ANDREA SALWEN KOPEL

Originally from Newton, MA, Andrea came to New York City in 1987 to attend Barnard College and has made her home here ever since, spending more than 25 years working in New York City’s non-profit sector.  

After college, Andrea began her career at the national office of Planned Parenthood, working in communications and media relations. She has since served as Director of Program Services for Citymeals-on-Wheels, serving homebound elderly New Yorkers; V.P. of Community Programs at the non-profit Big Apple Circus, bringing the joy and laughter of the Circus to disadvantaged populations nationwide; and as Executive Director of Room to Grow, providing comprehensive services to families raising babies in poverty. Along the way she earned a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

For the last ten years, Andrea has served as Executive Director of National Council of Jewish Women New York (NCJW NY), allowing her to bring her Jewish identity and values to the work of social justice. Andrea leads a staff of twelve and a small army of more than 400 volunteers, providing a broad array of social services to New Yorkers from all racial and religious backgrounds, and engaging volunteer advocates to push for progressive policy change for economic and reproductive justice for women.  

Andrea lives with her husband, architect Ed Kopel, and her dog, Chocolate Lab Gali, in the Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn, where they raised their grown daughter, Ruby.