Governance

Diana Wilmot is a parent of two alumni from the Classes of 2020 and 2022. She served as an administrator at Yavneh for six years (2014–2020), overseeing educational programming as well as financial and operational systems. As Board President, Diana is thrilled to continue serving Yavneh as a volunteer and helping strategically shape its future. Her 25 years in educational administration inform her work leading the Board, supporting the school’s organizational structure, and planning for leadership succession to sustain Yavneh’s mission for the South Bay Jewish community.

Stephanie Rothstein is a 24-year educator with expertise in strategic planning, design thinking, project-based learning, real-world application, educational technology, and innovative learning practices. She started, chaired, and taught in the LEAD pathway at Los Gatos High School and supported innovation and educational technology as the Innovation TOSA for Santa Clara Unified School District. She currently serves as Vice Principal of Wilcox High School. Stephanie and her husband Neal have been part of the Yavneh community for many years. Two of their daughters graduated from Yavneh in 2024 and 2025, and another child currently attends.

Lissa Minkin has nearly 30 years of human resources experience at companies including Time Warner, eBay, Facebook, Addepar, Tile, Life360, and Wrapbook. She is currently Vice President, People – Global at NETGEAR (NTGR). Her son Noah graduated from Yavneh Day School and Saratoga High School and is a rising senior at Tulane University, Lissa’s alma mater.

Lily Guggenheim brings a deep commitment to public service, community engagement, and Jewish life. A proud alumna of Yavneh Day School, Kehillah Jewish High School, and Santa Clara University, she currently serves as District Operations Manager in Congressman Sam Liccardo’s office. Her experience includes the San Jose Mayor’s Office, Congressman Ro Khanna’s District Office, and the Adam Schiff for Senate and Sam Liccardo for Congress campaigns. At Santa Clara University, she was President of both the Jewish Student Union and Students Supporting Israel. Lily also leads community engagement for her family business, 3Below Theaters, advocating for the arts and small businesses. She is thrilled to give back to Yavneh and support the next generation of Jewish learners and leaders.

A semiconductor manufacturing executive, Samy Hotimsky has more than two decades of experience in operational risk management, ESG compliance, and corporate sustainability. He has helped high-tech and industrial clients mitigate global supply-chain vulnerabilities and advance ESG initiatives. Earlier in his career, he worked as a management consultant advising energy and manufacturing firms on enterprise risk assurance. Samy is the proud parent of a Yavneh alumnus and an upcoming eighth grader.

Lauren Carlinsky brings nearly two decades of experience in education and nonprofit leadership. She began her career as an educator and youth program coordinator for a New Jersey nonprofit before moving to California and serving as a Sylvan Learning Center Director. Lauren joined Yavneh in 2015 and has held leadership roles in advancement, enrollment, communications, and school operations, helping welcome more than 130 new students and families since 2022. As a trustee, she will chair Advancement and support the school’s accreditation process. She is the proud parent of Yavneh alumni and a current Yavneh student.

Marilyn Goldsmith is a healthcare executive, registered nurse, and nurse advocate. She has managed an oncology treatment facility, rehabilitation institute, critical care area, and hospital strategic planning and marketing departments. In the pharmaceutical industry, she developed a model for delivering oncology care that included executive coaching for healthcare leaders. She has taught business and nursing at universities and colleges and founded a company specializing in marketing, executive coaching, and executive search in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. A longtime Jewish communal leader, Marilyn has served Jewish Federations in New York and New Jersey and on the boards of Jewish Silicon Valley and J Leaders. She is a proud grandparent of a Yavneh student.

Kari Wolff is the proud parent of three Yavneh alumni and continues to make Yavneh her top philanthropic commitment. She has volunteered countless hours at the school and serves on the Executive Board as Member-at-Large. Kari also served Yavneh for six years as a first-grade teacher and reading specialist. She is delighted to contribute to the Development Committee and help guide the school’s educational program and fiduciary vision.

Rabbi David Kunin graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in Medieval History and was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, where he also received an MA in Judaic Studies. He has served communities in Glasgow, Elmira, San Diego, Edmonton, and Tokyo. In Elmira, he chaired the Southern Tier Interfaith Coalition and created its Walking Together program. He was also a longtime board member and president of the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action. He received the Alberta Centennial Medal for his community work and joined Congregation Beth David as Senior Rabbi in June 2023.

Olga Gonen is an accounting and finance executive with over 20 years of experience leading teams in international public companies and high-tech startups across Silicon Valley and Israel. She began her career in audit at PwC Tel Aviv before moving into corporate controller and CFO roles. Since 2015, she has helped build financial foundations and drive strategic growth at Universal Audio Inc., where she currently serves as Vice President of Finance. Olga brings a practical, data-driven approach to strategy, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration. Born in Russia and raised in Israel before moving to San Jose, she speaks English, Hebrew, and Russian. She is honored to contribute her expertise in financial stewardship, risk management, and organizational strategy to Yavneh.

Leo Livak has been part of the Yavneh community with his wife Irit and their children for five years. His daughter Lea joined in fourth grade and is graduating this summer, while his younger daughter Mia has attended since kindergarten. Born in Russia, Leo made aliyah to Israel at 16 and moved to the Bay Area in 2007 after 15 years in Israel. Fluent in Hebrew, English, and Russian, he has worked across startups, midsize companies, and large enterprises in engineering, systems architecture, and senior leadership. He currently leads networking organizations at Amazon Web Services (AWS). Leo believes Jewish day schools are vital to sustaining vibrant Jewish communities and is honored to help guide Yavneh’s future.

Jennifer Orrin is a collaborative leader who motivates teams through positive reinforcement and a strong team ethic. She began her career as a pediatric nurse at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and earned a master’s degree in Pediatric Nursing Education from UCSF. She currently works as Director of Customer Success in customer operations at a healthcare startup. Jennifer is passionate about supporting Jewish youth and staying involved in the Jewish community.

Rabbi Nico Socolovsky grew up in Buenos Aires and immigrated to Israel in 2002. He has worked with teenagers, immigrants, formerly incarcerated people, underprivileged families, and other communities. In 2010, he founded Shchuniya, a home for Jewish renaissance in Haifa. He also directed the Center for Economic Rights in Hadera for Rabbis for Human Rights. From 2013 to 2015, he lived in Singapore and served communities throughout Southeast Asia. Rabbi Nico lives with his wife Noga, their children Amitai, Nitzan, and Guilad, and their dog Athena.

David Silberstein began his career as an entrepreneur before moving into commercial real estate and founding Silverstone Commercial in 2017. His firm serves clients throughout California and specializes in retail, office, warehouse, school, and development properties. David tailors his approach to each property and client, drawing on extensive experience negotiating complex deals and finding creative solutions. He is the proud parent of two Yavneh alumni.

Heidi Zinman is a mother of four and a graduate of UC Berkeley and Santa Clara Law School. She worked for many years as an attorney and real estate agent and also served as a surrogacy case manager. Her children attended Yavneh and the preschool at the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center. Heidi and her husband Dave deeply value an education rooted in values and community. While her children attended these schools, Heidi volunteered extensively, including as Vice President of the Yavneh Parent Association, chair of the JCC’s 40th Anniversary Gala Auction Committee, chair of Yavneh’s Spring Fundraiser and Head of School Installation, and a longtime room parent.