Our Board

Mola has long been a leader of the asylum-seeker community and Originally from Ethiopia, he has lived in Israel for over 25 years. Mola served as chairperson for the Ethiopian Community in Israel organisation for eight years, advocating for the Ethiopian community and promoting relationships between Ethiopians and social and religious groups in Israel. He was also a leader in the opposition of the Ethiopian political regime for over 20 years.

Mola is also a motivated student and he has studied many subjects such as business administration and environmental studies. He worked for our organization between the years 2014-2015 as a paid translator, volunteered with us and joined the board in 2016. He has always been our valuable member. Mola wanted to join the ARDC to continue contributing as much as he can to the organisation and the African asylum-seeker community.

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Sumia is an asylum-seeker from Darfur, Sudan. Since arriving in Israel in 2011, she has become a leader of the leaders of the Sudanese asylum-seeker community. She holds a degree in microbiology and worked with Doctors Without Borders in Darfur. Sumia has led many demonstrations in collaboration with NGOs and was a spokesperson in the Women’s March against the deportation which was organized in March 2018 in Southern Tel Aviv. She wanted to join the ARDC continue helping her community

and started working with the ARDC in 2012 as a translator from Arabic to English. She began her community outreach position in 2018- traveling to different cities to help inform and educate community members. Sumia also works in the reception and is involved in a women’s and children program within the Sudanese community.

Ophelie has over 15 years of experience in the humanitarian sector, as a Senior Advisor to several United Nations agencies, including UNHCR and UNICEF, as well as an advisor to Google, ELRHA's Humanitarian Innovation Fund, JDC, and others in her current role as Managing Director at Mindset-PCS, an advisory company specialized in humanitarian affairs, international development, and innovation, and has previously served as IsraAID Country Director in South Sudan for over five years.

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Ira has over 15 years of professional experience in financial management, control and compliance in the non-profit and financial advisory sectors. She has worked in one of the "Big Four” accounting firms, specializing in financial advisory, mergers and acquisitions. She lately focused on NGO financial management, working in international non-profits responding to the global refugee crisis, including ORAM and Alight (former American Refugee Committee). Ira's current role is Chief FInance Officer at IsraAID, a leading Israeli organization, engaged in international humanitarian aid.

Ian Jaffe was born (1964) in South Africa and then lived for a decade in the UK before immigrating to Israel (1986) where he has spent all his adult life.

Married with 4 children, Ian lives and works as a lawyer in Raanana. Specializing in Employment Law, Ian was a senior lawyer for nine years in The Democratic Workers’ Trade Union - Koach La'Ovdim. Whilst working in Employment Law he has generally represented foreign workers since 2000 as an external lawyer to the Workers Hotline Organization, Kav Le Oved. Ian has a private law office in Raanana.

He holds a BA in History and Political Science, and LLB and an MA in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies. He is now studying for his PHD in Holocaust and Genocide studies. Ian joined the ARDC as a board member In 2015. Amongst other things Ian is a keen sportsman, politically active and an avid reader.

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Shana Krakowski is originally from Chicago and has lived in Israel for 19 years. Currently on relocation in California, she most recently was the director of the Platform, a municipal innovation center run by the Tel Aviv Municipality. The Platform aims to develop local entrepreneurship as well as urban social solutions to municipal challenges. Previous to this position, Shana directed Microfy, a microfinance NGO that works to develop small businesses among marginalized populations, particularly refugees and women. Shana has also worked as the director of recruitment for the Israel Brain Gain program in the Innovation Authority of Israel. She holds an M.A. in Public Policy from Tel Aviv University as well as a B.A. in Social Work from Bar Ilan University. Shana joins the ARDC from being the director of the board of the Schoolhouse as part of a merger of the two organisations.

Yossi has an extensive background in government relations, promoting social legislation, as well as transparency, as the CEO of Israeli nonprofit Hamishmar HaHevrati and later as a lobbyist, as well as in his current role as the head of Synergy at Emilia Development Group, one of the largest holding companies in Israel.

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