The whole AJFN Team

Lesley was a general practitioner for 12 years before completing her Master’s degree in genetics. She joined the first Hereditary Cancer Clinic in Australia at Prince of Wales Hospital in NSW in 1997 and is now the Head of that department. Her special interest is hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in the Jewish community. Lesley was involved in establishing JeneScreen, a project to enable all members of the NSW Jewish community to undergo testing for BRCA genes.

Lesley has been on the AJFN board since 2019.

Jessi has worked as a psychotherapist, extensively in mental health support, with a focus on counselling and supporting those who are most vulnerable in the community. After completing her Masters degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy, she developed short courses and support programs to assist those struggling with anger management, relationships, and domestic violence, as well as starting her own private practice.

She has previously worked as a ghost writer and an editor of memoir / testimony with a focus on the narratives of Holocaust survivors. Jessi is passionate about the fertility space, connecting with others and honouring their stories. Her professional and personal experience equip her wonderfully to providing meaningful support and comfort to those on their fertility journey. She is honoured to stand alongside families during the process. Jessi feels blessed to be the mum of two young boys.

Justine is a passionate and well respected leader within our Australian Jewish Community. For 7 years she was the director of PJ Library, and was instrumental in helping them expand from NSW into VIC and New Zealand. Justine has a Certificate in Jewish Leadership from Spertus in Chicago, and a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew University amongst other qualifications, as well as being part of the Leadership Team for Launchpad Leadership.

Justine is directly influenced by three things: her deep Jewish values, her desire to invest and grow community, and her love of learning. These pillars have guided her strong belief that no one should feel disconnected from community or alone, that we should all actively lean into community and that belonging is paramount to the thriving of the Jewish people and to the individual’s sense of self and well-being. Justine’s philosophy is anchored in an attitude of inclusion for the benefit of the individual and the community.

Justine’s greatest treasures are her three children, and she keenly appreciates the importance that Jewish community places on having children. Her central motivator as CEO is to help others build Jewish families and to support and comfort those who have a challenging fertility journey.

Kate Mohr is an Australian born lawyer, philanthropist and passionate change maker based in Melbourne, Australia. Kate’s passion for charitable work began in her university days when studying Arts/Law at Monash University. During this time Kate volunteered at legal resource centres in and around Melbourne giving pro-bono legal advice to many disadvantaged members of the community. The ability to connect and contribute was game changing and fostered a love of hands-on community focused work which has continued to evolve in various settings over the years.

Since starting a family Kate has focused much of her time and energy on community engagement, fulfilling roles as a Director of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and chairing its Devleopment Board and more recently joining the board of the National Council of Jewish Women Australia (Vic). Kate has evolved into a compassionate, energetic and motivated leader who is driven by a passion to give back and make the world a better, healthier and safer place.

Kate has a passion for health, wellness, travel and adventure, and loves exploring the world with her husband and 3 children.

Kerry has been involved with the AJFN since 2016, and became the inaugural Board Chair in 2018. 

After she and her husband had their own challenging fertility journey they understood firsthand the emotional, physical and financial toll this can take on a relationship. They wanted to ensure that others had a place and a people to turn to for support.

Kerry is a passionate relationship nurturer with senior executive experience (in sales, marketing and fundraising) and broad networks in corporate and for-purpose arenas; having worked at Unilever, Variety – the Children’s Charity and Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.

Lara is a senior legal adviser with over 24 years of experience in not for profit, corporate and commercial law. She is principal of her own legal practice, the Meditating Lawyer, and works with law firm Governology, which provides legal advice to not for profit associations. Prior to that, she worked for many years managing the pro bono practice at global law firm, Herbert Smith Freehills, assisting hundreds of charities and not for profits to achieve their objectives. 

Lara has a passion for social justice and her areas of interest and expertise are risk management and good corporate governance. In 2013 she co-founded MedEarth, a charity that collects usable hospital supplies and equipment destined for landfill and sends them to developing countries where they are desperately needed.

Lara fought her own battle with infertility for many years and is well aware of the financial and emotional toll it takes. She is committed to helping other couples who require support and compassion as they struggle to fulfil their dream of having a family. She has had the privilege of being involved with the AJFN for over 5 years as a Board member, the inaugural Company Secretary, a Support Companion and previous Chair of the Support Committee.

Nir is a seasoned tech entrepreneur with a proven track record in building and scaling cross-functional teams to success. He spent over 10 years at Ernst & Young advising corporate boards and the C-suite before transitioning to the private sector. Nir’s background includes a deep understanding of organisational strategy across all aspects of finance, accounting, legal, HR and operations.

Nir joined AJFN as an Observer in 2021 and is now the organisation’s Board Treasurer.

Lawyer, Arnold Bloch Leibler

Omer is a commercial lawyer with a passion for people, health and nature.  Passionate about helping people from a young age, Omer felt particularly empowered to do so while studying a double degree of Law and Commerce at Monash University.  As a result, he became involved in numerous charitable initiatives, including volunteering at a community legal centre and providing pro-bono consulting services to both charities and for-profit organisations.

As a Board Observer, Omer hopes to bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to the team.  He is excited to be a part of an organisation which is truly dedicated to making a tangible difference to the lives of many within the Jewish community.  In his spare time, you can find him adventuring outdoors, cooking or reading a good book!

Rebecca Zwier is a partner in corporate and commercial practice. She provides commercial advice to a broad range of clients in both the private and public sectors.

Rebecca’s experience includes acting on private business acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures, capital raisings, and general commercial and corporate matters across a range of industries.

Rebecca graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws with honors.

Rebecca was appointed as a partner in July 2021. Before joining Arnold Bloch Leibler, she worked in a commercial legal role and also spent several years working with an international law firm.

Rebecca’s experience of working in-house enabled her to gain a greater understanding of the client’s legal experience and the importance of understanding a client’s business, which she brings to her practice.

Romy is an experienced and established marketer in both the for profit and for purpose spheres. She completed her Honours degree in Marketing and Communications at the University of Johannesburg and has since implemented many successful marketing campaigns over the years. Having worked for a large Jewish nonprofit in South Africa for a number of years, Romy has a passion for the Jewish community and making a difference in the lives of others.

Romy is married with two young daughters and lives in Melbourne.