July 2, 2024 — SRE Network is thrilled to announce that Dr. Deitra Reiser (she/her), an educator, school psychologist, and founder of antiracist repair group Transform for Equity, will be SRE’s Senior Advisor for Culture & Belonging.

“We are honored to have the incredible Dr. Deitra Reiser join SRE’s team.” says SRE’s incoming Executive Director Rachel Gildiner, “The addition of Dr. Reiser to SRE’s team will support us in centering equity into all that we do – so we can better serve the dynamic spectrum of professionals across the Jewish communal landscape and build a Jewish future that is truly safe, respectful, and equitable for all.”

This part-time consultant role comes after the release of SRE’s 2024-2026 strategic plan, which outlined the need to further deepen the organization’s internal commitment to and expertise in equity. Following the strategic plan, SRE engaged outside experts in training and strategic coaching for SRE staff, as well as an agency-wide equity audit using the Equity in the Center Race Equity Cycle Pulse Check. In this role, Dr. Reiser will focus on supporting the SRE team and its internal culture and operations, as well as provide trainings for SRE’s members and community.

With over 20 years of professional experience, Dr. Reiser is skilled at fostering greater antiracist understanding among individuals and within institutions and supporting their continued growth through thoughts and actions. She believes that organizations will transform into equitable spaces by first focusing on individual internal change which then drives intentional systemic change. As the founder of Transform for Equity, Dr. Reiser supports organizations and leaders in building the capacity for diversity, racial equity, and belonging, and has partnered with the Union for Reform Judaism, NCJW, Gather Inc., along with other organizations across the country. She is an alumna of Bend the Arc’s Selah Leadership Program and holds a doctorate in Educational Psychology from The University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Quote from Deitra “I’m looking forward to being a part of the SRE team and helping the organization deepen and expand its equity work. By investing in antiracism and equity, my hope is that SRE will be able to serve as a more powerful force in promoting a diverse and equitable Jewish nonprofit landscape that creates authentic cultures of belonging. Focusing on antiracist work within organizational cultures, policies, and practices, can create truly transformational change across the entire Jewish communal ecosystem.”

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SRE Network promotes Jewish workplaces and communal spaces in becoming safe, respectful, and equitable through network building, resource sharing, and community investments. As a network of over 175 Jewish organizations, we are working towards a Jewish communal landscape where people are free from abuse, engage one another with dignity, and are treated fairly. Learn more at: www.srenetwork.org.