Board of Trustees
Officers
Ken serves on the Board of Trustees as a Vice President.
Sharon is a partner with the law firm of Harris Beach PLLC, where she practices in the firm’s commercial real estate and financial institutions groups. Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, she attended Vassar College and SUNY @ Buffalo Law School. While most of her law school friends from the New York metropolitan area left the Buffalo area after graduation, Sharon remained in Buffalo, where she met her husband Edward. Sharon, Edward and their daughter Sophie live in Snyder.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2023.
Stephen L. Yonaty is a partner at Cannon Heyman & Weiss, LLP where he practices in the areas of affordable, senior and multi-family housing, real estate, commercial and public finance, business restructuring and bankruptcy, and commercial litigation law. He and his wife, Kim, reside in East Amherst with their 4 children, each of whom has attended the PALS School.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2024
Larry is a Partner with the Kavinoky Cook LLP law firm. He concentrates in Public and Private Development, Real Property Law, and Municipal Law, drawing upon a thirty-year career in a wide range of public offices, including the unique experience of having been both the chief legal officer and the chief development and planning official for both the City of Buffalo and the County of Erie. Larry has also served as special counsel to a variety of public entities in their development projects, including the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority and the Niagara Falls Housing Authority. Larry is a graduate of the State University at Buffalo Law School and is active in a wide range of community activities. Larry received the 2021 UB Law School Distinguished Alumnus Award for Community Service and is a Past President of Temple Beth Zion and of Jewish Family Services of Western New York. Larry and his wife Debra Chernoff live in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village, as do their two sons, Their older son Aaron practices law with Larry at Kavinoky Cook and their younger son Adam is the Assistant Librarian at the Buffalo History Museum. Larry and Debra like to cook and entertain and visit cities around the world.
Robin and her family joined TBZ in 2004 when they relocated to Buffalo for her husband Jamie's job as a clinical psychology professor at the University of Buffalo. Robin has over 20 years experience as an HR professional and currently works as a Senior HR Business Partner for Synacor. She was a psychology major at Colgate University and President of her Senior class, and then went on to receive her Masters degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Minnesota. Originally from Lexington, MA, Robin now lives in Clarence with her husband, Jamie, and two children, Aaron and April. In addition to serving on the TBZ Board, Robin coaches youth soccer and volunteers with the Sheridan Hill Elementary School PTO.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2024.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2023.
Board Members
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2024
Kerri is the Director of Customer Service for United Healthcare and has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Kerri grew up in Niskayuna, NY, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Government at Smith College, where she is currently serving as her Alumni Class President. Kerri lives in Hamburg with her husband Michael, their daughter and their two pugs Charlotte and Louie. Kerrie and Michael have been members of TBZ since 2017 and Kerri is passionate about helping TBZ members connect with the congregation and each other. Kerri enjoys skiing in the winter and the outdoors in general.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2024.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2025
Jenn is a Certified Nurse Midwife and OB/GYN Nurse Practitionerat South Buffalo Mercy Hospital. Jenn has had the privilege of working in women’s health and bringing babies into the world for the past 25 years. Jenn grew up in Long Island and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Vermont and a Master’s in nursing from SUNY at Stony Brook. Jenn is an accomplished and classically trained vocalist and has performed in a wide range of theatrical and musical productions. Jennhas served on the Board of Directors of the JCC of Greater Buffaloand has served on both a TBZ rabbinic and cantorial search committee. Jennifer lives in East Amherst and has two daughters:Perryn, a sophomore at Marist College and Avery, a Junior at Williamsville East.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2023.
David the President and CEO of Gordon Companies, Inc., which is the parent company of Dave's Christmas Wonderland Stores for over 45 years. David’s ecommerce businesses, including Christmascentral.com and Christmas.com employ over 250 people and operate over 500,000 square feet of warehousing and distribution centers in Western New York. David is an entrepreneur and owns the Creekside Banquet Facility in Cheektowaga since 1985, and is the real estate developer of the Colvin Estates neighborhood in North Buffalo, where over 125 homes have been built over the past few years. David is a first generation American. His mother was born into a small Jewish community in Calcutta India and his father’s family immigrated to the United States from Russia through Canada. David is married to Paulette and they have two children and two grandchildren. David is a past member of the Westwood Country Club, a current member of the Park Country Club, and an avid golfer, softball player and car collector.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2023.
Aaron is the Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of New York. Aaron is the point of contact for environmental crimes and has prosecuted a wide array of white-collar cases. Aaron received his Juris Doctor from Boston University, Master of Science from Florida State University, and Bachelor of Science from Union College. Prior to working at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Aaron worked at a private law firm in Boston, Massachusetts, and worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Northampton, Massachusetts. Aaron has lectured extensively on environmental and wildlife crimes, and child exploitation crimes. Aaron lives in Snyder New York with his two children, and enjoys hiking, running, and helping with his children's sports teams.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2025
Joni is a native of Buffalo NY and a member of TBZ since 1989 when she married Dr. Samuel Shatkin, Jr., a fifth-generation member of TBZ. Joni is owner/proprietor of Tres Aurae Spa since 2014 located at the Hilton-Mosey Hotel located on Main Street in Williamsville. Joni earned her Bachelor of Science in finance and marketing at the University at Buffalo, was Regional Sales Manager for Entenmann’s/Oroweat Corporation and later became a sales associate in the pharmaceutical industry. Joni is currently the Women’s PhilanthropyChair at the Buffalo Jewish Federation for her third term and has been on the Boards of the Buffalo Jewish Federation, Buffalo Jewish Board of Education,Jewish Community Center, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundationand has served as the PALS committee parent liaison. Joni and Sam live in Williamsville and are parents to Rachel, Danielle and Michael.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2025
Barry is the CEO of a marketing organization specializing in experiential marketing program management and logistics and direct to consumer/trade events for international wine and cheese consortiums, andhas been engaged in the Advertising/Promotions industry for over 55 years. Barry is member of several National Branding and Specialty products organizations. Barry was past President and board member of Westwood Country Club.Barry attended the University of Miami (FL) and is a graduate of the University of Buffalo. Barry has achieved a National certification in Marketing/Management and holds several copyrights for sales and marketing programs he has developed. Barry lives in Williamsville with his wife Marilyn (Goldstein), has two children and 4 grandchildren and enjoys golf and working on creating stained glass decor pieces.
Cindy serves on the Board of Trustees as a representative of the Sisterhood of Temple Beth Zion.
A member of Sisterhood for over ten years, Cindy has served on the Sisterhood Board since 2018. Within Sisterhood she:
- chaired the Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Raffle
- co-chaired the Women’s Seder
- co-chaired the Sisterhood Shabbat celebrating the Woman of the Year
- served as the Sisterhood Representative for the recent Rabbi Search Committee
- serve on the Sisterhood Financial Committee
- serve on the Accessories Exchange Event Committee (delayed due to COVID)
- volunteered at the Chanukah Bazaar.
Cindy has been a member of TBZ since her marriage to Rick in 1999 by Rabbi Goldberg. Their two children, Taylor and Josh, attended PALS, religious school, and had their bat and bar mitzvahs at TBZ. Josh is in High School and also serves as a Madrich at the religious school. Taylor is studying International Relations, History, and French in college.
Errol serves on the Board of Trustees as a representative of the Brotherhood of Temple Beth Zion.
Current Temple Beth Zion Board term expires: June 2025
Sam is a Public Defender in the Buffalo City Court, a wife and a mother.Sam is committed to creating opportunities to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession and within our greater community. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University at Buffalo School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Rochester. Sam is active in Buffalo's Legal Community, and she is currently Vice President of the Minority Bar Association of WNY. Sam was honored with the 2021 BAEC Liberty Bell Award and will be honored with the 2022 NAACP Daniel Akers Community Service Award. Sam is a longtime resident of Buffalo’s East Side, Vice President of her Block Club, and has been a social justice activist for years. She is Chair of the East Side Garden Walk and a vocal advocate for the revitalization of the East Side of Buffalo. Sam has also served on the University at Buffalo Institutional Review Board since 2018 and was on the Board of Directors for Neighborhood Legal Services from 2019-2022. Sam is married to Byron, and together they have a beautiful daughter.
Auxiliary Leadership
Cindy Stover | Sisterhood Representative* |
Errol Sull | Brotherhood Representative |
*Cindy Stover serves as co-President of Sisterhood with Marilyn Schillroth and Susan Bruckheimer