(Courtesy of YU) Yeshiva University is pleased to announce the appointment of these distinguished individuals to the board of overseers for two of its undergraduate schools. The new appointees for Stern College for Women are Doba Isaacs (chair), Dr. Annie Baron, Dr. Robyn Horowitz Grossman and Saritte Silvera. The new appointees for Yeshiva College include David Rauch (chair), Shai Barnea and Drew Parker.
Stern College for Women (SCW)
Doba Isaacs, a dedicated member of the board since 2015, has been named the new chair of the board of overseers. She is an ardent supporter of Jewish causes and a champion of Israel advocacy. Her active involvement in Jewish community affairs and nonprofit organizations has been a cornerstone of her life. In support of these many organizations, she has played a significant role in spearheading events and being an engaged participant. With a background in technology and finance, Isaacs, who has a B.S. in Computer Applications and an MBA in Finance, both from New York University, brings invaluable analytical and strategic skills to her leadership role.
Residing in Lawrence, New York with her husband, Kalman, Isaacs takes pride in the fact that her children share in the YU legacy. Yehuda is a graduate of Yeshiva College; Ziona is a Stern College alumna who has a master’s degree from the Katz School of Science and Health and a year of study at the University’s Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic/Tanach Studies (GPATS); and Aliza studied at GPATS. Isaac’s daughter-in-law Jenny holds a Psy.D. from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology.
Reflecting on her new role, Isaacs said “I am honored to be the new chair of the Stern College board of overseers, and I welcome our new board members. With this reinvigoration of the board, we look forward to working with the dean and the administration in enhancing Stern College’s prominence and province.”
Dr. Annie Baron, an adult psychiatrist in private practice in Teaneck, joins the board as a new member. Raised in Deal, New Jersey, Baron’s educational journey includes Midreshet Lindenbaum, the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She completed her psychiatric training at Montefiore Medical Center. Baron’s involvement in various committees at Yeshivat Noam as well as her participation in Amit and Teach New Jersey reflects her commitment to education.
Her family maintains a strong connection to YU. A 2024 graduate of Yeshiva College, her son Joe is in the semicha program at RIETS. Her daughter-in-law Maayan, a Stern College graduate, is pursuing an advanced degree at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work; and her daughter, Aliza was recently accepted to the honors program at Stern College. Her sons Eitan and Moshe attend Yeshivat Noam. Baron, along with her husband Yale and their children, reside in Teaneck.
Dr. Robyn Horowitz Grossman, a welcome addition to the Stern College board of overseers, is an attending physician at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai in New York City. She also serves on the executive committee of Yavneh Academy and the board of directors of Yeshivat Frisch, both in Paramus. Grossman’s educational background includes studies at Midreshet Moriah and the Coordinated B.A.- MD Program at Brooklyn College and Downstate Medical School and postgraduate training at the Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute – Columbia University. Completing the previous Daf Yomi cycle in 2020, Grossman resides in Teaneck with her husband, Shukie, and their five children. Her daughter Leora graduated from Stern College in 2024. Her daughter Ayelet is currently an undergraduate there, and her daughter Amira is enrolled in YU’s S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program and will attend Stern College thereafter.
Saritte Silvera grew up in Lawrence, where she attended HAFTR and then Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women and the Sy Syms School of Business, graduating summa cum laude with a B.S. in Accounting. She worked as an auditor at Deloitte & Touche, a music teacher at both HAFTR and HALB, and then as the music director at Camp Avnet and Camp Mesorah. Silvera is presently the financial administrator at Charles A. Mitgang MD PC. Her community involvement includes serving as the HALB Women’s League president and as a parent council member at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls (SKA). She lives in Woodmere, New York with her husband Hillel. They have four daughters: Rachel and Alyssa are alumnae of Stern College; Rebecca is an undergraduate at the college, and Elana attends the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls.
Yeshiva College
David Rauch, a dedicated member of the Yeshiva College board of overseers since 2007, has been named its new chair. An accomplished, longstanding leader in the Jewish community and a passionate supporter of Jewish education, Rauch has served as president of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck, president of Yeshivat Frisch in Paramus, and chairman of the board of overseers for the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. Rauch, who attended Yeshiva College for two years, received his B.A./MBA from New York University. He and his wife Sharon, a Stern College for Women alumna, have resided in Teaneck for 41 years. Their children, all of whom attended Yeshiva University, live in Teaneck and Bergenfield.
Commenting on his new position, Rauch said, “I am deeply honored to be appointed chair of the Yeshiva College board of overseers and am excited to collaborate with our new members. Together with the Dean and YU administration, we are committed to further elevating Yeshiva College’s excellence and impact.”
Shai Barnea is the global head of oil products for Freepoint Commodities, where he leads a team of energy traders specializing in the global oil market. With over 12 years of experience at Freepoint, Shai has a robust background in the energy sector, having worked for various companies including Sempra Energy Trading and Barclays Capital.
Shai has been a dedicated and engaged alumnus of Yeshiva College since his graduation in 2003. He was also a founding member of YU’s Undergraduate Alumni Council. Shai and his wife Lori, an alumna of the Sy Syms School of Business and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, reside in New Rochelle, with their four children, who attend Yeshivat Frisch and Westchester Torah Academy. The family is actively involved in the latter as well as in Young Israel of New Rochelle.
Drew Parker is president of Kingsbrook Investments as well as one of the founding directors of Cross River Bank. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Parker has served as president of Young Israel of Century City in Los Angeles and Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, where he continues to serve on the board. Parker is also an active board member of the Metropolitan Council, American Friends of Shalva, and American Friends of Bar Ilan University. He serves as a national vice president of NORPAC and sits on the board of the Oxford Union’s Advocacy Center. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Parker earned a B.A. from Boston University and a JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where he contributed to the Law Review.
Parker and his wife Careena reside in Englewood and have four children: Amanda (Scott) Stiefel, Matthew Parker, Kaitlin (Josh) Gruenbaum, and Jenna Parker. Amanda and Kaitlin are currently studying at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, and Matthew is a graduate of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Sharing her excitement about the new appointments, Dr. Karen Bacon, the Mordecai D. Katz and Dr. Monique C. Katz Dean of the Undergraduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said that “the University is thrilled to welcome Dr. Annie Baron, Dr. Robyn Grossman, and Saritte Silvera to the SCW board of overseers, and Shai Barnea and Drew Parker to the YC Board. Each of them brings a unique set of skills and experiences that will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success and growth of our colleges. Additionally, we look forward to working in partnership with longtime board members Doba Isaacs and David Rauch in their new roles as chairs of their respective boards. Their creative and energetic leadership will enhance the undergraduate boards and drive the colleges to even greater achievements.”
