Elluminate Names Dr. Sara Shapiro-Plevan as Chief Program Officer

Visionary leader, advocate, and community-builder to lead network and program strategy at Jewish feminist organization

New York, NY – July 16, 2025 – Elluminate, a leading Jewish feminist organization that empowers Jewish women leaders and philanthropists to advance gender equity and social change, welcomed to its staff Sara Shapiro-Plevan, Ed.D., as its inaugural Chief Program Officer (CPO). In this role, Dr. Shapiro-Plevan will focus on weaving a network of transformational Jewish women leaders—from global changemakers to visionary philanthropists, from individuals to organizations—all accelerating social change and taking bold risks to make their world more equitable.

A nationally respected strategist, facilitator, and educator, Shapiro-Plevan brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of Jewish communal innovation, gender equity, and organizational leadership. As Chief Program Officer, she will shape and drive Elluminate’s expanding portfolio of initiatives designed to elevate feminist Jewish women’s leadership, shift institutional cultures, and catalyze systemic change across and outside of the Jewish ecosystem.

Her work will focus on cultivating a Global Jewish Women’s Network emerging from Elluminate’s Collective Leadership Advancement Program—60 women nonprofit executives working toward social change. These leaders are strengthened in community through knowledge-building, connection, and collaboration that increases their skills and capacity for impact. The Collective provides a platform to amplify their work, increase their visibility, grow professional networks, and engage with feminist philanthropists.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sara to our team and to the bold work we will embark on together,” said Elluminate CEO Melanie Roth Gorelick. “Her deep commitment to women’s empowerment and gender equity, her exceptional skill in building networks and nurturing collaborative leadership, and her bold vision for change align perfectly with Elluminate’s mission. We are confident that her leadership will expand our impact locally and globally.”

Shapiro-Plevan is the founder of the Gender Equity in Hiring Project, where she has helped women and people of all genders rise to leadership positions in Jewish communal organizations, reimagine hiring and employment practices, and build more equitable workplaces. She is widely recognized for her ability to convene diverse stakeholders, create brave and inclusive spaces for dialogue, and turn insight into action. She brings extensive experience in the Jewish nonprofit sector—as a coach, consultant, facilitator, educator, and organizational leader—working across a variety of domains and with diverse communities.

“Elluminate’s work is critical in transforming Jewish life to be more just, equitable, and feminist, affording women, non-binary folks and people of all genders equal rights and opportunities. I’m honored to shape programs and weave networks that not only catalyze relationships and empower individuals, but also dismantle barriers and reimagine what leadership can look like in our communities and organizations,” said Shapiro-Plevan.

“Most especially, as a member of the Collective and a beneficiary of Elluminate’s generous investment, I know how vitally important it is to bring feminist leaders together in dialogue and relationship, amplifying our voices and strengthening one another. Truly, I am honored to join Elluminate at this exciting moment.”

In her new role, Shapiro-Plevan will oversee Elluminate’s programmatic vision and strategy, working in close partnership with staff, partners, and community leaders to advance a vibrant, intersectional feminist agenda in Jewish communal life, including the weaving of a global Jewish Women’s Leadership Network.

Elluminate envisions a world in which all people are empowered to pursue their dreams eagerly, fearlessly, and joyfully, achieving those dreams through deep and interconnected relationships.  to make their visions possible.

For more information about Elluminate and its work, visit www.elluminatewomen.org.