Our Professional Team
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The Professional Team
Our team is made up of certified, highly experienced mental health first aid instructors. Many are war-affected survivors who bring rare resilience, wisdom, and practical insight for working with trauma and emergencies.
Training & Leadership Team
Stuart Katz
CEO
A quiet, effective leader who delivers with integrity. Stuart guides the organization with unwavering commitment to excellence.
With deep experience across business and the nonprofit sector, Stuart combines strategic vision with calm execution. He builds supportive, accountable teams and keeps the mission anchored in impact and ethics.
Avi Tenenbaum
Director of Curriculum
Expert in disaster behavioral health and psychological first aid. Avi delivers international training and advises organizations on mental health and resilience.
A guest lecturer at leading academic institutions, Avi designs evidence-based programs tailored to the Israeli reality. He bridges research and field practice, advising government bodies and NGOs on emergency mental health and community resilience.
Omer Vahav
Strategy & Operations Lead
From Kibbutz Nir Oz, Omer leads strategy and operations for MHFA Israel, bringing lived experience from the October 7 attacks.
Omer carries the trauma firsthand and leads with resilience and clarity. He believes in the power of community to heal and rebuild, shaping operational plans that are grounded in real needs on the ground.
Tiki Yeres
Instructor
Tel Aviv-based Canadian, Tiki carries personal loss and a mission to dismantle mental health stigma. She brings warm, skilled facilitation to every training.
Tiki blends deep personal experience with top-tier professional training. She creates safe, authentic spaces and shows how personal pain can become a force for healing and connection.
Hadas Calderon
Instructor
October 7 survivor from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Hadas brings exceptional resilience and a deep personal story that helps her connect authentically with participants.
Hadas turned her trauma into purpose. She teaches from lived experience, offering practical tools with hope and empowerment for people facing difficult moments.
Dorin Rai
Instructor
October 7 survivor from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Dorin brings a calm, steady presence that restores communities' belief in their ability to rebuild.
Dorin translates her personal experience into grounding tools, regulated breathing, and rapid safety-building techniques. She leads learning processes that rebuild trust, open safe dialogue about trauma, and help people reclaim choice and control even in the toughest moments.
Shani Goren
Instructor
From Kibbutz Nir Oz, a released hostage after 55 days. Shani brings a powerful story of survival, hope, and human resilience.
Shani returned from captivity with a fierce desire to help others. She uses her story to teach how to recognize distress, provide support, and foster healing — a living testament to human strength.
Board of Directors
Adina Hagege
Board Member
Senior PM at Microsoft with extensive experience in the Israeli high-tech ecosystem. Adina has served on multiple boards.
Adina brings strategic thinking and global project leadership. She champions mentally healthy workplaces and leverages technology to expand access to mental health support.
Tamir Goodman
Board Member
Known as the "Jewish Jordan," a former basketball star who captured public attention by blending strong faith with elite sports performance.
Tamir uses his platform to inspire perseverance and mental toughness. He brings a unique perspective on resilience under pressure and empowers youth to build healthy coping tools.
Efrat Machikawa
Board Member
Expert in international relations and cross-cultural leadership with wide experience in diplomacy, education, and global collaborations.
Efrat builds bridges across cultures, having led major initiatives in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. She champions open dialogue on mental health and makes MHFA programs accessible to diverse communities.
Dr. Zvika Orr
Board Member
Faculty member at the Selma Jelinek School of Nursing, JCT. Co-founder of the Institute for Promoting Unity in Academia.
A leading researcher on spirituality and health, Dr. Orr explores the link between meaning, faith, and resilience. He contributes deep theory and a holistic vision of mental well-being.
Want to Join the Team?
We are always looking for certified, experienced mental health first aid instructors. If you have the skills and passion to help others, we'd love to hear from you.
Contact Us