Professional
Team

Lindsay Kopecky is working with the Foundation team to pave the way to securing a vibrant and flourishing Jewish community for the next generation in Greater Atlanta. She loves working with individuals and families who care deeply for the Jewish community to help align their values with their philanthropic giving and legacy. Lindsay says, “Atlanta is my adopted home, and my children will be the beneficiaries of the investment I put into the Jewish community. The greatest legacy I could leave would be ensuring our community has the resources for JewishATL, today and tomorrow.”

During her time at Federation, Lindsay has showcased her strengths in relationship-building, strategy, and communication. Lindsay has been a frontline fundraiser for almost thirteen years and has extensive experience in major and endowment fundraising.

Ghila Sanders is the Vice President, Philanthropic Advisory at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation. She leads the development and implementation of engagement strategies and stewardship opportunities for fundholders to deepen, maintain, and grow relationships. She joins us from Roswell Arts Fund, where she served as Executive Director since 2019. Ghila’s career over the past 15 years has been focused on nonprofit leadership and development. Her expertise and passion include operations management, strategy, and community engagement.

Born and raised in Rome, Italy, she holds a JD from Universita’ di Roma “La Sapienza” and an MBA from Georgia State University. Before Roswell Arts Fund, 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 is actively engaged in several community organizations, including Congregation Shearith Israel, New American Pathways, and Furnish with Love. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband David, and their family.

Tova Baruch is the Managing Director of Donor Services. She develops recommendations to simplify, streamline, and improve current practices and leads the prioritization and implementation of solutions.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she holds a BFA from Rochester Institute of Technology in photography and an MAT in education from Georgia State University. Tova’s career over the past 20 years has included nonprofit leadership in her community and beyond. She served as an educator, advisor, and program manager for the Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School beginning in 2017. Previously, she worked with the City of Atlanta Parks Department.

Tova has been involved with the Jewish Kids Group and Forward Warrior, has served as an NPU representative, and is currently an emeritus member of the Cabbagetown Initiative Community Development Corporation. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, two teenage daughters, and three pups.

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 finance committee 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.

After nearly 20 years, Katie Busch took an early retirement from Emory University in October 2024. Katie joined Emory in 2006 and, until 2018, was the Assistant Dean and Senior Director of Development for the James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies before becoming Emory’s first Executive Director of International Advancement and Constituent Engagement.

In her most recent role, Katie engaged alumni, parents, patients, and friends globally to invest in Emory’s priorities.  She managed a team dedicated to supporting Emory’s international volunteer leaders who created programming for alumni in over 25 networks worldwide and worked closely with university leadership to promote Emory’s global research abroad.

Prior to joining Emory, Katie was a direct marketing consultant for hospitals and National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Cancer Centers. She began her healthcare fundraising career with the Arthritis Foundation and worked in non-profit marketing for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Public Radio/TV, and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. She was also formerly the Executive Director of the Atlanta chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women and has held mangy volunteer leadership roles throughout the Atlanta Non-profit community.

A graduate of Ohio University with over 30 years of professional experience in marketing, fundraising, strategic planning, and alumni relations, Katie has been a frequent conference presenter and member of numerous professional organizations.  Katie resides in Atlanta with her husband and dog Archie and is the proud parent of an Emory graduate, Jake, and a current Emory undergraduate, Sarah.

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.

Levi Burton (they/them/theirs) joined the Atlanta Jewish Foundation as an Administrative Associate, having over ten years of career experience in non-profit and academic spaces. Their people-first approach to work balances precision and efficiency with kindness. As of July 2024, Levi was promoted to Events Manager to manage the event logistics for the Campaign and Foundation teams. During this transition, they continue to support the Foundation team’s administrative needs.

Levi earned their MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) & PBC in Instructional Design from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and their undergraduate degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Levi loves to bake, craft, and enjoy the East Coast scenery that reminds them of home (Newport News, Virginia).

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 serves as the Life & Legacy Coordinator at 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 an avid volunteer and is currently treasurer and immediate past president of the National Council of Jewish Women, Atlanta Section. She serves on the boards of the Northwestern University Club of Atlanta and the Atlanta chapter of the American Jewish Committee. She is a past board member of the Northwestern Alumni Association and a past executive committee member of the Sandy Springs Society. Rachel has a BA in philosophy from Northwestern University.