Voices of Impact

Arkady Suharenko is Deputy Chairman of the Council and a major shareholder of Rietumu Banka, one of Latvia’s largest private banks. He also serves as head of the Latvian Jewish community, where he has overseen the reconstruction of Riga’s historic Peitav Synagogue, supported Holocaust memorial projects, and initiated the restitution of pre-war Jewish communal property. Arkady also owns the largest private collection of Judaic objects in the Baltic States. As Chairman of the Future Supporting Fund, he supports initiatives in art, culture, children’s programs, and medical causes. Arkady was awarded Latvia’s highest state honor, the Order of the Three Stars, in 2002.

Michael Polsky is the founder and CEO of Invenergy, the world’s largest private developer, owner, and operator of energy solutions. Under his leadership, the company has developed more than 220 projects totaling over 38 gigawatts across 34 U.S. states and four continents. Michael established the Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition at the World Resources Institute, the Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago, and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, where he serves as a Trustee Emeritus. He holds an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Merryl H. Tisch is the Chair of the State University of New York, following her tenure as Vice Chair and previously as Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. She serves on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as a Trustee of Barnard College. Merryl also sits on the executive committees of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Citizens Budget Commission, and she serves on the boards of the International Rescue Committee and the Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York. Alongside her husband James, Merryl has made major philanthropic investments in education and healthcare, including the Tisch Cancer Institute and the Tisch Cancer Hospital at Mount Sinai. Merryl holds degrees from Barnard College and New York University. She and her family live in New York City.

Barry Finestone is President and CEO of the Jim Joseph Foundation. With more than $800 million granted in its first 18 years, Barry oversees all aspects of finance and grantmaking at the Foundation. Prior to joining the Jim Joseph, he served as the Executive Director of the Lisa and John Pritzker Family Fund. In 2010, Barry moved to the Bay Area to become the CEO of the JCC of San Francisco. A proud native of Glasgow, Scotland, he brings more than 34 years of experience in the Jewish nonprofit world. Alongside his passion for the Foundation’s work, Barry is an avid football fan. He and his wife, Ellen, live in Marin County and have three children.

Joel Herzog is the Managing Director of Noga Group, a firm with interests in trading and real estate across France, Switzerland, and Africa. He serves as President of Yad Vashem Switzerland, the Association Switzerland–Israel (Geneva Section), and the Committee for the Organization of Yom Hashoah. Additionally, Joel sits on the boards of Global Israeli Leadership and the Religious and Cultural Center of Hekal Haness. He is the son of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog and the brother of current President Isaac Herzog. Joel earned his law degree from Bar-Ilan University in 1975 and lives in Geneva with his wife, Marguerite Herzog-Gagon.