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NEW YORK, NY — At its National Business Meeting, held during the 2026 National Conference in Jerusalem this week, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, elected two new officers to its national board. Viviane Kovacs, who has been National Treasurer since 2024, will succeed Michelle Hubertus as one of six Hadassah members who serve as National Vice President and Diane Sigel will succeed Kovacs as National Treasurer. The new officers will begin their three-year term on January 1, 2027.
Kovacs, a resident of Long Island, NY, and a Hadassah member since 1990, has served as President of both her chapter, Ruach Tel-Hai, and her region, Hadassah Nassau. She has played a critical role in the work of Hadassah’s Philanthropy Division, most recently in helping to guide its restructuring to better serve Hadassah’s mission. Her national leadership roles include 2027 National Convention Chair, Israel Major Gifts Recognition Chair, Finance Division Treasurer, and Treasurer and Board Member of Hadassah International, Hadassah’s global fundraising arm. Before devoting her attention to Hadassah full time – and being honored by the UJA Long Island Women’s Division for what she achieved – Kovacs worked on Wall Street and in her family’s real estate development company. She is a past president of the Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore.
The Seattle-based Sigel, a member of Hadassah since 1974 and of its Seattle chapter, is a former president of both the Tacoma chapter and the Hadassah Pacific Northwest region. She is Chair of Hadassah’s Ethics Committee, a member of both the Finance and Unit Oversight-and-Compliance committees, and has served on many high-level task forces. Sigel spent 25 years as Chief Executive Officer/Chief Financial Officer of a multi-location retail business and was a board member of Worldwide Distributors, a national independent retailers’ cooperative. She has held board seats at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle; Shadhika, a US-based nonprofit working for gender equality for Indian women; and Temple Beth El (Tacoma, Wash.).
“Viviane’s and Diane’s expertise, passion for and commitment to Hadassah and the Jewish community is evident in every role they have undertaken,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, Hadassah National President. “I know that, in their new positions, they will build on the work of those they follow while making significant contributions of their own.”
In addition to the new officers, the following Hadassah members were elected to the national board and will begin their term on January 1, 2027: Iris Altschuler, Stephanie Z. Bonder, Tracey Drayer, Clara Gillman, Gail Hammerman, Michelle Hubertus, Debbie Kestin Schildkraut (Henrietta Szold Board Member), Joyce Laiter, Valerie Lowenstein (Geographic Resource Area Board Member, Hadassah Northwest), Lisa Lowhurst (Henrietta Szold Board Member), Cathy Olswing, Tory Roman (Henrietta Szold Board Member), Frieda Rosenberg, Carol Rosenthal, Michele Rubin (Geographic Resource Area Board Member, Hadassah Midwest), Rhonda Saunders, Kimi Schulman (Geographic Resource Area Board Member, Hadassah Florida) and Cheryl Sperber.
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About Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America:
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is the largest Jewish women’s organization in America. With nearly 300,000 members, donors and supporters, Hadassah brings women together to effect change on such critical issues as ensuring Israel’s security, combating antisemitism and promoting women’s health. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization, its Jerusalem-based academic medical center, Hadassah helps support exemplary care for more than 1 million people each year as well as pioneering medical research. Hadassah’s hospitals serve without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2005 for "building bridges to peace" through medicine. Learn more at hadassah.org.