Guy is responsible for leading the Israeli operation of PresenTense and comes to the organization after serving in executive roles at a number of innovative Israeli hi-tech and biotech companies including XMPie and AposTherapy. 

Along side his business activities, Guy has been an active volunteer at Merchavim - the Institute for the Advancement of Shared Citizenship, where he is outgoing Chairman of the Board. During his time as Chairman, Merchavim’s innovating programming, that helps Israeli children from all backgrounds learn about and celebrate Israel’s cultural diversity, has reached over 500 schools and kindergartens.

Naomi holds an MBA and MPA from NYU’s Stern School of Business and Wagner School of Public Service, where she was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and Vice President of Philanthropy for the Jewish Students Association. Prior to graduate school Naomi worked for four years in informal Jewish education, managing training programs at the Foundation for Jewish Camp and JEXNET and serving as the Bronfman Fellow to Avraham Infeld at Hillel’s International Center. Naomi holds a B.S. in Marketing and Rhetoric from the University of Maryland and spent a year in Israel studying Jewish texts at Midreshet Lindenbaum. She lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband, Hadar.

Originally from the DC metro area, Shelby joined PresenTense after spending a year in Israel studying at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies and working for a joint MBA program between the University of Maryland Entrepreneurship Center and the Technion.  She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where she studied entrepreneurial management at the Wharton School, and pursued this degree as an analyst at two early-stage venture capital funds in Philadelphia while living in Moishe House Philly. 

Alina is the European Programs Director for PresenTense. Prior to joining PresenTense, she worked as a New Media Campaigner for “Green Course” and as a New Media Lecturer at Mas”a (for young media professionals). For five years she has worked in the field of New Media as New Media Manager, Public Relations and Client Manager, and Web Content Writer for various organizations.

Alina served as the Russian Desk Commander in the Foreign Press Branch of the IDF Spokespersons Unit. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from The Interdisciplinary Center, Sami Ofer School of Communications. She is also a graduate of the Mahindra United World College of India and a graduate of the Stand With Us fellowship (Public Diplomacy Program).

Brian Blumenthal is the Online Community Assistant for PresenTense, helping to build and improve PresenTense's website and online presence. Brian recently graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. in International and Global Studies and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and is spending the year in Israel studying at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Brian has significant experience assisting nonprofits, small startups, and media organizations with print and digital communications and strategy. While not in Jerusalem, Waltham, or traveling around the world, he lives in Evanston, IL.

Daniel is the Coordinator of the Jerusalem programs, and is an active member of the social and social-business entrepreneurship community. Alongside his bachelor’s degree in communal social work at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he was one of the founders of the Osim Shinui movement (social workers for a change in the government’s priorities) and Salon Shabazi, a community center in Nachlaot, Jerusalem. Daniel also worked in lobbying and marketing for a variety of social organizations. He served in the IDF as a part of a Garin Nachal of the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement.

Daniel has lived in Jerusalem for the past seven years, and takes an active part in cross-sector social and cultural projects and in forming new communities. He is currently a graduate student at the Hebrew University's business school, focusing on organizational behavior and marketing.

Elinor is the Office Manager of the PresenTense Jerusalem hub. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Elinor moved to Israel in 2006. She has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from McGill University, and a Master of Arts in Community Leadership and Philanthropy Studies from the Rothberg International school of the Hebrew University. Before coming to PresenTense, Elinor worked as the Tourism and Development Coordinator for Emunah, the National Religious Women’s Organization.  Elinor currently lives in Jerusalem with her husband.

Erez, a native Jerusalemite, has a B.A. in Political Science and Jewish Thought from Hebrew University. He was the head of a Jewish Agency delegation to California. He is currently studying for a M.A. in Education from Hebrew University.

Gili Finkelstein is director of strategy and marketing, and manager of public relations, at PresenTense Israel. Prior to joining PresenTense, Gili worked as a strategic planner at McCann Erickson where she developed marketing strategies for some of Israel's largest brands. During her army service, she served as an IDF spokesperson for the Israeli Air Force.

She joined PresenTense in pursuit of her passion to combine the business and social worlds. At this meeting point between the two fields, she finds endless options for innovation and possibility.

Gili has a BA in Communications and Marketing and is an alumna of the StandWithUs Fellowship for public diplomacy.

Jerrin is the in-house graphic designer for PresenTense. Until joining PresenTense officially in November, she had worked with the organization on a regular basis since 2008. She has combined work for PT with a successful freelance career at J.KAY Designs. She has done work for the Israel Ministry of Science and Technology, Tel Aviv University, Bema’aglei Tzedek and the NU Campaign. Jerrin focuses on web, print and apparel design for start-ups, small businesses and non-profit organizations. Before shifting to design, Jerrin worked as a print and radio journalist in Israel, Chicago and Metropolitan Detroit, her hometown. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Jerrin has since wandered across many continents, ending up in Israel and making aliyah in 2006.

Justin Rosen Smolen is the program director at PresenTense, an accelerator that fosters the next generation of social entrepreneurs by helping innovators build new ideas into transformational ventures. Justin received his MPA from NYU's Wagner School of Public Service in 2012 and is currently completing the requirements for his MA in Jewish studies at NYU's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Alongside his studies, Justin is participating in the Wexner Graduate Fellowship. Previously, Justin directed CLIP: The Collegiate Leadership Internship Program, an undergraduate internship program that cultivates emerging Jewish professional and lay leaders in the Jewish community. Prior to graduate school, Justin participated in Insight: The Schusterman Fellowship for Jewish community, a two-year work professional development program that brought Justin to three Jewish non-profits for seven-month work placements. As an undergraduate, Justin attended the dual-degree program between Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he received bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and Jewish thought. In his spare time, Justin loves traveling, reading, and running in Riverside Park.

Michael is a Senior Associate at PresenTense. He is a graduate of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, in International Relations. He grew up in Be'er-Sheva, after his family made Aliyah in 1992, lived in Jerusalem for 6 years and is now living in Washington, DC where he is pursuing graduate studies in Foreign Service at Georgetown University . Michael was a JAFI Shaliach at Camp Ramah in California for four summers, and has previously worked at the Knesset, the Menachem Begin Center, and Ramah Israel.

Michael has previously served as the European Programs Director, and before joining the team was a 2009 Global Institute Fellow, and a volunteer with the Global steering comittee.

Sara joined the team after serving as Assistant Director of Brooklyn Heights Synagogue. After graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Jewish Studies and psychology from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, Sara served as an AmeriCorps*VISTA at the International Rescue Committee’s New York Refugee Resettlement office to help newly arrived refugee youth acclimate to city life. Sara is a member of the Social Innovators Collective and a contributor to the Social Innovators Survival Guide. In addition to helping PresenTense nationally, Sara coordinates the New York Fellowship.

Simi Hinden is the Director of Online Community at PresenTense. She graduated from Columbia University in 2004 with a degree in biology and also served as co-president of Columbia Students for Israel. She has also studied at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Drisha Institute, and previously was an Opinion and Analysis Editor for Seeking Alpha, and has been a longstanding volunteer with PresenTense. Originally from New Jersey, Simi lives in Jerusalem and is currently studying for her MBA at Hebrew University, with a focus on entrepreneurship and technology.