Contact Our Leadership
Susan Lapidus, Director
Email: susan@mgsdii.org
Susan is the Founding Director of the Initiative, following a year as Executive Director at the U.S.-Israel Center at University of California, San Diego. She brings to her role a strong background in non-profit leadership and knowledge of Israel studies. As Executive Director, she coordinates and produces MGSDII’s deep, multi-faceted education about Israel and works in a myriad of ways to bring modern Israel studies to campuses across San Diego County. Susan graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.S. in Journalism, spending a year at Tel Aviv University.
Hilary Taylor, Program Manager
Email: hilary@mgsdii.org
Hilary is the Program Manager where she is responsible for program management and implementing all logistical details associated with outreach and events for the MGSDII. As MGSDII Program Manager, Hilary streamlines program operations and facilitates partnerships, to further MGSDII’s goal of providing intentional space for scholarly conversations and learnings about Israel. Hilary spent over 20 years managing higher educational programming for an array of nonprofits and universities. She attended Haverford College and has an MA in Education with a Concentration in Counseling from SDSU and an MA in French from Middlebury College.