In addition to our staff below, a full list of rabbis and cantors can be found on our conversion mentors page.
Rabbi Patrick Beaulier is the Director of Innovation for PunkTorah, Inc. as well as Executive Director and President of the Board.
For his role at Darshan Yeshiva, “Rabbi Patrick” is focused on empowering growth in students numbers, rabbinical and cantorial support and in relationships with other organizations.
Rabbi Patrick is also the co-spiritual leader of Kehillah, a pop-up Jewish community in Richmond, VA.
His smicha is from Rabbinical Seminary International and Rabbi Patrick additionally received a Bachelor of Science from the City University of Seattle with a focus on business administration.
Rabbi Sandy Zisser is the Director of Education for Darshan Yeshiva and Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary, of which he is also founder.
In addition, Rabbi Zisser teaches in the Center for Academic Support at The Leffell School (formally Schechter Westchester). He holds B.A. degrees in American History and Judaic Studies from the State University of New York at Albany, an M.A. in Special Education from Bank Street College, and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute. He is also a member of the Westchester Board of Rabbis.
Sara Stirne Ibanez manages all conversion rabbis and mentors as well as Darshan Yeshiva’s virtual support team. In her role, Sara is focused on sustaining and growing programs and services through this HR lens. A former communications specialist and media maven, Sara holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from Georgia State University and a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration degree from Baylor University in Waco, Tex. She brings with her over a decade of experience in non-profit healthcare in addition to her sparkling personality and a make-it-work mentality.
Julie supports the inspiring mission of PunkTorah Inc. using her 5+ years of experience in assisting clients with technical issues, learning curves, and website updates, all with kindness, respect, and joy. Her technical background is in programming for website development, WordPress, and project management tools. Julie has a deep love for Judaism and the Jewish community, including her participation in the Den Collective and learning Yiddish. When she’s not engaged in Jewish activities, Julie is a freelance, creative non-fiction writer, lover of nature, and world traveler.
Ruthie has worn many hats in her professional life including nurse, an online radio personality, an Executive Assistant and a Chef. While all of these roles may seem completely different, the one thing that they all shared was they allowed her to serve and assist others in one way or another. This is what drives her and why she is thrilled to be the Student Support Specialist for PunkTorah, Inc.
Ruthie has been a member of a Reform synagogue in Southern California since 2018. She is very active in her community and enjoys volunteering with the synagogue’s Tikkun Olam committee. She is also a mother of three, two boys and one girl, who keep her very active.
