Board
Passionate About Purpose
Our board makes an 18 month commitment of time, money, brain power, and energy to LocalTAU.
They tie their participation closely to purpose, value collaboration, put weight on creating enriching content, are passionate about the impact Tel Aviv University is doing in our world, and are proactive in building a synergy between their city to TAU, supporting tangible, positive as well as constructive evolution.
Vinna Katz
Co-Founder LocalTAU
Vinna Katz fuels her journey through life with curiosity. Venezuelan born, Californian schooled and globally raised, she has a deep understanding of the importance that diversity gives in perspective, innovation, and resilience. She began her career in banking at 20 years old and proceeded in graduating with degrees in Finance and International Business from Florida International University. Since then, she has been passionate about the vast world of entrepreneurship and has been involved in a series of ventures. Although the deep ties with TAU has been ingrained since childhood due to the fact that her grandparents David and Yolanda Katz entrusted the University with the Faculty of the Arts, it was not only until the last couple of years that she has developed a profound connection and commitment.
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena
Co-Founder LocalTAU
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena is a journalist with a lot of wanderlust. A child and grandchild of Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants from all over the world, she moved to Israel in her early 20s looking to find home. She studied at the University of Haifa, wrote her college thesis, and worked as a translator. But what began as a side gig at Israel’s newspaper of record, Haaretz, soon launched her award-winning journalism career in one of the hottest news desks in the world. Her bylines have appeared on CNN, Associated Press, Fusion, The Washington Post among others.
Todd Goldenfarb
Founding Member
Todd Goldenfarb serves as Vice President of real estate development firm, The RAM Companies, and its Miami based affiliate, Mile Marker Investments. Todd possesses a strong background in real estate acquisition, development, and finance.
He has particular expertise in the areas of market feasibility, negotiation, financing, construction, and marketing. In recent years, he has been recognized as an innovative thinker in the restoration of historic residential properties. His interest in real estate began at an early age, honing his skills in property selection and quality. Prior to joining The RAM Companies in 2004, he was an analyst for a multi-billion dollar banking institution in Massachusetts. During his tenure with the bank, he was responsible for analysis of large commercial real estate transactions as well as commercial and industrial transactions throughout New England.
Todd has been involved with various charitable organizations including The Maine Children’s Cancer Program, Best Buddies International, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, amongst others. He is a graduate of the Boston University School of Management. He is also a graduate of the Miami Beach Citizen’s Police Academy.
Verda De Eskinazis
Verda De Eskinazis is an entrepreneur and a strategic thinker, focusing on creating and delivering positive change in her environment and community. From an early age on, Verda has taken on leadership roles and actively participated to help the local Jewish community in Istanbul. A TedxModa speaker, through her startups, she has received numerous awards including the Social Technology Entrepreneur award by UKTI among others. She’s the co-founder of Mode Living, a curated collection of luxury table linens that are currently sold in over 200 specialty retailers as well as luxury department stores across the U.S. Prior to that, Verda worked at McKinsey as a management consultant and has developed extensive project management, leadership, problem solving and analytical skills working across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey and having spent a significant portion of her life in the US, Verda is a natural bridge between the two cultures.
Verda holds a double major in International Relations and Economics from Tufts University and an M.B.A from Columbia Business School.
Alana Libow
Alana Libow brings two decades of global impact investment experience elevating talent and traversing sectors and topics (from inclusive finance to food systems). She has a track record of bringing impact concepts to reality across extremes and in partnership with diverse constituents including: boards and academic/student partners, C-Suites and communities, NGOs and governments. She is the Founder and Principal of Emergent Futures (EF), a coaching & consulting practice helping future forward leaders see, shape, and bet on constrained rising game changers to accelerate a resilient economy. Previously, Alana served as Danone US’s founding Sustainable Development executive, during which time she established the company’s first impact investment in the now prominent, Closed Loop (circular economy) Fund. Her global impact investment knowledge is rooted both in her early field work in microfinance with female indigenous entrepreneurs in Bolivia (as a Fulbright Scholar) and her role as a non-traditional equity analyst at Innovest-Strategic Value Advisors, a pioneering internationally recognized "ESG" (Environmental, Social, & Governance risk analytics) investment research and advisory firm.
Alana has taught at TAU’s Executive MBA program, presented at Israel’s 2019 Impact Summit, and collaborated with TechforGood Israel.
Alana holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an A.B. in Anthropology from Washington University, in St. Louis, an executive certificate in Strategies for Sustainable Business from M.I.T, and a design thinking certification from IDEO.
Thomas P. Moriarty
Thomas Moriarty is a Manager for Legacy Wealth Advisors. Possessing a keen analytical background, he has worked in the financial services industry for over ten years and holds both the Certified Investment Management Analyst® and Certified Private Wealth Advisor® designations administered by the Investments & Wealth Institute (formerly IMCA). He has been exposed to a complex body of wealth management and investment knowledge, ethically contributing to prudent investment decisions by providing objective advice and guidance to individual and institutional investors.
Prior to joining Legacy Wealth Advisors, Thomas was a Senior Investment Analyst at a boutique financial institution, based in South Florida, which focused on servicing high net worth individuals within the community. During his time there, he focused on crafting tailored financial plans and investment solutions, incorporating the client’s liquidity needs, time horizon and risk profile. Additionally, he was instrumental in the manager due diligence process and asset allocation construction.
Thomas earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida. Having started his career at an international bank in Nicaragua, he has a working proficiency in Spanish.
In his spare time, he sits on the boards of Awesome Foundation Miami and LocalTAU, two distinct grassroots organizations that seek to promote positive change, be it environmentally, socially, or entrepreneurially, throughout South Florida.