Leadership

Richie Ackerman, 2nd Vice President   

Richard was born in Yonkers, NY, grew up in Levittown, Long Island, and spent 2 years in the Army during the Vietnam war. He’s married to Claudia, and they have one daughter and one grandchild. They moved to Prescott Valley in 2021. Richard spent his 50-year career in the floor Covering Supplies business,  ending as a vice president of the 100-employee company. Richard was very active and on the board in his previous congregations, the Hicksville Jewish Center and Temple Etz Chaim. Richard enjoys playing guitar and pickleball. He and Claudia also enjoy traveling the country by car. 

Suzi Abramson-Johnson, 2nd Vice President

Suzi and her husband Phil made Prescott their main residence in 2019, keeping a small condo in the valley to return for the winters.  Originally from Wisconsin, where she and a group of friends founded a Reconstructionist Synagogue in 1989, she was one of their Cantorial Soloists.  Suzi retired in 2021 from an over 40-year career as a Project Manager in the Telecommunications Industry. Suzi is a part-time travel advisor. She and Phil are the proud grandparents of 6 grandchildren, 2 girls living in Prescott and 4 boys in Denver. Suzi served on the TBS Board of Directors for the last two years as a Member at Large and looks forward to serving as the 2^nd Vice President.

Laurie Reiner, Secretary

Laurie grew up in NYC. She met Tom, her husband in San Francisco, CA in the mid-1970s, and got married in 1984. Laurie taught elementary school for over 25 years. She earned her Masters degree in Education while teaching full time. Laurie and Tom moved to Prescott at the end of 2019. She is impressed with the high level of talent and energy in our Temple’s leadership, as well as the variety of programs offered to the Congregation. Laurie has participated in Hebrew classes and Tanach Study with the Lunch Bunch. Laurie is a part time volunteer docent at Sharlot Hall.

Gloria Hershman, Treasurer

After 35 years as a senior executive in health care, Gloria and Bruce retired to Prescott. Since then, Gloria has served on many community boards including as previous treasurer of TBS. She chairs the TBS Financial Committee and is actively involved in TBS fundraisers.

Trudy Steinhauer, Immediate Past President

Trudy was born in Pittsburgh, PA, lived in India as a child, and  was a flight attendant/purser for 35 years. She married  Douglas Steinhauer in 1987. After retiring she held numerous volunteer positions before moving to Prescott in 2015. We’re blessed to be part of “A Jewel of a Shul.”

Alexandra Paeff, Member-at-Large

Alex moved to Prescott after retiring from the CA Department of Corrections, in 2001.  Prior to retirement, she was in the position of Community Resources Manager & Community Prisoner Mother Program Coordinator, at the CA Institution for Women. Some time after a divorce, and having 2 children to support, Alex returned to school earning a BA in a triple major comprising Sociology, Psychology & Political Science, later several teaching credentials & MPA. Alex joined the temple several years ago.

Al Steinberg, Member-at-Large

Allee and Al moved to the area in 2005. Al is a fire service retiree as well as a public school retiree with several generations of volunteerism thrown in. Allee retired from 40+ years as a dental hygienist. They live in Chino Valley on a piece of property they call AB Normal Acres. They have an adult daughter in Portland; Allee’s father lives with them.

Samantha Opperman, Member-at-Large      

Samantha is currently a middle school principal at Bradshaw Mountain Middle School with more than a decade spent in secondary and post-secondary education. Sam relocated with her husband, Daryl, and son, Luke from California to Arizona in 2019, welcoming the only native Arizonian in their family, Reed, in 2021. Sam became the Primary-Grade-Sunday-School teacher at TBS in January of 2023 and has greatly enjoyed enriching the lives of Jewish children, including her own, with the stories and traditions of our people. Sam's focus for her board membership at TBS is growing the educational programming for adults and children, as well as working with Leadership to build strong multi-generational membership and grow the Jewish community in our area.

Annie Bernkrant, Member-at-Large     

Annie was born and raised in Chicago, lived in California for 34 years and moved to AZ with her husband, Peter, in 2004. Annie taught English in Los Angeles for four years before changing careers to Social Work. Raised in a secular Jewish home, Annie first joined a synagogue in Chico CA. At TBS, she has served on the board, co-chaired the Social Justice Committee and several Hanukkah parties, and coordinates a monthly dinner for the Prescott Area Women’s Shelter. An avid reader and baker/cook, Annie enjoys hiking and volunteers as an academic mentor at The Launch Pad Teen Center in Prescott. Peter and Annie share 3 grown sons and have 6 grandchildren. Sadly, none of them live in AZ.

Heather Balk, Member-at-large.

Heather was raised in Prescott from the time she was 3. She left to go to college at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She is married to Jay, and they have 2 young boys, Aiden and Tanner who attend religious school. Heather and her family moved back to Prescott in 2019 to give the boys the small-town upbringing they both had. Heather received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2006 and has been a pharmacist ever since. She enjoys spending time with her family and taking care of her plants. Temple B’rith Shalom has been a welcoming haven for the family and Heather is excited to become more involved in the synagogue.