Dr. Sara Markowitz, has managed to achieve an incredible amount, in large part due to her personal “ADHD” superpowers.  In addition to obtaining a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Dr. Markowitz is the founding director of an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for Jewish Women at Achieve Behavioral Health, the largest behavioral health center serving the greater Jewish community. Dr. Markowitz has been the director of Achieve’s teen intensive summer experience 2021 & 2022 and the director of group therapy from 2015-2018.

Dr. Markowitz continues to develop curriculum and measure clinical outcome research for ADHD parenting groups and integration of ADHD individuals within the Jewish community.  She has developed curricula, currently utilized in schools and families focusing on overcoming challenges of multiple origins.

In addition to her formal professional activities, Dr. Markowitz is a mother to five awesome children and is the Rebbetzin of Congregation Shomrei Torah in Fairlawn, New Jersey.

Rivka Kahan has taught and served in a variety of educational roles at the high school and post-high school levels in America and Israel.  She worked at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls for 20 years, where she taught Judaic Studies and served as Head of School for ten years. She has lectured widely at synagogues and adult education programs in the United States on topics related to Torah and Jewish education.  She made aliyah in 2020 and currently teaches at Midreshet Tehillah, Herzog Global, and YU Israel, and serves as Director of Educational Projects at AlHaTorah.org.  She has also taught at programs including Midreshet Harova, Nishmat, and Emunah V’Omanut.

Mrs. Yael Kaisman is a teacher, lecturer, life coach and outreach professional. She has been teaching at various girls high schools for over 45 years and is a senior lecturer at both Sinai and Heritage Retreats. Known for her ability to explain Jewish philosophical ideas, she combines humor, warmth and wit to captivate audiences of all backgrounds and levels of Jewish knowledge and education.

Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman is the founding director of the OU Women’s Initiative. She is a community leader with over three decades of teaching experience in New York, Alabama and Pennsylvania. She received a PhD in Educational Psychology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, MS in School Psychology from Queens College and MA in Jewish Education and a Certificate in Educational Technology from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University.  She received a Teacher’s Certificate from Beth Jacob Seminary (BJJ).  She is the rebbetzin of the Lower Merion Synagogue as well as the co-chair of the Lower Merion Community Mikvah in Bala Cynwyd, PA.  She is a kallah teacher and mikvah attendant.  She and her husband, Rabbi Avraham Shmidman, live in Bala Cynwyd, PA and are the parents of four sons.