Dr. Friedman holds leadership roles that serve both the Jewish and larger communities. She is the head of the Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) in the San Francisco Bay Area – one of the largest and most renowned family service institutions in the U.S. She is an expert in social policy and programming for diverse populations, the provision of health and human services, as well as the development of innovative social enterprise models. She has served on various local, state, national and international commissions, including as Commissioner of the San Francisco Human Services Commission.
In addition to her professional leadership positions, Dr. Friedman also serves as President of the Board of the Koret Foundation, which devotes its resources to elevating the quality of life of all who live in the Bay Area and to supporting the global Jewish community. The foundation supports organizations that seek to increase Jewish identification and involvement, strengthen ties between Israel and the Bay Area and combat antisemitism. Dr. Friedman is also widely acclaimed for her expertise on Holocaust and genocide education. She is the editor of the English-language edition of Rywka’s Diary (HarperCollins), which has been published in more than a dozen languages and is the subject of a forthcoming film.
