Julie is the founder and director of the Consortium for Israel and the Asylum Seekers. She worked extensively in the field of education in Boston and Washington, DC before moving to Tel Aviv with her family in 2011. In her role as the spouse of the US Ambassador, she engaged with educational, medical, and philanthropic institutions around Israel, highlighting the partnerships between the United States and Israel, and supporting programs to engage minority communities, promote women’s health, advance religious pluralism, and support educational, cultural, and humanitarian programs. Over the past eight years, Julie has worked with NGOs and other partners on projects to improve conditions in childcare facilities, provide humanitarian support, and advocate for the needs of the asylum-seeking community. She created the Consortium for Israel and the Asylum Seekers in order to bring attention to the issue of supporting the African asylum-seeking community in Israel and to facilitate the involvement of volunteers, donors, and communities in Israel and abroad. Julie lives outside Tel Aviv with her husband and three daughters.

Natasha co-founded Kuchinate with Diddy in 2010. Natasha is also the owner, head instructor, and resident Art Therapist at Tel Aviv Art Studio (www.telavivartstudio.com). She has a passion for art, teaching, and helping others. This passion has pushed her to work with various communities, including underprivileged children and teenagers at risk in South Africa, as well as survivors of gender-based violence in Haiti. Natasha studied at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town and later received a post-graduate certificate in Education for Art and Life Orientation. In addition, Natasha received her MA in Art Therapy from Haifa University.

Kedest made aliyah from Eritrea in 1997 and lives in Rishon Letzion with her husband and three children.

She has a degree in education. For nearly 13 years she worked as a teacher, coordinator of projects and a community mediator in the Ethiopian community.

She worked for roughly a year as a project coordinator at Kuchinate, and for the past two years has been working for the UNHCR Refugee Community Relations Department.