Summer Institute: Skillbuilders

The PresenTense Summer Institute is pleased to introduce this summer's skillbuilders!!

Asher Epstein has extensive experience advising; growing and managing emerging firms both in the United States and internationally. He has traveled extensively with a focus on building entrepreneurship and innovation in emerging markets and has work experience in China, Israel and Egypt. Mr. Epstein is an expert and frequent lecturer on topics including: opportunity recognition, global entrepreneurship and new venture creation.

Since 2004, Mr. Epstein has been the managing director of the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, Mr. Epstein is responsible for overseeing the center's strategy and operations including business incubation; start up funding and international operations.

Joseph Gitler is a graduate of Yeshiva University and Fordham University law school. After making aliyah in 2000, he worked for three years as director of international sales and development for a family software business. He founded Leket Israel  in 2003 after witnessing significant food wastage in Israel at a time of rising poverty. Joseph's vision and steady hand have led the organization from a simple, one-man operation to Israel's largest food rescue organization. He is married to Leelah, has four children and enjoys biking, traveling and spending time with his kids.

Jonathan Shif

Danny Warshay has devoted his career to building, managing and harvesting high-growth entrepreneurial ventures. He is the founder and managing director of DEW Ventures, a platform he is using to launch and develop a variety of new, quickly growing companies. Danny began his entrepreneurial pursuits while in college as co-founder of Clearview Software, the developer of the SmartForms suite of Macintosh applications software. Apple Computer acquired Clearview in 1989. 

Eli Novershtern is currently an Investment Analyst at Canaan Partners, a venture capital firm, and focuses on the firm’s Israeli investments. Prior to joining Canaan Eli was a strategy consultant and team leader at Shaldor, where he created and helped implement business strategies for leading companies in IT, healthcare, and the consumer goods industries. His understanding of technology is rooted in the prestigious “Haman Talpiot” project, within which he served for six years as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces. Eli holds an MPA degree from the Harvard Kennedy School, where he was a Fischman Scholar, as well as an MSc in Management from the London School of Economics, where he was a Chevening Scholar. Eli got his BA in Political Science, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where he also graduated from the “Amirim” honors program.

Michael Eisenberg, a partner at Benchmark Capital, has been a key figure in Internet and software investing in Israel since 1995, playing a central role in the development of many of Israel‘s leading companies and startups. He also writes his own blog Six Kids and a Full Time Job. 

Nadav Kidron has served as President and CEO of Oramed Pharmaceuticals since founding the company in 2006. An entrepreneur whose career has included managerial roles in a variety of companies and organizations. Nadav is an Advisory Board Member  for The Trendlines Group, a group that invests in and develops innovation-based businesses. Nadav holds a Bachelor of Law Degree and a Masters in Business Administration from Bar Ilan University. He is member of the Israeli Bar Association.

Pamela Deutsch is an independent marketing consultant who specializes in work with non-profit organizations. She has worked as Director of Development for the Israel Association of Community Centers, the Hartman Institute and as Director of Donor Affairs for the Jewish Agency. Pamela works as a consultant and mentor to a variety of non-profit organizations. Her work includes program conceptualization, development and promotion, the development of strategic plans for fundraising for ongoing and capital campaigns, budget analysis, and the creation of fundraising materials. In addition, Pamela teaches both basic and advanced fundraising courses. She is very successful in involving course/seminar participants in not only helping themselves but in teamwork to help each other. Pamela lives in Har Adar.