Stephanie Hausner

Chief Operating Officer of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

A) What qualities make the nominee deserving of the Z3 Bridge Builder Award?

Stephanie has dedicated her career to bridging divides within the Jewish community and fostering unity and understanding, making her an exemplary Z3 Bridge Builder Award candidate. Throughout her career, she’s demonstrated a unique ability to unite diverse communities, navigating complex political, cultural, and ideological landscapes with diplomacy and vision. Stephanie's leadership is defined by her commitment to collaborative engagement, especially around issues of antisemitism, pro-Israel advocacy, and Jewish unity.

As the Chief Operating Officer of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Stephanie plays a pivotal role in aligning the interests of the Conference’s 53 member organizations, bridging the broad spectrum of political, religious, and ideological perspectives. This is an especially hard task, given the wide range of views among member organizations on issues such as the U.S.-Israel relationship and how to approach it, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its ultimate outcome, and U.S. domestic politics. However, under her leadership Stephanie has fostered a culture of cooperation and respect, ensuring that the Conference remains an effective platform for unity and advocacy in the face of growing challenges.

Particularly after Hamas’s barbaric attack on Israel on October 7th and the dramatic rise in antisemitism that resulted in its aftermath, Stephanie has played a critical role in coordinating and leading the Jewish community’s response. From organizing the delegation of Jewish community CEOs mission to Israel immediately after the attack, to planning the March for Israel on National Mall which drew tens of thousands of supporters, to meeting with President Biden, Stephanie’s role has been pivotal in shaping the U.S. response.

Her efforts have also been instrumental in combating rising antisemitism more broadly. She has successfully worked with diverse Jewish organizations to strengthen their collective response to antisemitism, focusing on both education and action. By encouraging open dialogue and building consensus among Jewish communal organizations large and small, Stephanie has helped create a more cohesive and empowered Jewish community that can collectively address these challenges. This work is critical in a time when the Jewish community faces significant external threats and internal divisions.

Stephanie’s Jewish communal leadership did not begin with her role at the Conference. In her previous role as Managing Director for the Israel Action Network at the Jewish Federations of North America, Stephanie led initiatives that promoted unity across the community by advocating for cooperative efforts to combat the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, including coordinating efforts to pass state anti-BDS legislation throughout the country. Under her leadership, 37 states have successfully passed such legislation, a testament to her ability to unify different sectors of the Jewish and pro-Israel communities around a common cause. This effort required building coalitions not only within the Jewish community but also with non-Jewish allies, showcasing her skill in fostering understanding and partnership across diverse groups.

Her leadership is further demonstrated by her deep commitment to local community engagement. Stephanie's grassroots work includes campus and community initiatives that brought people together across political and generational divides. By organizing educational campaigns, workshops, and dialogues, she has empowered Jewish communities to actively participate in advocacy while ensuring that their voices are heard on key issues. Her work has helped create spaces for dialogue where differences are respected and where collaboration is prioritized.

Stephanie’s empathy, dedication to fostering dialogue, and impressive track record of uniting people across divides make her a deserving recipient of the Z3 Bridge Builder Award. Her work exemplifies the values of unity, understanding, and collaboration, and she continues to make a lasting impact on the Jewish community at large.

B) In what ways has the nominee demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to their work in bridging divides?

Stephanie has truly distinguished herself through her remarkable leadership and tireless commitment to bringing people together within and between the Jewish and broader global community. In her current role as the COO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Stephanie has once again proven her critical leadership to the American Jewish community, particularly in light of the dramatic growth of antisemitism we are witnessing around the world in the aftermath of October 7th. In a moment of crisis for the community, the trust people have in Stephanie has enabled the Conference to act as a cohesive force for advocacy.

Two specific moments come to mind.

In the days after the conflict, Stephanie knew the Jewish community and U.S. political leadership needed to demonstrate its support for our ally Israel. She immediately set to planning a rally of political and Jewish community leaders in DC around a unified cause: showing support for Israel and securing greater protection for Jewish institutions in the face of rising antisemitism. With her deep experience in advocacy and coalition-building, Stephanie recognized the urgent need for a platform where bipartisan political figures and leading Jewish organizations could demonstrate solidarity with Israel. She worked tirelessly behind the scenes, coordinating with a wide range of organizations, eventually bringing together the House and Senate majority and minority leadership, representatives from the Biden Administration, and leading organizations like ADL, AJC, AIPAC, JFNA and more to bring together key voices and ensure the event’s success. Dozens of organizations and their leadership came. Following this day, she led a mission to Israel of Jewish communal CEOs to Israel to strongly and proudly show their support.

In the weeks that followed, Stephanie was instrumental in planning the March for Israel on the National Mall, an event that drew tens of thousands of supporters from across the country. Recognizing the urgent need to demonstrate widespread support for Israel in the wake of escalating tensions and threats, Stephanie worked closely with various Jewish organizations, political leaders, and grassroots movements to coordinate the logistics and messaging of the march. Her ability to unite diverse groups under a common cause was key to mobilizing such a large turnout. From organizing security and coordinating speakers to ensuring media coverage, Stephanie’s strategic leadership and meticulous planning made the event a historic demonstration of solidarity with Israel, highlighting the unity and strength of the pro-Israel community.

Moreover, for years Stephanie has organized Jewish communal coordination calls, ensuring that various organizations, despite their differences, are working together on fighting antisemitism and anti-Zionism when their interests align. This call serves as a vital platform for coordination and information-sharing among Jewish leaders and organizations across the country. Under Stephanie’s leadership, the call has fostered an environment where groups can collaborate on shared goals, navigate potential conflicts, and ensure that the community presents a unified front when needed. This initiative, which Stephanie has maintained with dedication, highlights her deep commitment to fostering collaboration within the Jewish community

What sets Stephanie apart as a leader is her understanding that real change happens when people come together, even when they disagree. Her ability to listen, mediate, and bring diverse groups to the table ensures that solutions are not only effective but also sustainable. Her leadership style—marked by collaboration, humility, and determination—has made her a trusted figure within the Jewish community and beyond. By promoting understanding, fostering dialogue, and building consensus, Stephanie has consistently demonstrated her exceptional leadership and deep commitment to bridging divides, making her a deserving nominee for the Z3 Bridge Builder Award.

C) How has the nominee's work impacted the Jewish community and beyond?

Stephanie’s work has been truly transformative, reshaping the landscape of Jewish advocacy and community engagement. She has been a driving force behind key initiatives addressing central issues affecting Jewish life, such as combating the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, advancing Holocaust education, and ensuring security for Jewish institutions. Her leadership in organizing coalitions of Jewish organizations and amplifying diverse voices has strengthened the community’s advocacy efforts at both the federal and state levels.

The BDS movement is the next manifestation of efforts to delegitimize, demonize, and isolate Israel, and Stephanie has driven efforts to combat it. Through her various positions, she has played a critical role in orchestrating a unified response from Jewish organizations across the political spectrum. Her strategic vision and tireless work led to the successful passage of anti-BDS legislation in 37 states, ensuring that the Jewish community's stance against this movement was heard and acted upon. This achievement not only protected Israel from delegitimization but also showcased the effectiveness of coordinated, cross-organizational advocacy.

Her impact on Holocaust education is another testament to her commitment to preserving Jewish history and combating antisemitism. Recognizing the importance of educating future generations about the Holocaust, she has been involved in various initiatives aimed at integrating Holocaust education into school curriculums and public discourse. Her efforts have helped ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten, which is crucial in an era where antisemitism is on the rise.

In addition to her work on BDS and Holocaust education, Stephanie has been a key figure in ensuring that Jewish communities have the representation and resources they need. Her role in organizing coalitions of Jewish organizations has been instrumental in amplifying diverse voices within the Jewish community. By bringing together various groups, from local organizations to national bodies, she has created a unified front on critical issues, ensuring that Jewish concerns are represented in political and social arenas. This has included advocating for increased funding for security measures to protect Jewish institutions, addressing the rise in antisemitic incidents, and fostering a sense of solidarity and support among Jewish communities.

Stephanie's behind-the-scenes influence has made her one of the key impactful figures in Jewish advocacy today. Her strategic acumen, coupled with her ability to build and sustain coalitions, has enabled her to drive significant change on behalf of the Jewish community. Her work has not only strengthened Jewish advocacy but has also contributed to broader interfaith and bipartisan support for policies that align with Jewish values and concerns. By effectively organizing, advocating, and ensuring representation, Stephanie has made a profound impact on the Jewish community and beyond, reinforcing the strength and unity of the Jewish voice in critical discussions on both national and international stages.