At its annual meeting this week, the Anti-Defamation League Mountain States Region will welcome incoming Board Chair Jim Kurtz-Phelan and thank Neil Oberfeld for two years of outstanding service as Board Chair from 2014-2016.

Jim Kurtz-Phelan, an attorney with Berenbaum Weinsheink specializing in commercial real estate, obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 1972. Before Jim joined Berenbaum Weinsheink, he taught at the University of Denver College of Law for three years, handled land use and transportation matters as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Colorado for four years, and spent three years as the legal advisor to the Governor of the State of Colorado.

In addition to his legal work, Jim has provided pro bono representation to charitable organizations and has been on the Boards of the Anti-Defamation League, the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, Herzl Jewish Day School (now Denver Jewish Day School), American Jewish Committee, and several legal organizations including the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Section of the Colorado Bar Association.

Jim’s involvement with the Anti-Defamation League began when he participated in an ADL Speakers Bureau in 1982 after the Lebanon War in a year that led to increased political attacks against Israel.  He was invited to join the Mountain States Regional Board in the late 1990’s by former ADL National Chair Barry Curtiss-Lusher and by Neil Oberfeld, whom he succeeds as Regional Board Chair. Jim is also a member of ADL’s national commission.

When asked to share what ADL means to him, Jim replied that “ADL is the conscience of and advocate for the Jewish People.”   Regional Director Scott Levin noted, “We have been so fortunate to have had the tremendous leadership provided by Neil Oberfeld as Regional Chair during these past two years.  I am thankful that he will remain engaged and active in ADL for years to come.  We are also fortunate that Neil’s successor, Jim Kurtz-Phelan, will bring his own creativity and vast experience in working with ADL and so many other non-profit organizations to the position.  We welcome his leadership as the new Regional Board Chair.”

 

In addition, 10 community members will be joining ADL’s Regional Board of Directors.

Karen Bigelow, a marketing consultant who works with various clients, including restaurants and attorneys, has also served on a number of committees with the Federations and JCCs in Dallas and Denver and those of several trade organizations.

Dan Cravitz, a Vice President, Institutional Advisor and Trust Advisor at AMG National Trust Bank, has been working for nearly two decades with various non-profit boards, advising them on investment and other strategies for endowments and foundations.

Tae Darnell, the owner of the Law Offices of Tae Darnell as well as President of Sensi Media, a publisher of local lifestyle magazines launching nationally and internationally over the next two years, is involved in many community activities, including his family’s Four Winds Foundation, which is dedicated to helping underprivileged families on Lakota Sioux reservations.

Sheryl Feiler, an at large member of the JEWISHcolorado board who is well-known for her many contributions to a variety of Jewish communal organizations, is on the National and Overseas Committee and Partnership Committee of JEWISHcolorado and has also served on many other boards including Denver Jewish Day School, LEA Hadassah and Jewish Family Service.

James (Jim) Friedberg, the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking at Vectra Bank Colorado, has been a board member of the Friends of Slavens School, been on the finance committee of Denver Academy for the last seven years and served as a Cub Scout den leader for his three sons. Jim is passionate about finding affordable solutions for families that have children with learning disabilities.

Sheryl Gurrentz, the Chief Operating Officer/Senior Consultant for Scordo, Gurrentz & Associates, is currently the Vice President of the Board of Trustees and Resource Development Chair of the Denver Children’s Home, a member of the Community Fundraising Advisory Council for the Lone Tree Arts Center and a court appointed Special Advocate for children in foster care for Denver CASA.

Josh Miller, a consultant for Webb Group International, is an At-Large member of the Jewish Community Relations Council and a board member at Planned Parenthood of the Rockies. He has also served as a political director for Congresswoman Diana DeGette.

John Mosby is a Civil Rights Attorney for the past 42 years who has represented people harmed by police misconduct as well as those that have been discriminated against at their places of employment. He has also filed a number of class action suits.

Andrew Rubin, an Associate Attorney with Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP, currently serves on the board of Temple Emanuel’s Hineni Project and mentors several DU law students.  He is a graduate of the Sturm Mountain States Leadership Fellows Program and during college was an ADL intern at the Arizona regional office.

Leora Young is a Catering Sales Manager at the JW Marriott Denver in Cherry Creek.  She is involved with JEWISHcolorado/YAD and serves as a volunteer with Planned Parenthood, and is a graduate of the Sturm Mountain States Leadership Fellows Program.

“We are so pleased to have these new members join the ADL Regional Board.  Each of them brings a wealth of talent, energy and support to ADL.  It will be a great privilege to work with them,” said Levin.