Our Team
Interim Executive director
Megan Burmeister
Megan Burmeister is thrilled to be returning to Hillel to continue her passion of connecting students to Jewish life, culture, and community. Megan’s professional career began at Hillel at Indiana University where she served many roles including the Assistant Director. She had the privilege of being a Birthright Israel Fellow, and she has led 7 trips with over 200 students!
Six years ago, she moved to Denver, CO to be the Director of Youth Engagement at Temple Emanuel, and this is where she grew to love the Colorado Jewish community. Her passion for Jewish life exceeds her career, including overnight summer camps (11 summers at GUCI, Camp Wise, and Shwayder Camp!) and volunteering for a year on the Masa Israel Teaching Fellow Program! Megan lives in Denver with her husband, Mitch, and son, Levi. They enjoy puzzling, going to the park, and going to concerts together!
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
Contact: Megan@cuboulderhillel.org
Schedule a Chat: calendly.com/megan-burmeister/meeting
IACT Coordinator for israel engagement
Jacob Wilson
Jacob is a recent graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Psychology and Communications. He enjoys spending his free time snowboarding, hiking, boxing, longboarding. Along with his usual hobbies his passions include traveling the world and meeting new people with a variety of interests and experiences.
Pronouns: He, Him, His
Contact: Jacob@cuboulderhillel.org
Springboard Engagement and innovation fellow
Shira Finke
Shira Finke was born and raised in Potomac, Maryland. She attended the College of Charleston, pursuing a major in Psychology and minors in management and Jewish studies. Shira actively participated in campus life by joining various organizations, including the women's health research team, the frisbee team, and, of course, Hillel. Within Hillel, she took the initiative to establish a club called Havurah, providing a platform for students to engage in passionate discussions on various Jewish topics. Her involvement within Hillel progressed to serving as an engagement fellow, FYSH coordinator, and eventually, president.
During the summers, Shira pursued diverse roles, including positions as an interfaith ambassador, innovation intern, and data analyst. Her wide range of interests ultimately led her to work at Hillel, where she could combine her many passions into her dream job. In her leisure time, she is eager to explore Boulder through activities such as hiking, dining, and shopping. Within Hillel, Shira is enthusiastic about re-imagining the possibilities for Jewish campus life. Her goal is to establish meaningful connections, develop exciting programming, and introduce fresh ideas that can shape the future of Jewish engagement on campus.
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
Contact: Shira@cuboulderhillel.org
Shabbat and holiday chef
Rachel Irons
Rachel was born and raised in Anchorage, AK with parents who loved food and taught her how to cook from a young age. She majored in Environmental Studies and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CU and has lived in the Boulder area every since. In addition to cooking for Hillel, Rachel runs a zero waste grocery store called Nude Foods. When she’s not busy with those things she enjoys all the standard Colorado outdoor activities.
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
Contact: contact@cuboulderhillel.org
Campus Marketing and Development Manager
Ilana Bleich
Born and raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Ilana attended the University of Mary Washington and graduated with a degree in Historic Preservation and Urban Studies. She served as the Springboard Innovation Fellow at Northwestern University from 2019-2021, where she helped support students during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has worked in marketing and development for several organizations, including her university Department of Campus Recreation, Jewish camps, and most recently as the Digital Content Strategist at the Chicago Architecture Center. She currently lives in Washington, DC.
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
Contact: IBleich@hillel.org