Management Team | Advisory Board | Institutional Supporters | Consultants and Staff
Management Team
Founded by two Jews and two Palestinians, LendforPeace.org is led by a diverse team with a common interest.
Click Here to read a message from the founders.
Sam Adelsberg | Co-Founder
Before founding LendforPeace.org, Sam worked as a Senior Program Director at PlaNet Finance with a focus on US microfinance initiatives. He also worked at the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation as well as in the Office of Senator Joseph Lieberman (ID-CT). In the last three years Sam has spent twelve months living in Israel as well as five months studying Arabic in Egypt. He has been nominated to be a Goldman Sachs Global Leader and Ashoka Entrepreneur. Sam graduated with summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Modern Middle East Studies and Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Andrew Dudum | Co-Founder
Andrew is an entrepreneur and peace activist. In addition to co-founding LendforPeace.org he is also the founder of myGreek.org, a professional social network designed to connect the millions of people worldwide who have participated in fraternities and sororities. An Arab Christian, Andrew is active in ethnic and diversity-related issues, leading programs sponsored by Brown University and the Jesuit American Diversity Committee. Andrew is a candidate for a degree in Finance and Real Estate from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
David Fraga | Co-Founder
In addition to serving as a co-founder at LendforPeace.org, David is also the Director of Corporate Development at Shutterstock, the world's largest subscription-based stock photography agency. Prior to joining Shutterstock, David was an Analyst at Insight Venture Partners, a leading venture capital and private equity firm that focuses exclusively on software and Internet businesses. He has also worked in marketing and partner relationship management for clients such as DreamWorks SKG, Warner Brothers Studios and Cartoon Network's 'Adult Swim.' The product of a Cuban Jewish family, David graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in Economics and Political Science and a minor in Hispanic Studies.
Allam Taj | Co-Founder
Prior to co-founding LendforPeace.org, Al worked as an Financial Analyst at Johnson and Johnson and at Legg Mason. A Palestinian Muslim, Al was born in Dubai and grew up in Philadelphia, PA. He graduated summa cum laude from Temple University with a degree in Finance and Accounting and magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He also completed Level III of the CFA charter. Al is currently working in New York for Citigroup as an Associate in the CitiSelect program, a collaborative initiative between Citigroup and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, a New York-based corporate law firm.
Advisory Board
Howard Finkelstein | Law Offices of Howard J. Finkelstein
Howard Finkelstein is one of the country's pioneers in the securitization of microfinance-related obligations. Mr. Finkelstein, who recently left a national law firm to establish his own practice, focuses a great part of his practice on structuring capital market instruments to bring Western capital to microfinance institutions worldwide. He was the lead attorney in the $60 million securitization known as MicroFinance Securities (MFS) XXEB, in which he successfully structured the multi-currency securitization of loans to 30 microfinance institutions in 15 countries. In 2007, he served as US counsel to Blue Orchard in the transaction known as BOLD 2007, which was named the Sustainable Deal of the Year for 2007. His work has helped to bring nearly $1 billion to MFIs worldwide. Mr. Finkelstein participates broadly in the sector, having organized and co-chaired three conferences and spoken at numerous other public and private forums on microfinance. He is on the Board of Directors of the Microfinance Club of New York, Secretary of Microlumbia, Inc., and on the Advisory Boards of Green Microfinance and Frogtek LLC.
Craig Newmark | Craigslist.org
Craig Newmark is the founder of Craigslist.org, a site where people can help each other with everyday needs including housing and jobs. He's also working with a wide range of groups using the Net to help each other out, like Donorschoose.org, the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, Kiva.org and Consumer Reports. Craig is also actively engaged with government workers on multiple levels to use the Net for superior public service, and with Sunlight Foundation for government accountability and transparency.
David Gutelius | Social Kinetics and Ishtirak
Dr. David Gutelius is a co-founder and Chief Technical Officer at Social Kinetics, a Silicon Valley pioneer in adaptive social media technologies. A specialist in social networks and economics, he co-founded the Social Computing Lab at the Artificial Intelligence Center at SRI International. While at SRI International and in partnership with DARPA, Dr. Gutelius helped lead a project called CALO which is considered by many to be the largest artificial intelligence research project in history. Gutelius also co-founded and ran Ishtirak, a technology and microeconomic development counsultancy focused exclusively on the Middle East and Islamic Africa, serving clients from IBM to Frito Lay to Beruit Container Terminal and helping to scale regional microfinance operations Sanabel and Grameen-Jameel, LTD. He currently serves as an advisor to Meedan and on the board of Teachers Without Borders. Previously, Gutelius was a Visiting Professor at Stanford University.
Kate Lauer | CGAP
Kate Lauer is a policy advisor consultant to CGAP and a lawyer with 20 years of experience in international finance and microfinance. Kate began her career at the international law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and then served as in-house counsel at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, where she worked on various projects including the establishment of the MicroEnterprise Bank in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Hanna Siniora | Palestinian National Council
Hanna Siniora is a Palestinian Christian who lives in East Jerusalem. He is the publisher of The Jerusalem Times and a co-Chief Executive Officer of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information. He is also a member of the Palestine National Council and the chairperson of the Palestinian-American Chamber of Commerce. An early proponent of dialogue and negotiations with Israel, Siniora has a long history of involvement in pro-peace activities. For his lifetime commitment to working towards Palestinian-Israeli peace, he was awarded the Order of the Knights of Malta.
Delphine Thizy | PlaNet Finance, Director of the Palestinian Territories
Delphine Thizy is the Director of the the Palestinian Territories for PlaNet Finance. PlaNet Finance is an international organization whose mission is to fight poverty through microfinance. The PlaNet Finance Group is active in more than 60 countries with an international network of 38 offices. In 2007 PlaNet Finance Advisory Services provided assistance to 220 microfinance institutions (MFIs), reaching almost 9 million clients. Before taking charge of the Palestinian Territories, Ms. Thizy was the PlaNet Finance Regional Coordinator for South Asia. She has also been Head of Mission in Afghanistan where she was in charge of the technical assistance mission for Sunduq (an Afghan MFI). Before joining PlaNet Finance, Ms. Thizy worked for an NGO in Mozambique and with UNDP and the MFI PARC in the Palestinian Territories. She holds a Master of Science of the territory from the University Pierre-Mendès France of Grenoble.
Institutional Supporters
Clinton Global Initiative
Building on President Clinton’s lifetime in public service, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) reflects the President's belief that governments need collaboration with the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and other global leaders to confront the world’s most pressing problems effectively. In 2005, President Clinton established CGI to turn ideas into action and to help our world move beyond the current state of globalization to a more integrated global community of shared benefits, responsibilities, and values. By gathering world leaders from a variety of backgrounds, CGI creates a unique opportunity to channel the capacities of individuals and organizations to realize change. To fulfill the action-oriented mission of CGI, all members devise practical solutions to global issues through the development of specific and measurable 'Commitments to Action.'
The CGI community also includes CGI University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship; CGI Asia; and, MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make their own Commitment to Action.
Ashoka Youth Venture
Having named, created and pioneered the global field of social entrepreneurship, Ashoka is the oldest, largest and fastest-growing association of social entrepreneurs. Ashoka has established programs in over 60 countries and supports the work of over 2000 Fellows. In 1996, Ashoka launched Youth Venture in order to build a movement of yound social changemakers by investing in teams of young people who are building lasting social ventures. Youth Ventures currently operates in 14 countries and has supported hundreds of teams around the world.
Davis Projects for Peace
Davis Projects for Peace is an initiative for students at any of the more than 90 schools included in the Davis United World College Scholars Program. Students design their own grassroots projects for peace to be implemented before the end of 2009. By means of a competition more than 100 projects have been selected for funding. The program is being funded by Kathryn W. Davis, a lifelong internationalist and philanthropist who is now over 101 years old. Mrs. Davis feels some urgency to spark initiatives for building prospects for peace in the world and so is committing $1 million to fund the selected projects.
Shurush Initiative
The Shurush Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that uses small loans and business training to improve the economic situation in the Middle East, while also establishing business relationships between Arab and Jewish entrepreneurs. Shurush, which means "roots" in both Arabic and Hebrew, is planting the roots of hope, cooperation and opportunity in the region through microloans that change lives. In its effortst to promote positive change, Shurush has partnered with organizations such as Kiva, KIEDF and the YMCA. Serving as a bridge between concerned citizens of the world and the Middle East, Shurush is using business as a tool for social change.
Consultants and Staff
Valerie Ley Alter | International Outreach
Valerie has in-depth experience with both online marketing and peace-related activism. She holds a Master's degree in Peace and Conflict studies from Sydney University and recently graduated summa cum laude from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a Master's in Conflict Resolution. She has worked for an Israeli Internet startup, an online media agency and at the Swiss Asylum Appeal Commission. She plans to pursue a PhD in the field of microfinance. Originally from Switzerland, Valerie lives in Tel-Aviv, Israel, is married and has a young son.
Kelly Dudine | Marketing and Public Relations Intern
Kelly Dudine is a senior at Boston University, majoring in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in International Relations. Before joining the LendforPeace.org team, Kelly interned for Coburn Communications in New York City. She also spent the spring semester of 2009 studying in London as part of Boston University’s London Internship program. While abroad, Kelly interned for Stephanie Churchill PR. Upon graduation in the spring of 2010, Kelly plans to spend time in India with ShakeHands, a volunteer program.
Alexi Greenberg | Marketing Intern
Before joining the LendforPeace.org team, Alexi worked for the Israel Policy Forum as an assistant to the Executive Director and the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces in the Fundraising Department. She has also worked for Resonance Pictures, providing marketing support for the documentary “Unsettled.” Alexi recently completed her degree in Economics and Government from Colby College in May 2009. Upon completing her internship with LendforPeace.org, she will spend a year in Israel on Otzma, a language/volunteer program.
Gadi Rouache | Creative Director
Gadi is a New York-based artist and activist. He devotes his creative energy to socially and politically charged initiatives. Prior to joining the LendforPeace.org Team, Gadi created and traveled across the country in the BamaBus, a creative mobile campaign to bring voters into the dialogue of change. For his work on this initiative, Gadi received news coverage from Time Magazine, CBS, MSNBC and the Huffington Post. Gadi spent the second half of 2006 backpacking around the world while doing graphic design consulting for the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Bangkok, Thailand. Upon his return he volunteered as Senator Claire McCaskill's College Outreach Coordinator and continued his involvement at Washington University in St. Louis, where he received a dual degree from the Olin Business School and the School of Arts and Science.
Tidhar Wald | Harvard Kennedy School of Government ICO Consultant
Tidhar is a first year Master of Public Policy student at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University concentrating in International and Global Affairs. Originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, he graduated from the Sorbonne University in Paris, France receiving a BA in Political Science and History. Tidhar has worked as a Journalist for several Israeli newspapers, among them “Ha’aretz”, covering International Affairs, social and cultural affairs. Prior to entering the Kennedy School, he served as the European Union Liaison Officer of the European Jewish Congress, coordinating the political actions of this NGO within the EU Institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg. He is fluent in Hebrew, English, French and German and is learning Japanese and Spanish.
