On February 9, our Collective-In-Action Site Visit celebrated the relationships that sustain New York’s Jewish social justice ecosystem.
The program featured Cheryl Cook, CEO of Avodah — which mobilizes Jews in service and justice work through its Service Corps and lifelong engagement programs — and Lori Cohen, CEO of PACT (Protect All Children from Trafficking). Both women are members of The Collective, our cohort-based leadership advancement program for Jewish women nonprofit CEOs.
They were joined by partners from Comprehensive Youth Development (CYD), which provides critical services and advocacy for immigrant and vulnerable youth in New York City. Together, the speakers illustrated how investing in leadership at every stage — from emerging changemakers to seasoned CEOs — strengthens the entire field.
A central theme of the program was collaboration. From PACT’s survivor-informed trafficking prevention work in schools to CYD’s frontline support for youth navigating immigration and systemic barriers, to Avodah’s role in developing and sustaining a pipeline of justice-driven leaders, the discussion underscored that lasting social change requires coordinated, cross-sector partnerships.
Through The Collective, Elluminate advances and connects women CEOs who are building these relationships across organizations — fostering the trust, strategic alignment, and shared purpose necessary to meet complex challenges. At a time of significant social strain, the message was clear: collective leadership is not only sustaining this work — it is accelerating it.
