Sonya Starr Email & Phone Number

Delaware, United States

Remote

*Participated in cross-state strategic plan for the field staff division of The RAC.*Implemented 75 one-on-one listening campaigns to identify communication weaknesses within RAC-IL leadership and developed successful improvements. *Identified areas of improvement to support leadership team, core cabinet, coaches and congregational leaders. *Identified underserved geographic areas and recruited and trained leaders to meet needs. *Built and implemented campaign mobilization team to develop a leadership pipeline and mobilize members of Reform congregations across Pennsylvania.*Co-led campaign for legislative change by identifying partners and mobilizing Pennsylvania Reform Jewish community in strategic and unified action around the issue of racially equitable redistricting.*Fostered strong, strategic partnerships across lines of racial, faith and partisan difference with organizations, individuals, and elected officials.*Created education programs to meet the unique needs of leadership teams in Pennsylvania and Illinois by forming relationships with mentors and stakeholders.

Columbia, Maryland

*Over two decades, guided 275-household congregation through significant change and adaptation while preserving and honoring the legacy of the community.*Served as a spiritual leader, community organizer, lifecycle and worship officiant, program architect, pastoral counselor and Jewish educator.*Identified, recruited and trained lay-leaders; wrote curriculum on volunteering. *Created Jewish content for social justice initiatives.*Identified places of improvement and institutionalized meaningful communal change. *Developed strategies for addressing internal conflict, including writing a sacred conversation policy; convening town meetings; making individual interventions; and facilitating collective conversations. *Designed and implemented comprehensive training curriculum to guide congregation through transformation when challenges were recognized; cultivated lay leaders capable of guiding change.*Coordinated programming; worked with volunteers; supervised staff. *Sought out, and secured grants. *Formed and implemented a plan to become a “JSAFE” congregation to protect survivors of domestic violence. *Recruited consciousness raising group on institutional racism; applied insights to communal culture. *Developed multi-session training in recognizing micro-aggression.

Master'S Of Hebrew Letters And Ordination,

Activities and Societies: Creator and First employee of the Jewish Women's Studies Project

Honorary Doctorate Degree, Rabbinical Studies

Bachelor'S Degree And Masters Degree, Ma In Biblical Studies

Activities and Societies: Minor in Women's Studies, Worked for the 9 to 5 (an organization that worked for equal pay for equal work.