Meet the Team
Jnetics Staff
Nicole Gordon
CEO
Ruthie Abenson
Finance Officer
Gaby Baigel
Services & Database Manager
Emma Bergen
Major Donor Manager
Nicole Levy
Marketing & Events Manager
Aviva Lewis
BRCA Programme Development Manager
Wendy Ornadel
Senior BRCA Programme Manager
Guila Vaz Mouyal
Education, Research & Development Manager
Samantha Wilder
Services & Database Coordinator
Ana Sajoo
Genetic Counsellor for Jnetics at NHS NW Thames Regional Genetics Service
Board of Trustees
Jnetics is managed by a board of trustees responsible for ensuring that the charity meets its objectives whilst complying with legal obligations under charity and company law. The board provides guidance for the strategic development of the charity and reviews work as it develops.
Our trustees have experience across charity management, finance and fundraising, marketing and PR, and healthcare.
Anthony Angel (Chairman)
Laura Birnbaum
Leon Blitz
Neville Goldschneider
Juliette Harris
Anthony Leon
Emma May
Monica Ziff
Honorary Patrons
Lord Leslie Turnberg
Lord David Pannick
Science and Medical Advisory Committee (SMAC)
Our expert scientific and medical advisors include scientists, clinicians, researchers, and a genetic counsellor who are all specialists in fields relating to Jewish genetic disorders.
Our advisors guide us on medical and scientific issues relating to Jewish genetic disorders; help us ensure that our information is accurate and disseminated responsibly; advise us in relation to testing; and help facilitate collaborative work that supports our objectives.
Professor Nick Lench
Co-founder and COO of Congenica Ltd, a genomic medicine company based at the Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge
Professor Rosalind Eeles
MA FCRP FRCR PhD
Professor of Oncogenetics and Honorary Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Cancer Genetics, The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden Hospital
Dr Ian Ellis
FRCP, BSc
Consultant Clinical Geneticist, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
Sara Levene
RGC, MSc, BSc
Consultant Genetic Counsellor & PGD Lead, The Centre for Reproductive & Genetic Health
Dr Simon Ramsden
PhD, FRCPath
Consultant Clinical Scientist, Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine
Educational Experts
Our educational experts are all specialists in fields relating to medical and Jewish education.
Our advisors guide us on development of the Jnetics in Schools programme.
Emma Cravitz
OBE
Emma is an educational psychologist who has worked with children in a number of London schools. She is the co-founder of Eden Primary school, Yeladenu pre-school, and is a governor of JCoSS.
Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum
MD DRCOG FRCP
Rabbi Zarum is a leading Jewish educator and theoretical physicist. He teaches at conferences and seminars, synagogues and Jewish community centres around the world.
Shelley Marsh
MA
Shelley is the Executive Director of Reshet, The Network for Jewish Youth Provision. She is also an advisor to the Paediatric Intensive Care Units Network, training and supporting healthcare professionals in both paediatric and neonatal intensive care units across the UK.
Anthony Angel (Chairman)
Anthony was the former Worldwide Managing Partner at Linklaters, Executive Managing Director EMEA at Standard & Poor’, Global Co-Chairman at DLA Piper and Trustee and Treasurer of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust before becoming chairman of Jnetics’ board of trustees. Anthony’s son Benjamin died aged 26 from Cystic Fibrosis. He is committed to preventing the suffering and pain of other Jewish families from the death of a child from what are now avoidable genetic diseases.
Anthony Leon
Anthony is Finance Director at Brandpath Group. Anthony is involved with several charitable and communal organisations.
Aviva Lewis
BRCA Programme Development Manager
Aviva is responsible for co-ordinating all BRCA related issues, working closely with NHS England and other community stakeholders to ensure the effective and responsible rollout of the BRCA screening programme.
Emma May
Emma is Director of Operations and Employment at Work Avenue. Emma is a law graduate from Manchester University and qualified HR professional. Emma has a background in HR management, psychometric assessment, outplacement and careers guidance and has held roles in the public, private and not for profit sectors.
Gaby Baigel
Services & Database Manager
Gaby is our Services & Database Manager. Gaby’s experience in Project & Service Management and IT puts her in an ideal position to over see many of our projects and services. Gaby is also responsible for the charity’s database and analysis of much of Jnetics’ data.
Emma Bergen
Major Donor Manager
Guila Vaz Mouyal
Education, Research & Development Manager (Currently on Maternity Leave)
Our Interim Education, Research & Development Manager, Guila Vaz Mouyal is responsible for assisting with the research, development, and delivery of our programmes, developing the organisation’s outreach and education activities throughout the UK and ongoing genetic research projects. Guila has an extensive background and knowledge in human reproductive science and assisted reproductive technologies. Her academic background covered biomedical science, reproductive science and women’s health and Reproductive sociology.
Juliette Harris PhD, MSc - Genetic Counsellor
Juliette is a specialist Genetic Counsellor at North West Thames Regional Genetics Service. She was the dedicated NHS Genetic Counsellor for Jnetics from 2018-2020 and has volunteered as a screening advisor with Jnetics for over 6 years and helped set up the first ever Jnetics community screen in 2014. She has a PhD in Human Genetics from Imperial College School of Medicine and qualified as a Genetic Counsellor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City. She is passionate about the role that public involvement and community engagement has in increasing awareness, acceptance, and uptake of genetic screening programmes.
Laura Birnbaum
Laura is the head of Property and Technical Services for the London Fire Brigade. Laura is involved with several charitable and communal organisations.
Leon Blitz
Leon is the co-founder of Grovepoint, a London-based private equity and investment management firm. Prior to this, Leon held senior roles at Investec for over 21 years after having qualified and trained as a chartered accountant in South Africa.
Leon has served as a non-executive Director and Chairman of several companies in the UK, Europe, Israel and Australia. He is the Life President and former Chairman of UK Israel Business (Bilateral Chamber of Commerce) driving initiatives to connect those in the UK to innovative and cutting-edge Israeli technologies and their ecosystem and was involved in the establishment of the UK Israel HealthTech forum.
Leon is also committed and involved with several charitable and communal organisations where he serves in various capacities. In addition, Leon has had personal knowledge and experience with certain genetic conditions.
Married to Cara and has three adult children.
Lord David Pannick
Lord Pannick KC is one of the UK’s most highly regarded advocates, practising in a broad range of areas with a particular emphasis on Public law & Human Rights. In November 2009 he became a crossbench peer and sits in the House of Lords.
Lord Leslie Turnberg
Lord Turnberg is a British medical professional and an author of many publications and books related to the medical and health services fields. His experience extends to areas of research in these fields and maintaining a clinical practice. He has published four books and some 150 articles on medical and scientific research. He is a Labour Life peer and sits in the House of Lords.
Monica Ziff
Monica is a Specialist Registrar in Clinical Genetics at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. She qualified from University College London Medical School and has a BSc in Human Genetics. She has volunteered as a screening advisor for Jnetics since 2017 and published their screening carrier rates in a peer-reviewed journal. She is passionate about increasing awareness of genetic conditions and providing an informed and supportive genetic testing service.
Neville Goldschneider
Neville is the Chief Executive of Camp Simcha. With substantial experience gained over 20 years working with children and young people in a variety of Jewish communal settings, he has guided Camp Simcha from its founders’ kitchen table to where it is today, a national charity making a vital difference to thousands of seriously ill children and their families throughout the UK. Neville’s whole family is dedicated to Jewish communal service: presently his son Adam and daughter-in-law Tammy learn and teach in Jerusalem and his daughter Leah teaches in a Jewish primary school in North West London.
Nicole Gordon
CEO
Our Chief Executive Officer, Nicole Gordon, is responsible for our strategic direction, delivery of our services, as well as running the day-to-day aspects of the charity.
Nicole has extensive experience in growing charities and together with her scientific background has been instrumental in the expansion of Jnetics.
Nicole Levy
Marketing & Events Executive
Nicole is responsible for designing and implementing Jnetics marketing and social media campaigns. Nicole plans and organises fundraising events including the challenges programmes. Nicole co-ordinates and manages our volunteers including our young professionals committee and work experience students.
Ruthie Abenson
Finance Officer
Our Finance Officer Ruthie Abenson is responsible the day today management of the charity’s finances.
Samantha Wilder
Services & Database Coordinator
Samantha is our Services & Database Coordinator and is responsible for the admin for our screening services.
Ana Sajoo
Genetic Counsellor for Jnetics at NHS NW Thames Regional Genetics Service
Ana is an NHS genetic counsellor, funded by Jnetics. Ana studied human cell and molecular genetics at McGill in Canada, followed by a MSc in genetic counselling. Ana met women in fetal medicine units, spent time at chemotherapy suite recruiting Jewish women into BRCA research and visiting Jewish schools in Montreal to arrange Tay Sachs carrier testing. As a new genetic counsellor in 1994, her work comprised prenatal diagnosis decision-support, liaising with assisted reproduction clinics, and assessing cancer risks for families with bowel and ovarian cancer. She advocates for access to genetic services and is a person-centred counsellor.
Wendy Ornadel
Senior BRCA Programme Manager
Wendy is responsible for project managing the NHS England Jewish Community BRCA programme, working closely with NHS England, Institute of Cancer Research, other national cancer charities, and community stakeholders to ensure the effective and responsible rollout of the programme.