Staff - Temple Israel Akron

Marlene Whitman - Executive Director

Marlene has built her career at prominent organizations — including Progressive Insurance, Matrix Essentials, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and General Electric. She has worked in sixteen countries over the course of her career thus deepening her appreciation for Jewish community worldwide. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holder of an MBA with high distinction from Harvard University, she has fine-tuned her strategic & financial skills and is thrilled to bring her expertise to Temple Israel.

As a longtime congregant of Mishkan Or in Cleveland, Marlene has served in countless roles familiar to temple life: from religious school mom and sisterhood member to bar mitzvah parent & temple security volunteer.

She is committed to preserving and nurturing the congregation’s “secret sauce”— its joy. She embraces the vision of “One congregation embracing all,” with open arms & looks forward to engaging with members, incorporating their ideas, & guiding Temple Israel into another 160 years of joyful community life.

Lauren Trexler - Director of Education

Lauren is a product of the Reform Movement — attending URJ Camp Coleman and participating in NFTY (the Reform Jewish Youth Movement). For her undergraduate studies, she attended the College of Charleston in South Carolina where she studied Comparative Religions. Lauren graduated from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 2012 at the Los Angeles campus.

She’s worked for nearly a decade in various capacities in Jewish community services. Prior to coming to Akron, Lauren was the educator at Congregation Kol Ami in Vancouver, WA.

She and her husband, Zach, live in Cleveland and enjoy the ease of living in Northeast Ohio.

Kylee Burdohan - Communications Coordinator

Kylee Burdohan started at Temple Israel in May 2017. She was born and raised in the Akron area but received a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Point Park University. After graduation, she stayed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she worked in the banking industry.

She moved back to Akron in 2014, where she lives with her rescue dog, Benny who loves coming to the office and greeting visitors.

Julianna Anderson - Communications Coordinator

Julianna graduated from Kent State University in 2023 with a degree in Digital Media Production. There, she participated and led several student organizations & won Best Documentary with her thesis film at Kent's own Flash Film Festival. Since graduating, she worked as a media course educator at Ashtabula Area City Schools & as an editor/administrative assistant for the company & PBS show Kids for Positive Change with Camille Licate. She feels incredibly honored to have this opportunity to engage with Jewish culture and support Temple Israel’s mission, while learning more about the traditions and values that make this community so special!

In her free time, she enjoys movies, traveling with her friends, & being disappointed by the Cleveland Browns!

Leslie Frye - Administrative Assistant

Leslie earned her Bachelor's degree at Kent State University with a double major in Music Education and Vocal Performance and a minor in Secondary Education. She has been singing at Temple Israel Akron since 2014 in our High Holy Days services and is a core musician of the Grammy Award-winning Baroque ensemble, Apollo’s Fire. 2003. She has also served as choral conductor, musical theatre director, and teaches master classes and workshops. She is passionate about the environment, equality, and social justice. She is so excited to be the kind, smiling face & voice at the front desk of Temple Israel.

In her free time, she enjoys gardening, knitting, and baking. Leslie’s life is enriched by her loving husband Gregory and their young sons, Jasper and Harrison.

Kim Williams - Bookkeeper

Kim Williams became the bookkeeper for Temple Israel in December 2013. She attended Kent State University and has more than 25 years of experience in various aspects of the financial industry.

Kim enjoys spending time with family and friends and volunteering time with the local youth group. She resides in the Firestone Park neighborhood of Akron and has two sons: Ryan and Ian.