She runs fundraising activities, as well as researches and writes grant proposals, and works to cultivate individual donors. Lauren also volunteers her time with Central Coast Hadassah and the SLO Advisory Committee of the Anti-Defamation League. She recently joined as a member of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce's Diversity Committee.
President: Jon-Erik Storm
Jon-Erik G. Storm lives in Los Osos with his wife Lara and their two children, Dinah and Asher. Jon-Erik runs his own law practice; he specializes in employment law. He is an arbitrator with the Santa Barbara County Bar Association. He used to teach Hebrew at CBD's religious school. Aside from his legal education, Jon-Erik also has graduate degrees in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College and philosophy from the Claremont Colleges. Jon-Erik served as the Vice President of JCCSLO and has served on the board since 2008. Jon-Erik has served on the boards of other Jewish organizations in San Luis Obispo county, and on other non-profits, such as the San Luis Obispo Symphony.
Secretary: Phylissa Kwartner
Phylissa is a forensic psychologist at Atascadero State Hospital. She grew up in Queens, NY, where Jewish life was prevalent at everyone’s fingertips. She looks forward to growing with an organization and seeing that new residents of this county know where to find Jewish life, should they want it.
Treasurer: Leo Tendrih
Leo is an active member at Temple Ner Shalom. Leo hails from Brazil by way of New York City, and has much passion about building a vibrant Jewish community in SLO County, as he begins to raise his family here. He resides in Arroyo Grande with his wife, Dafna and new baby boy, Noah. Leo just earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
Past President: Jan Durocher
Jan served on the JCCSLO Board as President, after her term as Vice President and Secretary. She is a former board member of Congregation Beth David and still helps with hospitality at her synagogue. Jan is a retired architect from the construction management industry and relocated here from Seattle.
Members at Large
Hildy Gal
Hildy Gal was born in the U.S. and lived in Israel for thirteen years on kibbutzim, where she met her husband and they had their three children. They came to America 26 years ago. Hildy and her husband Giddy own a small business, Country Copy, which deals in office equipment. She previously was a social worker, a profession from which she is now retired. Hildy volunteers, gardens, does yoga, reads, and loves to watch movies.
Cynthia Wood
Cynthia Wood has been in SLO County since 1979, having moved here from Southern California. Cynthia has had a varied career, working both as a CPA and presently in Hotel Management. She appreciates the cultural contribution that the JCCSLO provides to the residents of SLO County.
Susan Stern Pearl
Susan Pearl is a long-standing member of San Luis Obispo’s Jewish community. She is passionate about seeing our local community thrive and is thrilled to see JCCSLO programs connecting us together. Susan is a Charter Member of JCCSLO, a retired nurse and business-owner.
Liaisons & Committee Members
Interfaith Liaison: Rabbi Janice Mehring
Rabbi Mehring is the rabbi at Congregation Ohr Tzafon ("Northern Light") in Atascadero. She has been an active member of the Central Coast Jewish community for over twenty years. Rabbi Mehring is a member of the San Luis Obispo Ministerial Association, an interfaith council of local religious leaders and is a board member of the San Luis Obispo chapter of the ADL, Anti Defamation League.
Membership Committee Chair: Marty Meltz
Marty has taken the reins of our Membership Committee and is spearheading our efforts to increase membership. He is a retired Radiation Biologist who recently moved to the Central Coast from Texas, where he was a Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Marty is a community volunteer and advocate for the homeless across SLO County.
Jewish Family Services Lead Coordinator and Committee Chair: Jack Pearl
For thirty-three years, Jack Pearl served in Education (K-8) teaching, counseling and administration. Concurrently, Jack was in private practice at Santa Maria Youth and Family Center, and conducted individual group and family therapy with wide-spread presenting issues. He has lifetime credentials for teaching history, school counseling and administration, and is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Jack has been a member and served on the Board of Congregation Beth David, a member of Temple Ner Shalom, and a founding member of the JCC.
Visit the Committees page to see how you can get involved with JCCSLO leadership.
JCCSLO's Executive Director - Who is she?
Lauren originally hails from Chicago, IL, where she grew up in one of its northern suburbs, Highland Park. Lauren was raised in a Conservative shul, and went to a Bnai Brith Jewish overnight camp in Wisconsin. Her personal connection to Judaism started to take root during a summer travelling around the country with other Jewish teenagers. That summer she found herself leading services, and experiencing her Judaism in profound ways at moments like sunrise at the Grand Canyon. Lauren very much feels the power of community and is passionate about connecting us here in San Luis Obispo county.
Lauren has her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Illinois-Chicago, and focused on Nonprofit Management. Her undergraduate degree is in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before moving to San Luis Obispo, Lauren was a retail analyst for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, helping dealers improve their business strategies. She has an extensive background in the arts, having served as a Site and Publicity Manager for a grassroots public art organization in Milwaukee, WI. She was the Fine Arts Administrator for Sotheby's in Chicago, IL, and worked in scholarly publishing at University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lauren lives in San Luis Obispo with her husband Armin, twin boys Arie and Isaac, and their chihuahua, Poncho. Feel free to contact her at any time by email or telephone.
Lauren has her Masters in Public Administration from the University of Illinois-Chicago, and focused on Nonprofit Management. Her undergraduate degree is in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before moving to San Luis Obispo, Lauren was a retail analyst for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, helping dealers improve their business strategies. She has an extensive background in the arts, having served as a Site and Publicity Manager for a grassroots public art organization in Milwaukee, WI. She was the Fine Arts Administrator for Sotheby's in Chicago, IL, and worked in scholarly publishing at University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Lauren lives in San Luis Obispo with her husband Armin, twin boys Arie and Isaac, and their chihuahua, Poncho. Feel free to contact her at any time by email or telephone.
Land Donors Circle
A special thank you to these individuals that have financially contributed and began the dream of creating a Jewish Community Center for San Luis Obispo:
Dr. Boris Pilch, Steven Saldo, John and Jody Belsher, Chuck and Sophie Fishman, Adele Stern, David and Susan Stern
A special thank you to these individuals that have financially contributed and began the dream of creating a Jewish Community Center for San Luis Obispo:
Dr. Boris Pilch, Steven Saldo, John and Jody Belsher, Chuck and Sophie Fishman, Adele Stern, David and Susan Stern
