Our People
We are fortunate to have a select group of prestigious health, community, and business leaders who have joined our Founders Circle, Board of Directors, and Staff. These individuals share a deep concern for our cause.
Our Founders
President
Daniel Goodman
Rabbi and educator. President of MagicMobility Vans by Special Kids Fund and CharityChoice Gift Cards.
Chair
Mark Finkel
Corporate executive, investor, community leader, and philanthropist. Chair of Special Kids Fund and Founder of CharityChoice Gift Cards.
Trustee
Mordechai Rindenow, OBM
Psychologist, lecturer, and educator. Trustee of Special Kids Fund.
Our Founders Circle
The following individuals are public advocates and are active in the world of health care and commerce on behalf of our organization. Their wisdom and experience have been invaluable in guiding us since our beginning.
Jason Alexander
Actor/director and national celebrity spokesman for the Scleroderma Foundation.
Jerry Greenfield
The founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Jerry Greenfield, mailed cases of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to spread the cause and name of Special Kids Fun in its beginning.
Dr. Paul Gerson
Founder of Camp For All. Camp For All (CFA) is a barrier-free, fully-accessible camp working to enrich the lives of children and adults with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
Dr. Malvin and Barbara Barer
Malvin Barer OBM MSc, MD Volunteer for Orthopedics Overseas, former Chief of Pediatric Orthopedics, Children’s Hospital of the East Bay, Oakland, CA and orthopedic consultant for the Golden State Warriors.
Barbara Barer A senior research associate at the Department of Medical Anthropology, University of California at San Francisco. One of the leading authors in the field of aging, co-author of ‘Life Beyond 85’.
Drs. Harvey and Susan Kayman
Harvey Kayman, MD, MPH Director of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Member, South Carolina Medical Association Ethics Committee and was responsible for creating an HRSA/CDC sponsored Emergency Preparedness Team. Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Pediatrics Department of USC.
Susan Kayman Dr.P.H.,RD. Deputy Director, Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities, USC Associate Research Professor, Health Promotion Education and Behavior.
Dr. Howard L. Weiner
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine. Pediatric Basic Research Award by the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Society for Neuro-Oncology Young Investigator Award and Best Individual Investigator Award by the AANS/CNS Tumor Section.
Board of Directors
Founder & President
Daniel B. Goodman
Daniel’s personal involvement is motivated by his own special needs child as well as over 25 years of experience as an educator and Rabbi, involved in the social needs of a community. He guided parents in founding a social club for physically challenged young adults in Palo Alto that has now evolved into a communal residence, and hosted a special needs program within the Jewish High School, where he was Principal in Miami Beach. Professionally, he has served on the National Board of the Association of Hebrew Day Schools, was Chairman of the Federation’s Association of Rabbis and Agency Executives in Palo Alto, and cofounded the Institute for Jewish Medical Ethics in San Francisco.
Chair
Mark Finkel, Esq.
Mark Finkel is a full time Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University where he has taught since 2017. He was named the Lillian F. and William L. Silber Professor of the Year in 2021. He was Director of the Sy Syms MBA Program from 2018 to 2023.
Over the past 25 years, he has been deeply involved in early-stage entrepreneurial enterprises, both for-profit and nonprofit. He has worked as a founder, executive or active board member of numerous high-growth companies on the East Coast, in Silicon Valley, and in Israel.
He was the founder and Chairman of RightAnswers, a customer support enterprise software company, which was sold in 2017. He also served at the Board level for JUMP E-Bikes which was bought by Uber in 2018. He has taken three companies public as Chief Financial Officer. Many of the other companies he has been involved with have had successful M&A exits.
Mark sits on the Board of a number of non-profit organizations and has mentored a number of early stage non-profits through the OU Imp. He did a TEDx Talk in 2022 on Cultural Intelligence.
Mark holds a BA from Oberlin College, an MBA from NYU and a JD from the University of California (Managing Editor, Law Review).
Innovative skills and entrepreneurial mindset provide a fresh approach to growing the organization. Mark is always coming up with new ways to help expand Special Kids Fund’s reach and impact. His passion for ensuring that all families have the mobility they need, without obstacles standing in their way, has been vital in helping many families.
Board Member
Mayer Danziger
Mayer Danziger brings extensive experience in education, technology, and business development to Special Kids Fund.
Mayer’s professional background includes various sales positions and roles as a computer engineer at AT&T in Piscataway, NJ, and Lucent Technologies in Basking Ridge, NJ. Since 2000, he has been the owner and manager of Staff Development Workshops, Inc., an educational consulting agency dedicated to enhancing professional development in the education sector.
At Special Kids Fund, Mayer leverages his technology background to improve operational efficiency and optimize resource management. His expertise in systems and infrastructure helps streamline processes, allowing the organization to better serve families in need.
Board Member
Yehuda Goodman
Yehuda Goodman brings over 30 years of experience in IT infrastructure and a decade specializing in cybersecurity threat analysis and mitigation. He currently leads Network Cybersecurity for Bank Leumi Israel, where he is responsible for safeguarding critical financial systems against evolving cyber threats. At Special Kids Fund, Yehuda applies his expertise in cybersecurity and network infrastructure to enhance data security and operational resilience. His background ensures that the organization operates efficiently and securely, protecting sensitive information while optimizing technological resources to better serve families in need.Board Member
Haim Hirsch
Haim Hirsch is an experienced innovation and design leader with a strong background in problem-solving and strategic visioning. He has worked across industries, helping teams uncover opportunities, develop innovative solutions, and improve engagement. As the former Local President and Board Member of Hatzolah of Los Angeles, Haim brings valuable non-profit leadership experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from UCLA and a Masters in Applied Experimental Psychology from CSUN. Haim is dedicated to applying his skills using data-driven insights and collaboration to create measurable impact in support of the Special Kid’s Fund’s growth and success.
Board Member
Miriam Real
Miriam Real, Ph.D., is an educator and small business owner. With a Ph.D. in American History from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, she has taught history at the high school and college level, including at the Lisa Kampner Hebrew Academy. She also held administrative positions at the Academy. She is the founder of Oral History Associates, a firm that writes histories of corporations and other businesses, and, additionally, offers tutoring services for high school and college students. She lives with her husband in Mill Valley, CA. Her experience in school administration and business ownership provides valuable insight into operational efficiency, helping Special Kids Fund streamline initiatives and expand its reach.Our Trustees
Robert C. Lawson
Chief of Police, Lakewood Township, NJ. He is a graduate of Columbia University B.A., Rutgers University Certified Public Manager Certification, FBI National Academy and Fairleigh Dickinson University Masters in Administrative Science. Chief Lawson serves on the board of Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus Foundation and is a member of many professional associations, including New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Certified Chief L.E. Executive.Mordechai Rindenow, OBM
M.A. and Ed. M., Teachers College, Columbia University, served as Executive Director of Project SPARK for at-risk youth and was program coordinator for substance abuse counseling at Christ Hospital in NJ).
