Professional
Team

As Vice President of Philanthropic Advisory at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Ghila Sanders leads a small but mighty team focused on facilitating strategic philanthropy and dedicated to supporting donors, nonprofits and professional advisors as they create meaningful change.

Ghila brings to the team 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and development. Her expertise and passion include operations management, strategic planning, and community engagement. Born and raised in the Jewish community of Rome, Italy, she holds a JD from Universita’ di Roma “La Sapienza” and an MBA from Georgia State University. Before joining the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Ghila served as Executive Director of Roswell Arts Fund, the designated Art agency for City of Roswell, GA. Previously, Ghila was with the Breman Museum, where she served in several capacities, ultimately leading operations as Interim Executive Director. Earlier, she managed the Programs & Events Department at the Jewish Museum of Rome, Italy.

Ghila lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband David, their three children and two dogs.

Tova Baruch is a strategic operations leader, educator, and community builder with over two decades of experience turning big-picture vision into tangible, people-centered results. After moving to Atlanta in 1998, she launched a successful freelance photography business, focusing on documentary and environmental portraiture for national publications. But it was her deep investment in community—starting in the Cabbagetown neighborhood—that shaped the next chapter of her career. Tova quickly became a driving force behind neighborhood revitalization efforts, spearheading the transformation of underutilized land into a vibrant city park and later helping to found a community center. As board president of the Cabbagetown Initiative Community Development Corporation, she led cross-sector partnerships with city officials, nonprofits, and neighbors to strengthen public spaces, support the arts, and foster connection.

Today, as Philanthropic Officer at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, Tova builds lasting relationships with fundholders and fosters their engagement in meaningful, values-driven philanthropy. She supports donors at every stage of their giving journey—from developing multi-generational giving plans to aligning philanthropic goals with community needs—while ensuring a consistently high level of care, communication, and service. Drawing on her background in education, nonprofit leadership, and grassroots organizing, Tova helps families and individuals turn their intentions into impact. Her work is fueled by a deep commitment to equity, service, and Jewish communal life—and she brings grit, warmth, and clarity to every endeavor.

Kathy Evans brings tremendous experience in finance and operations to her role as Atlanta Jewish Foundation’s Director of Operations. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, with an MBA from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University, Kathy launched her career in New York in investment banking, working for Merrill Lynch, and then moving to finance at ABC News. Kathy honed her operations experience working for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. She headed up the Staff Accreditation Center, managing a staff of over 100 who processed 30,000 volunteers working on the 1996 games. Since then, Kathy has worked in finance for The Weather Channel and the Breman Jewish History Museum. She is very active in the city’s Jewish community, serving on the finance and film selection committees for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, the board of the National Council of Jewish Women, Atlanta Chapter, and is a trustee and member of the finance committee of the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta. Kathy is a member of Temple Sinai and a past treasurer of their preschool board.

Ikepo Talabi serves as the Controller for the Foundation and Federation. She manages accounting, investments, and finance for the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and the Atlanta Jewish Foundation, including its audit, tax returns, treasury functions, financial reporting, and internal controls.

She ensures that all accounting and finance operations follow GAAP rules. Before joining the Foundation, Ikepo worked at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. Ikepo holds a BSc in Computer Science and Accounting from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria, a Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis, and a Master’s in Accounting and Financial Management from Keller Graduate School of Management. Originally from London, Ikepo grew up in Nigeria and now lives with her family in Austell.

Brett Stanford is a Donor Services Associate with over 8 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. A graduate of Georgia State University with a BA in Communications, she specializes in donor relations and data management, and is passionate about delivering exceptional service to supporters. Outside of work, Brett enjoys baking, spending time at the beach, and indulging in her love for films.

Rachel Lehrer Rosner, CAP serves as Fiduciary Review and Endowment Officer at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation. She began her career as an executive at Bloomingdale’s department stores, serving in various management and merchandising positions for a decade. Rachel is a National Council of Jewish Women, Atlanta Section Past President and Treasurer. She currently serves as the Endowment Chair of the Sandy Springs Society and on the boards of the Northwestern University Club of Atlanta. She is a past board member of the Northwestern Alumni Association. Rachel has a BA in philosophy from Northwestern University.

Shawn Stern is the Director of Business Development for Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. He is responsible for new individual and corporate business development across the entire organization.

Shawn has been fundraising for over 7 years. He has worked for organizations such as the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, Teach For America, and Emory University, supporting them with corporate and foundation fundraising and major gifts. Shawn serves as a “Big Pal” for JF&CS’s Pals Program.

He graduated from Pennsylvania University with a B.A. in Political Science and Communications, and completed a Masters in Public Administration from American University. In his free time, Shawn enjoys spending time with his wife, hiking, and traveling.