Aviva Jacobs

Aviva Jacobs is a Director of U.S. Jewish Grantmaking at Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies.1 She has a diverse background in education, philanthropy, and social justice advocacy.

Professional Experience

Aviva currently serves as the Director of U.S. Jewish Grantmaking at Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, a role she has held since July 2022.1 Prior to this, she was a Senior Program Officer at the same organization from July 2019 to July 2022.1

Before joining Schusterman, Aviva had an extensive career in education and leadership:

• Vice President of Recruitment at Teach For America (May 2015 - June 2019)
• Vice President of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach For America (June 2011 - October 2014)
• Senior Managing Director of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach For America (June 2008 - June 2011)

Education and Background

Aviva's educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan (1999-2003)
• Master of Education in Teaching & Learning from Harvard University (2006-2007)

As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Aviva is deeply committed to advocating for equity and justice, both for the Jewish community and beyond.1

Additional Roles and Skills

• Board Member of The New Blue Project, an incubator for reform-minded police officers
• Proficient in Hebrew (professional working proficiency) and Spanish (limited working proficiency)
• Started her career as an Elementary Special Education teacher in New Orleans as a 2003 Teach For America corps member

Aviva's diverse experience in education, leadership, and philanthropy has shaped her career and her commitment to social justice and equity.1