As the Jews of Color Initiative continues to grow, so does the network of leaders in the field who support our mission to create a more racially equitable Jewish community. This summer, the JoCI welcomed two esteemed leaders with expertise in leadership, strategy, DEI, civil rights, and education to our Board of Directors. We are pleased to welcome Christina Jefferson and Dena Robinson to the JoCI family.
Christina Jefferson
Christina (she/her) is the first-ever Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the San Francisco 49ers, where she leads inclusion and diversity efforts across the organization and the team’s internships, fellowships and holistic training strategy. Prior to joining the 49ers, Jefferson spent six years with Sephora leading their diversity and inclusion efforts company-wide, including facilitation and the creation of diversity trainings, and providing oversight to all cultural programming.
Jefferson earned her B.S. from the University of Southern Indiana and her Masters in Human Resource Management from Golden Gate University. She is a member of several boards, including the Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco, Congregation Sherith Israel, and Better For You Wellness.
Dena Robinson
Dena (she/her) is a first-generation Black, Jewish, and queer woman who is passionate about collective and individual liberation and healing. Dena is a civil rights attorney and runs a DEI facilitation and consulting practice, Radical Roots, alongside her co-founder, a fellow Jewish woman of color. Leading from her values and lived experience, Dena has worked as an organizer in the areas of race equity, education, and campus sexual assault, taught English to immigrant and refugee students, designed social justice and race-equity-focused curricula, and facilitated workshops around race, white supremacy, and identity.
Dena graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law with a healthcare law certificate. Dena also holds an M.S.Ed. from The Johns Hopkins University. Currently, Dena works as a Trial Attorney for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division in the Employment Litigation Section, where she enforces Title VII against state and local governments. Previously, she served as the Board President for If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice.
View our Who We Are page to see the full list of staff and Board members.