Our Staff
Federation's professional staff boasts a long list of credentials, but what distinguishes the group is its commitment to making an impact where impact is needed in support of Jews and Jewish communities at home, in Israel, and around the world.
Ana Sazonov, Executive Director
Ana Sazonov was born in Ukraine to a non-Jewish mother and a father who repressed his Jewish identity. Her family became Ukrainian in every way, which helped them to survive antisemitic attacks. Ana grew up as a Ukrainian girl with no knowledge of Judaism or Israel. After the Soviet Union collapsed, the Jewish Agency sprang into action, promoting the Law of Return, and offered her family the chance to make Aliya and start a new life in the Promised Land. Aliya to Israel allowed Ana to grapple with her Jewish identity like few Jews do.
Ana served two years in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a Basic Training Commander and trained IDF soldiers to be combat-ready.
Ana holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from Ruppin Academic Center in Business and Economics, a masters degree in Jewish Professional Leadership and a masters in Nonprofit Management at the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program and The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. She has explored different fields, such as advertising, crowdfunding, and development.
Ana served as the Israel Fellow (emissary) to Emory University Hillel, Atlanta GA, where she oversaw everything related to Israel, from education to programming and experience. In addition, she created RSJ@ATL, a platform which provides hundreds of Russian-speaking Jews in Atlanta the opportunity to connect to their Jewish roots and have a sense of community.
As a response to COVID-19, Ana founded JewBer, a Jewish startup that delivers kosher Shabbat meals to Jewish frontline heroes, low-income seniors and families, and Holocaust survivors in the greater Boston area. JewBer has delivered over 3,000 meals with the help of more than 100 volunteers in the past year.
ana@jewishcolumbia.org
Elaine Cohen, LMSW, Jewish Family Service Director
Laney has been serving the Jewish community as the Director of Jewish Family Service since 2011. Before that, Laney was the Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia. Laney received her Masters in Social Work in 2003. She is the mother, chauffer, and chief costume hot gluer to Hayden and Jacob. Laney and her husband, Keven, are members of Tree of Life Congregation, where she became a Bat Mitzvah, was confirmed, and married.
Cheryl Glantz Nail, Community Relations Director
Cheryl has worked in the Columbia Jewish Community since 2011. Prior to becoming a Jewish Professional, Cheryl earned her B.A. in English and her M.ED. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida, spending ten years in education, both in the classroom and as a curriculum developer. Cheryl and her husband are happy to call Columbia home and are thankful to be raising their son in such a loving, closeknit Jewish community.