Our People

Noach Braun

CEO and Co-Founder

Began training dogs while a paratrooper in the IDF
Guide Dog Mobility Instructor
2 years training – Pilot Dogs, Columbus, Ohio, USA
2 years training – UK Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, England
First dog trained in Israel – 1991
noach@igdcb.org

Orna Braun

Director of Animal Services & Co-Founder

Joined IGDCB: 1987
Professional Training:
UK Guide Dogs for the Blind Association – England
Veterinary Support Personnel Network

Ami Toren

Director of Guide Dog Training and Operations

Joined IGDCB: 2001
Hebrew University, B.Sc. Marine Sciences
GDMI training at Guide Dogs for the Blind Oregon, USA
Clicker Training at Guide Dogs for the Blind, San Rafael, California, USA

Rafi Taglicht

Director of Strategic Planning & Senior Guide Dog Mobility Instructor

Joined IGDCB: 1992
3 years training – UK Guide Dogs for the Blind, England
rafi@igdcb.org

Menashe Kashi

Director of Operations

Joined IGDCB: 2014
4 years’ experience as a non-profit professional, Operations, HR & Finance Manager
MA in Political Science and Public Administration, Bar Illan University
MCSE – Microsoft Certified Professional System Engineer

Dennis Allon

Director of Resource Development

Joined IGDCB May 2012
MA: Political Science, Hebrew University
26years experience as a non-profit professional, donor consultant and project manager
dennis@igdcb.org

Yariv Melamed

Guide Dog Mobility Instructor & Responsible for Pension Dogs and Dogs for Special Needs

Joined IGDCB: 2001
High School: Toronto, Canada
1 Year scholarship with Guide Dogs Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
2 Year program at IGDCB, Beit Oved, Israel

Roee Rosen

Guide Dog Mobility Instructor

Joined IGDCB: 2007
IDF service – trained explosive and IED detection dogs
Training at Seeing Eyes in Sasa, Israel & Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California

Hila Benmeir

Guide Dog Trainer & Certified Mobility Instruction

Joined IGDCB 2014
Therapeutic horse riding instructor for 10 years
IDF border security unit working with explosives detection dogs for 1 year

Timora Sela

Kennel Manager

Joined IGDCB: 2001
PE Teaching Credential, Wingate Institute
Two years with the SPCA – Israel

Dr. Sivan Shani

Veterinarian

Joined the Center: 2010
B.A. in Animal Science, Israel
Veterinary Certification from Kosice, Slovakia
drshani@netvision.net.il

Avital Margulis

Director of Marketing

Joined IGDCB: February 2013 MBA – 12 years experience in entrepreneurship and strategic marketing, sales activities, fund raising, business development, channels of distribution and management, market analysis and communications.
Avital@igdcb.org

Lisa Baron Haet

International Liaison

Joined IGDCB: February 2009
16 Years Jewish Community Professional – San Francisco, California
BA – Recreation Therapy/Dance Therapy – San Francisco State University
lisa@igdcb.org

Mike Leventhal

USA Executive Director

Martin Segal

UK Executive Director

Joined IGDCB: April 2012

martin@bfigdcb.org