Executive Director, Midwest Region

Isaacson, Miller was pleased to partner with American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) to identify two new executive directors for the Midwest and Southeast regions. Caryn Peretz joined the Midwest and Sarah Rogers joined the Southeast in August 2026.

Peretz and Rogers will lead and direct fundraising efforts for their respective regions, oversee a team, and engage and partner with dedicated board leaders, national colleagues, and the university community to further elevate philanthropic success and contribute to the continued growth and impact of AFHU and Hebrew University. They will both report directly to AFHU Chief Development Officer Alison Freed.

Building upon the momentum of a recent $1 billion global campaign and the appointment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s new president, Prof. Tamir Sheafer, AFHU is poised for continued growth and excellence with ambitious long-term philanthropic goals and the development of the university’s next global comprehensive campaign.

Caryn Peretz is an accomplished Jewish communal and fundraising leader with more than two decades of experience in major gifts, annual campaigns, donor engagement, and leadership development. Most recent roles include Executive Vice President of Development for the Midwestern Region at the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Senior Associate Vice President of Campaign at the Jewish United Fund, where she managed a $3 million annual donor portfolio and led strategic fundraising operations. During her long tenure with JUF, she has also held senior roles overseeing its $86 million Annual Campaign, Next Gen initiatives, donor engagement, campaign operations, and the Young Leadership Division. Earlier in her career, Peretz served as Director of High School Programs at Shorashim and founded and led the ZAP Israel Advocacy Program. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Hebrew and Semitic studies, with minors in Jewish studies and global cultures, from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and studied at Hebrew University’s Rothberg International School.

Sarah Rogers is a seasoned nonprofit development executive with more than two decades of experience in major gifts, campaign strategy, donor engagement, government relations, and regional growth. She most recently served as Executive Vice President of Development for the Southern Region at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, where she led fundraising, external relations, public-sector engagement, and mission delivery across Florida and Georgia; she also reestablished the Center’s Southern regional presence and opened its West Palm Beach office. Previously, Rogers spent nearly 12 years with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, advancing through several leadership roles and serving most recently as Senior Vice President of Development. In that role, she led the development operation, managed a portfolio of approximately 250 high-net-worth donors, and helped increase total philanthropy from $25 million to $68 million over four years. Earlier in her career, she worked as an educational consultant with the International Institute for Learning. Rogers studied environmental science at the University of Manitoba in Canada.

Jack Gorman led this search with Grace Zakim and Ryan Cheung.

For more information, please read the Caryn Peretz announcement and Sarah Rogers announcement from AFHU.