RRA Staff
Rabbi Megan Doherty
CEO
mdoherty@therra.org
Rabbi Megan Doherty (she/her) is the CEO of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. Prior to that, she served as Senior Educator in Community Engagement at HIAS. Additionally, she has served as Director of Hillel and Campus Jewish Life at Oberlin College and Associate Rabbi and Senior Jewish Fellow at the Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale. She was in Cohort 1 of the Mandel Foundation's Educational Leadership Fellowship, and is an alumna of the Shalom Hartman Institute Fellowship for Campus Professionals. She holds a certificate in Jewish Mindfulness Meditation from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and the Awakened Heart Project, and completed IJS's Rabbinic Leadership Program. She completed Social Justice Mediation training with the Yeworkwha Belachew Center for Dialogue at Oberlin, and is a certified mediator in the state of Ohio. She has served on the board and Executive Committee of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, and was a founding co-chair of the Reconstructionist Movement's Joint Israel Commission. Rabbi Doherty has a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College, and was ordained as a rabbi by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She lives in Oberlin with her partner, their daughter, and their dog.
Rabbi Elliot Skiddell
Interim Director of Rabbinic Placement and Employment
eskiddell@reconstructingjudaism.org
Elliot Skiddell graduated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1980. He received his BA in Philosophy and Religion from the University of Massachusetts and an MA in Religion from Temple University. In 2005 he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree (Honoris Causa) by RRC. In 1992, Elliot and his family made Aliyah. In Israel he served as assistant director of the Galilee Education Foundation and then joined the staff of the Jewish Agency as Regional Director for Tzefat, Hatzor, Rosh Pina. He was honored as the outstanding employee of the Jewish Agency in 2004. Prior to making Aliyah he served as Assistant Rabbi of Har Zion Temple, Penn Valley, Pennsylvania and then as Rabbi of Ramat Shalom Synagogue in Plantation, Florida. In August 2006, Elliot became rabbi of Reconstructionist Congregation Beth Emeth and led the congregation through the creation of a partnership with Central Synagogue of Nassau County that progressed from cohabitation to cooperation, collaboration and, finally, consolidation as Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth. In August 2020, Elliot was honored with the title of Rabbi Emeritus.
Diana Phillips
Office Administrator
dphillips@therra.org
Diana Phillips previously worked in Academic Affairs at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Communications at Reconstructing Judaism. Diana is also a writer and editor of creative nonfiction and co-editor of the anthology, Choosing Judaism: 36 Stories, a collection of thought-provoking, intimate, and inspiring personal essays on what it means to choose or be chosen as a member of the Jewish people. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and enjoys going on adventures with her traveling book club.
Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
RRA CEO, 2015-2024
Rabbi Elyse Wechterman served as Executive Director/CEO from 2015-2024. During her tenure, the RRA grew from 320 members to close to 400. Rabbi Wechterman created new programming and resource development for the Association and is most proud to have evolved the RRA into an association that serves all of its members in all the settings they serve as rabbis and Jewish leaders. Prior to coming to the RRA, Rabbi Wechterman was the spiritual leader of Congregation Agudas Achim in Attleboro, Massachusetts (2001 - 2014). She graduated from RRC in 2000 and holds a Certificate in Jewish Leadership from the Spertus Institute. Rabbi Wechterman continues to serve rabbis, congregations and the Jewish people through a variety of creative endeavors.