Sarita Bronstein,
Executive Director

Sarita Bronstein is a passionate leader profoundly committed to Israel advocacy and the promulgation of Jewish life.  She has been active in the Mid-Peninsula Jewish Community for over twenty years.  Sarita served as an Executive Officer on the Board of Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School and Kehillah Jewish High School.  She was a founder of the Gideon Hausner’s Middle School, Kehillah Jewish High School, and Shalhevet (Teens Program to Poland & Israel).  A Wexner Heritage Foundation Alumni, she holds a B.A. degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Mass Communications and Public Relations, with the specific purpose of serving Israel.  She was the College and Career Center’s Coordinator at Gunn High School. Sarita served as the Director of the Israel Travel Initiative and Israel @ 60 Mission at the Israel Center of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco.  Sarita was fully responsible for initiating and establishing the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces new chapter in the San Francisco Bay area. Sarita was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia.  Sarita has two children, Zachary and Rebecca.

Vanina J. Sandel Mutchnik
Assistant Director

Vanina Sandel Mutchnik, a System Information Engineer originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina moved to San Jose in 2004 to become the Program Director at Hillel of Silicon Valley. Leaving her high tech career behind, Vanina has been working for the past eight years at Hillel helping students to create a meaningful Jewish Life during their college years and beyond. Vanina is married to Sharon Mutchnik and they have one son named Ethan (or Eitan) who is 2 ½ years old. Today Vanina is the Assistant Director of Hillel of Silicon Valley and is very proud of the growth of the organization and the positive impacts Hillel has made in the students and local community.

Jessica Trousdale
Program Associate

Jessica Trousdale, a San Jose State University alumni, was actively involved with Hillel of Silicon Valley as a student. Jessica loved being a part of the young Jewish community, and is thrilled to help Hillel of Silicon Valley grow as their Program Associate. This will be Jessica’s second year with Hillel, and she looks forward to engaging new students and facilitating new friendships.

Johanna Wilder
Israel Fellow

Johanna Wilder, a UC Santa Cruz graduate originally from Los Angeles has always been passionate about Judaism and Israel related topics. Johanna served as Programs Director at Santa Cruz Hillel in 2010 and recently came back from a year in Israel volunteering as an English Teacher in Netanya. Johanna is excited to begin another year with Hillel and can’t wait to meet all the future leaders of our Jewish and Israel communities.

Susie Green
Operations Manager and Executive Admin

Susie Green, a Peabody Conservatory of Music graduate originally from Baltimore, spent over twenty-five years performing in regional and community theaters.  Susie immediately became involved planning events for numerous organizations in the Jewish community when she and her husband Andy moved to San Jose in 1983. Together they have raised three amazing sons…Aaron, who lives in San Francisco; Jacob, who lives in New York City; and Ben who begins his sophomore year at Kehillah.  Susie is excited to start her third year managing the office operations at Hillel of Silicon Valley, and absolutely loves being surrounded by the active future members of the South Bay Jewish community.