Harris will return to NJDC

David Harris is returning to the National Jewish Democratic Council. Harris, who spent seven years as deputy executive director before spending the last three years as exeuctive director of the Israel on Campus Coalition, will become NJDC’s president in July, while executive director Ira Forman will be the group’s chief executive officer.

The two men will share leadership duties and divide responsibilities at the organization, which has taken on a higher profile since the election of President Obama last fall. The change is not related to Forman’s health; planning for Harris’ return was underway before Forman’s March heart attack.

“As we approached 2009, we thought long and hard how NJDC can meet the demands of this new era,” said Forman in the press release announcing the move. “Our Board leadership and I agreed that we needed to add additional executive resources to the organization and it became apparent that David was the obvious answer to our needs. David has not only been a trusted friend and colleague but he has been recognized as one of the upcoming new leaders in the Jewish communal world. I can’t think of another individual who I’d prefer to partner with at NJDC.”

“Ira is both a mentor and a close personal friend,” Harris said in the release. “I am honored by the opportunity to work alongside him in this time of great challenges and opportunities for this country and for our community. I am excited about where President Obama is leading the United States and thrilled to be a part of this collaborative leadership model that will enable the NJDC to assist the Democratic Party in reforming and energizing American government in the 21st Century.”

The entire NJDC release is after the jump: [[READMORE]]

NJDC Announces Major Staff Enhancement
David A. Harris Named NJDC President
Ira N. Forman to be Chief Executive Officer

WASHINGTON, DC – Today the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) announced a new organizational structure and strengthened its professional staff by naming David A. Harris President of the organization and naming current Executive Director Ira N. Forman to the position of Chief Executive Officer. Harris, who previously served as NJDC’s Deputy Executive Director for seven years and most recently served as Executive Director of the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC) for three years, will assume his new position in July; Forman will assume his new position effective immediately.

“This is a very critical time for our country, the Jewish community and the National Jewish Democratic Council,” said NJDC Chairman Marc R. Stanley. “Now that we have a new Administration committed to reform and a strong Democratic Congress, there is an opportunity for real change in America; universal health care, energy independence and education reform are just a few of the momentous issues on the table. The Jewish community has an important role to play in this change and NJDC needs to strengthen its capabilities to assist in this process.”

Stanley added that “with this organizational change, we have strongly enhanced our executive leadership. We feel very fortunate that David has agreed to rejoin our staff and partner with Ira in growing NJDC and taking our organization into the future. David brings a deep understanding of the role our community plays in American politics, as well as a proven track record of building organizational success. Ira has been the strength and guiding force at NJDC for the last 13 years; NJDC is particularly fortunate that not only are we adding to our top executive talent but that Ira is committed to bringing to the CEO position the same level of thoughtfulness, energy and involvement that he has previously given to the organization. Putting together this type of executive leadership team at NJDC is critical because we are at a point in time when our government is poised to undertake the greatest reforms since the New Deal.”

“As we approached 2009, we thought long and hard how NJDC can meet the demands of this new era,” said Forman. “Our Board leadership and I agreed that we needed to add additional executive resources to the organization and it became apparent that David was the obvious answer to our needs. David has not only been a trusted friend and colleague but he has been recognized as one of the upcoming new leaders in the Jewish communal world. I can’t think of another individual who I’d prefer to partner with at NJDC.”

“Ira is both a mentor and a close personal friend,” Harris commented. “I am honored by the opportunity to work alongside him in this time of great challenges and opportunities for this country and for our community. I am excited about where President Obama is leading the United States and thrilled to be a part of this collaborative leadership model that will enable the NJDC to assist the Democratic Party in reforming and energizing American government in the 21st Century.”

As the Executive Director of the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC) for the past three years, Harris successfully led and expanded the organization – a partnership of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life,in cooperation with a network of thirty-three national organizations and nine regional affiliates – as it promoted Israel education and advocacy on college campuses around the country. Before leading the ICC and serving as Deputy Executive Director at NJDC for the previous seven years, Harris served as the Director of Governmental and Public Affairs for the American Jewish Congress; as the Washington Representative for the Israel Policy Forum; and as a congressional campaign manager during the 1992 campaign cycle, among other positions. Harris received a B.A. in political science, Jewish studies and economics from Washington University in St. Louis. He has also completed the Legislative Studies Institute, a graduate program affiliated with Columbia University focusing on congressional procedure and policy making.