The Young Adult Department (YAD) builds an inclusive and connected community of young Jewish Coloradans (aged 21-45) through fun, relevant, and meaningful volunteer, social, educational, and philanthropic activities.

Introducing… your 2020-2021 YAD Ambassadors! Our ambassadors cover a broad spectrum of demographics, from new college graduates to young singles to couples and parents and all sorts of other identities, and they’re planning some super fun, super timely, and—of course—super safe activities just for you.

Originally from San Francisco, Shauna Kanel has lived in Denver for three years, though feels like she’s always belonged here. She was raised Conservative, and now, as an adult, she loves sharing the traditions of her childhood with friends and family. Shauna attended University of California-San Diego. She loves to travel and makes it a point to connect with Jewish communities when she’s abroad. In her free time, you can find Shauna hiking, skiing, camping, or biking (you can see why Denver feels like home). She also enjoys spending time in the park, good wine, and the occasional game night.

Rebecca Green grew up in Westchester, New York, and attended Oberlin College in Ohio. She lived in New York City before moving to Denver in 2018. Colorado has long held a special place in Rebecca’s heart: she loves to ski and her parents met in Boulder. Rebecca’s worked in the marketing industry for over a decade, most recently as a marketing strategist for IMA Financial Group, and she’s a board member for the Colorado chapter of the American Marketing Association. Rebecca looks forward to deepening her connections to the young Jewish community in Colorado as a YAD Ambassador.

Yehoshua (Yosh) Hooper is an artist and educator whose work focuses on the development of visual language, holistic art education, and earth-based Judaism. He holds a BA in international affairs and Jewish studies and received his MA in Jewish education, nonprofit development, and art education at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City. He thrives in creative spaces and being outdoors.

Adam Berlinberg was born in Detroit but moved to Denver when he was four years old. He earned his BA at Colorado University-Boulder and attended medical school at CU-Anschutz before moving to Arizona to complete his residency. He and his wife Cheris are thrilled to be back in Denver, and they have no plans to leave. In his free time, Adam enjoys spending time with his growing family and enjoying the outdoors.

Hadassah Ayly has lived in Colorado since 2005. She graduated from college three years ago, and she currently works in the hospitality industry. Adventurous and passionate about living life to the fullest, Hadassah’s counts hiking, discovering hidden local restaurants, and hanging with friends and family among her favorite activities. She’s looking forward to getting to know her YAD peers and to making new friends with whom to explore and eat. 

A fifth generation Colorado native, Cheris Kline Berlinberg works as a manager in the healthcare consulting department for Cognizant Technology Solutions. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, her masters from St. Joseph’s University, and her doctorate degree from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Cheris is on the JNFFutures board. She’s the board president of JWI Denver YWLN and sits on the boards of the Denver Women’s Commission and Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue. In her free time, Cheris enjoys spending time with her friends and family doing all of the amazing, outdoorsy activities Colorado has to offer. 

Doni Summers was born and raised in the Queen City of the Plains, where he attended Denver Jewish Day School, East Denver Orthodox Synagogue, Denver Academy of Torah, and BMH-BJ. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Colorado State University and his master’s in public administration at the University of Colorado at Denver. As a college radio DJ, librarian, county jail kitchen manager, legislative aide, camp counselor, line cook, policy analyst, nonprofit fundraiser, lobbyist, and auditor—all jobs he’s held, not all at once—Doni works hard every day to improve our community the best way he knows how: by putting people first.

Originally from New Jersey, Mordy Jacobson moved to Denver to be closer to his family, after several years in Israel working to inspire and engage Jewish youth. He’s currently in his junior year at MSU, where he’s pursuing a combined BA-MPAcc degree with an eye towards a career in forensic accounting. When he is not reading about loss quantification or enjoying a scoop of mint chocolate chip, you can find Mordy daydreaming about his next international adventure, tuning his guitar, or reading Curious George to his niece. A strong believer that there’s room for everyone, Mordy is passionate about helping everyone to find their role and their place in our Jewish community.

Heather Howerton is the director of strategic marketing and operations for the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CWCC). Before coming to the chamber, she held various roles in marketing, events, and community engagement. When she is not at the office, Heather loves to bring friends and neighbors together to cook, eat, talk, and listen to good music.