Meet the JVN team

The JVN Team is made up of staff members in London and Manchester, and a small number of committed office-based volunteers. You can find out more about each of them below. For general enquiries please email info@jvn.org.uk, or call the office on 020 8203 6427 ext. 3, Monday-Thursday 9am-5:30pm and Friday 9am-1pm (winter) or 3pm (summer).

 

Professional Team

 

Nicky Goldman

Chief Executive

Nicky has been the Chief Executive of JVN since January 2019. She has worked professionally in the Jewish community for over 40 years in leadership, volunteering and community development, family education, HR, youth and student work, engaging volunteers in each role.

She has volunteered throughout her life, particularly at Bushey United Synagogue for 30 years, as well as co-leading Shabbat and festival services on Jewish Care’s Sandringham campus.

Nicky is a member of the Executive of the Alliance of Jewish Women and their Organisations (AJWO) and is a trustee of the Alan and Sheila Diamond Charitable Trust.

She has an MA in Jewish Communal Service from the Hornstein Program at Brandeis University, Boston, USA (1992) as well as being a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (FCIPD). In 2020-21, Nicky participated in the first UK cohort of The Growth Project, a leadership programme for charity and business leaders and she was one of the first cohort of Sacks Scholars (2023-24).

Email Nicky: nicky@jvn.org.uk

 

Jo Bean

Marketing Manager

Jo started in 2017 and heads up the Marketing department at JVN

Email Jo: jo.bean@jvn.org.uk

 

Caroline Collins

Fundraising and Finance Administrator

Caroline started working at JVN in November 2016, following a successful career at Jewish Women's Aid and WIZOuk. Caroline has vast experience of working in the Jewish charity sector and assists JVN with the day to day finances. In November 2021 Caroline also took on the role of Fundraising Administrator. 

E-mail Caroline: caroline@jvn.org.uk

 

Olly DeHerrera

Grant Writer and Community Fundraising Coordinator

Olly is a recent graduate undertaking the role of Grant Writer and Community Fundraising Coordinator. She has held various voluntary roles alongside her studies, including Regional Ambassador for Holocaust Education Trust and President of Oxford University Jewish Society. Olly is keen to increase the number of students and young professionals engaging in voluntary work through JVN.

E-mail Olly: ollyd@jvn.org.uk

 

Gemma Felberg

Projects and Communications Officer

Gemma is passionate about volunteering and over the years has helped both the Jewish community and wider society in several varied roles. Her most recent volunteering has been focused on mentoring graduates and helping them navigate life after university. In addition, she has volunteered as a communications officer for a grassroots Community Centre, Framescape

E-mail Gemma: gemma@jvn.org.uk

 

 

Lesley Gordon

Office Administration/PA to Nicky Goldman

Lesley is PA to Nicky Goldman and is the Office Administrator. She also helps with managing events, including the JVN Awards. Lesley has several years’ experience in the charity sector and has worked for JVN since May 2016. She enjoys being part of the JVN team and values the work that we do.

Email Lesley: lesleyg@jvn.org.uk

 

Angie Jacobs

Volunteer Broker 

Angie worked on the Jewish Care Direct helpline for 13 years and is now putting her knowledge of the Jewish community to use as JVN’s volunteer broker. Her role is to support the volunteers and the charities on their volunteering journey. She was first involved with JVN in 2012 when she approached them with an idea for her son’s Bar Mitzvah project. With JVN’s help, he not only succeeded in volunteering for 13 different charities, but also got invited to the Chanukah party at no.10. A friendly northerner, Angie has always loved working with people and helping them to achieve their goals, one of her previous roles being as a Slimming World consultant. A keen writer and eater, Angie enjoys ‘researching’ restaurants and reviewing them in The Jewish News.

Email Angie: angie@jvn.org.uk

 

 

Rachelle Lazarus

Charity Engagement and Volunteer Manager

Rachelle brings extensive experience and passion for volunteering to the role, having worked throughout her 30-year career in community work. Rachelle began volunteering in Leeds, where she ran Jewish Youth Voluntary Services. From there, she worked in Los Angeles at the Survivors’ of the Shoah Visual History Foundation early in its inception where she devised and built their volunteer programme before moving to the Museum of Tolerance to manage their volunteers.  After she moved to London, she began working at Jewish Care, managing several of their services, working with the Survivor and refugee communities, developing social, cultural, therapeutic and educational programmes. 

Rachelle was also involved with the establishment of Yom HaShoah UK, and sits on the council of her Synagogue.  There she extends her support to families with young children as well  as an inclusion programme for individual living with dementia.

E-mail Rachelle: rachelle@jvn.org.uk

 

 

Rebecca Mickler

Volunteer Coordinator (Manchester)

Rebecca joined JVN as the Volunteer Coordinator for Manchester in 2018 and works with Charities and Volunteers across Greater Manchester. She has previously worked for an exhibition’s company organising the build of large-scale exhibitions across the country as well as working for a fashion line managing the merchandising and distribution of large clothing contracts. Rebecca was a part of the 2018 UJIA Leadership programme that links young professionals with key voluntary leadership positions within the community.

Email Rebecca: manchester@jvn.org.uk

 

 

Volunteer Team

 

Mike Boda

Data Manager

Mike joined JVN as a volunteer to help with managing our website in 2015, when he retired from a career in I.T. Management specialising in customer service, sales and marketing systems. Since then, Mike has filled the role of the JVN I.T. Manager, overseeing the development and analysing the performance of our systems including our website, mobile app and fundraising database. In addition to volunteering for JVN, Mike continues to volunteer for other charities in roles that he found through JVN.

Email Mike: mikeb@jvn.org.uk

 

Stuart Clifton

IT Lead

Stuart joined JVN as a volunteer in 2023 to help project manage JVN's website refresh initiative. Prior to retiring in 2022, Stuart was an IT consultant and Agile project manager who delivered solutions in the hospitality, finance, telecommunications and healthcare sectors for large PLCs and SMEs. Stuart started his volunteering journey back in 2011 and continues to provide IT assistance to other charities, often via JVN-advertised opportunities.

E-mail Stuart: stuartc@jvn.org.uk

 

Rita Fischer

Volunteering Department Administrator

Rita has been volunteering at JVN since her retirement in 2012. Rita is a retired solicitor and has been a volunteer for several charities over the years. At JVN she carries out various administration duties. She is currently a member of the JC Singers who entertain residents in old age care homes and at friendship clubs.

E-mail Rita: volunteer@jvn.org.uk