Our Leadership

Laura has been a native of Phoenix, Arizona since 1976. She derives great joy from raising her two children, Max and Zoe, as her family is her focal point. Laura, along with her children and parents, enjoy all moments and experiences together and savor each of the memories and Drachler traditions. Laura enjoys traveling, the arts, a glass of Pinot Noir, a passion for Jewish overnight camp, and donating time and effort to various causes in the community. Her passion for overnight camp goes back to 80’s when she attended Camp Charles Pearlstein and continues today with both her kid having attended Camp Stein. She has served on national camp boards as well as boards and committees in our Phoenix community including Congregation Beth Israel, Jewish Free Loan, Women’s Leadership Institute, Camp Swift, CJP Community Impact Committee, and now serving as the Board President of Jewish Free Loan. She continuously seeks opportunities to serve in the community to promote its future. Laura joined the JFL board in 2016 and is honored to serve with her fellow board members who are all dedicated to our Phoenix Jewish Community.

Ellen Friedman Sacks is the Executive Director of Jewish Free Loan. She has been a part of JFL since 2010 – serving on the Board of Directors before joining the staff in 2012 as the organization’s first Director of Programs and PR, and later serving as the Associate Executive Director. Ellen has over 25 years of experience working with non-profit organizations, including SOVA Kosher Food Pantry & Resource Center (Los Angeles, CA), MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix. Ellen is currently the President of the International Association of Jewish Free Loans’ board of directors, sits on the advisory committee for UPI Loan Funds, and serves on the Emergency Food & Shelter Program’s allocation committee. She volunteers with several community groups, is a former mentor in the Women’s Leadership Institute (Co-Horts 1 & 2) and participated in the inaugural class of 50 Women Who Will Change the World – a leadership program for nonprofit professionals designed by Take The Lead Arizona. Ellen has a graduate degree in public administration and lives in Phoenix with her two kids, Leah and Justin.

Fredi Brown joined the JFL staff in January 2017. Fredi has a long history working within the Jewish community, beginning with B’nai B’rith Girls in high school. After college, she spent a year in Israel working on Kibbutz Ma’ayan Baruch, located at the base of the Golan Heights. Fredi sat on the Advisory Council of the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science. She has been a member of the Federation of Greater Phoenix Women’s Department, and on the Board of Trustees of Copland House, which enhances awareness and appreciation of the rich vibrant heritage of American music, through the legacy of Aaron Copland. Fredi has previously been active with the American Cancer Society for 15 years. In 1989 she became part of the professional staff, serving as Executive Director of the North Shore of Chicago until 1992. For the past 15 years, Fredi has been working in various capacities for Hadassah, serving in the local, regional and national levels of leadership development. Fredi, and her late husband, Howard Treshansky, are members of Congregation Or Tzion. Fredi is the mother of Jennifer Brown, PhD, of Scottsdale, AZ, and Lisa and Aaron Brown, PhD, and their three daughters, Gabrielle, Alexis, and Eliana Brown, of Houston, TX.

Caroline Carriere is a recent graduate of Arizona State University and a long-standing member of the Jewish community of greater Phoenix. She has over 10 years of experience volunteering and working in Jewish nonprofit organizations, including Hillel Jewish Student Center at ASU, The Martin Pear JCC Early Childhood Center, Camp Daisy and Harry Stein, and The Mark L. Haberkorn Religious School at Congregation Beth Israel.