Levy Fellows: Board Development Program - Jewish Federation of St. Louis

Levy Fellows: Fall 2025 Board Development Program

Same Impactful Experience | New Full-Day Format

Join a cohort of board leaders of Jewish organizations throughout the St. Louis region.

Be inspired and motivated to advance leadership roles.
Learn tangible skills to enhance board effectiveness and long-term impact.
Incorporate leadership values that provide a foundation for decision-making.
Establish personal connections through a new community-wide network.

Program Lead Facilitator: Leslie Peters, MBA, Elements Partnership
Program Coordinator: Marci Mayer Eisen, MSW, ACC, Jewish Federation of St. Louis

Participation requires nomination by the CEO/executive, senior Rabbi, or board president.

Nominations will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

2025 Program Schedule

2025 Levy Fellows will participate in one day-long training, one evening session, and a recognition reception.

Day-Long Training

- Cohort A – Sunday, September 14: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, including lunch.
  OR
- Cohort B – Sunday, October 26: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, including lunch.

Evening Session

- Both Cohorts – Thursday, November 13: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Recognition Reception

- Presidents’ Circle and Levy Fellow Recognition Reception: Thursday, December 4, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

All sessions will take place at the Kaplan-Feldman Complex, Jewish Federation of St. Louis.

About Leslie Peters

Leslie returns is excited to partner with Jewish Federation for the fourth year to bring the Levy Fellows curriculum to the St. Louis Jewish Community.
Leslie has provided counsel and training in organizational development, strategic planning, human resource management, and leadership to for-profit and non-profit organizations for more than 25 years in St. Louis and across the country. She helps people and organizations unleash potential and create competitive advantage through leadership development, organizational values, and clarity, and adding big thinking and creativity to the work of boards. Leslie offers a fresh, innovative approach to reimaging generative decision-making, redefining organizational lay leadership, and elevating engagement at all levels of an organization. Leslie is also the author of Finding Time to Lead which combines what she has learned from having partnered with all kinds of leaders in all kinds of organizations, and what she has gleaned from reading LOTS of books about leadership, systems, community development, coaching, and about people and their stories. She also shares her own personal leadership journey, including her experience as president of a nonprofit board. Leslie’s advice and highly interactive training are practical and accessible, while also being challenging and thought-provoking. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

Nomination Form

Name of Person Providing Nomination*
First Last
Email of Person Providing Nomination*
Organization:*
Role*
- Board President
- Exec/CEO
- Rabbi
Confirmation*
I verify that I have shared the information, including the application form, with the following individual(s).
Nomination #1
Name:*
Current role:*
Involvement in other Jewish or civic organizations:
Reasons for nominating:*
Nomination #2
Name:
Current role:
Involvement in other Jewish or civic organizations:
Reasons for nominating:
Nomination #3
Name:
Current role:
Involvement in other Jewish or civic organizations:
Reasons for nominating:

Application

Name*
First Last
Email*
Phone*
Organization:*
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code
I was nominated to participate by:*
Current board position:*
Previous board position(s), if applicable:
Involvement in other Jewish or civic organizations:
Profession (if applicable):
Workplace (if applicable):
Previous work (if applicable):
What are your primary goals for participating in the Levy Fellows programs?
What knowledge and interests would you like to contribute to the group?
I understand that will need to complete a pre-program survey upon acceptance to Levy Fellows
- Yes
Please verify your availability:
Please note: All sessions will take place at the Kaplan-Feldman Complex, Jewish Federation of St. Louis.
Day-Long Training:
Participants will attend ONE Sunday Cohort session. Please choose the sessions you're available for. If you're available for both, you'll be asked to indicate your preferred option.
- Cohort A – Sunday, September 14: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, including lunch.
- Cohort B – Sunday, October 26: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, including lunch.
Which Sunday Training Date do you prefer?
- Cohort A – Sunday, September 14: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm,
- Cohort B – Sunday, October 26: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, including lunch.
Evening Session
- Thursday, November 13: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Concluding Reception:
- Presidents’ Circle and Levy Fellow Recognition Reception: Thursday, December 4, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About Mont Levy

Mont Levy was president of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis from 1999-2001. Prior to board president he held the positions of Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. A decade later Mont launched the Federation’s Millstone Leadership Institute as the founding advisory committee chair, continuing to this day to advise staff on the importance of volunteer lay leadership development and board governance. He rejoined the Jewish Federation of St. Louis board in 2022.

Locally with the JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Council) Mont served on the board and was one of the first members of the Jewish Fund for Human Needs. He also served as the Vice Chair of the National Interreligious Affairs Commission for the American Jewish Committee and chaired the regional office. Mont has shared his leadership on behalf of the Jewish community and interfaith endeavors locally, nationally, and internally.

In addition to significant service to the Jewish community, Mont has a passion for the arts. He is a past Chair of the Regional Arts Commission and has been a board member of the Opera Theater of St. Louis for over 10 years, is a longtime board member and past chair of the board for the Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and joined their new Emeritus Board. He also was an early board chair of Craft Alliance and recently joined the board of St. Louis Community Foundation. Mont has a deep commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and has been an advocate for policies and training in all areas, especially taking a leadership role for equity and accessibility for all to participate in the arts.

Mont is also devoted to educational opportunities including board commitments to John Burroughs School board and Forsyth School. In his home community of Clayton, Mont was a board member of the Clayton Century Foundation. Professionally Mont worked for Buckingham Asset Management as a Principal and Wealth advisor for 23 years until his retirement. Prior to Buckingham, he served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration for Grand Center. Mont has been honored for his leadership, including by NCCJ with their Brotherhood-Sisterhood award. Both Mont Levy and his wife Karen Levy, also an active community leader, are both graduates of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. Once Mont is engaged, he stays engaged both through public leadership roles as well as behind the scenes, offering his wisdom and supporting his passions through leadership and philanthropy.

Jewish Federation Leadership Initiatives of Jewish Federation of St. Louis are made possible by the support of Mont & Karen Levy and the Lubin-Green Foundation, a supporting foundation of Jewish Federation of St. Louis.