Judith Flacks-Leigh

Judith Flacks-Leigh (born July 1989) (also known as Judith Flacks and Judith Leah Flacks) has worked with a dizzying collection of Zionist organisations, including being Head of Communications and Campaigns at the JLC (April 2016–July 2019) and a trustee of the Union of Jewish Students (since August 2020). Between December 2014 and January 2016, Flacks-Leigh served as Communications Officer at the UK’s main pro-Israel lobby group, the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM). Immediately afterwards, she was employed as parliamentary assistant to John Spellar MP, a vice chair of Labour Friends of Israel with strong connections to BICOM. Flacks-Leigh sat on the defence division of the BoD (2018–2021), was a on the National Executive Committee of the Jewish Labour Movement (July 2017–Oct 2018) and a volunteer with the pro-Israel American Jewish Committee (2014). She was also Trustee and Director (January 2017–December 2020) at Nisa-Nashim the women's interfaith initiative aiming to normalise Zionism in the UK Muslim community. LinkedIn Judith Flacks-Leigh Archived on 3 November 2021
==Career==
*HIAS+JCORE, Director
===LinkedIn disclosures===
*Jewish Care 2 yrs 8 mos 
**Head Of Communications and PR Jul 2020 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos
:•Leading on key internal and external communications and PR for the organisation, including 10 care homes, 12 community centres, 1,300 staff, and a number of other services reaching 10,000 people each week.
:•Managing a team to deliver the PR, press, service marketing, social media and digital marketing to support service delivery, fundraising and events.
:•Leading on public affairs and key areas of reputation management.
:•Overseeing all printed and digital publications including Careline magazine, read by 14,000 people each year.
:•Devising communications plans for change management and leading on their implementation.
:•Anticipating, preparing and delivering crisis communications.
**PR and Communications Manager Aug 2019 - Jul 2020 · 1 yr 
*Head of Communications and Campaigns The Jewish Leadership Council Apr 2016 - Jul 2019 · 3 yrs 4 mos London, United Kingdom 
:•Led coordination of complex, high profile, national, cross-communal campaigns and projects, such as Balfour 100, Cable Street 80 and had integral involvement in Enough is Enough.
:•Managed all local, communal and national press (print, digital and broadcast), including media training of all staff.
:•Developed integrated communications strategies on a range of projects.
:•High profile stakeholder management.
:•Drafted comments and op-eds for media.
:•Commissioned and edited copy for regular and specialist campaign newsletters.
:•Co-director of London Jewish Forum.
*Parliamentary Assistant House of Commons Jan 2016 - Apr 2016 · 4 mos London, United Kingdom. Parliamentary researcher and assistant to John Spellar MP, researching key areas of public policy, drafting responses to public letters and supporting case work.
*BICOM: Britain Israel Communications & Research Centre Communications Officer Dec 2014 - Jan 2016 · 1 yr 2 mos London, United Kingdom
:•Recruited journalists for international fact-finding missions.
:•Maintained and developed relationships with key media personnel.
:•Developed and implemented communications plans around events, projects, and briefings.
:•Responsibility for press releases, press notices, and placing op-eds.
:•Organised briefings with high-profile political, diplomatic, military and activist guest speakers for journalists, stakeholders and interested parties.
:•Worked to further international fundraising capabilities.
:•Arranged events, political guests, meetings and presence at UK political party conferences.
:•Expanded the reach of the organisation through various media.
*Manager, Leadership Initiatives Jewish Federation & Family Services, Orange County Sep 2013 - Dec 2014 · 1 yr 4 mos Orange County, California Area 
:•Developed, coordinated and facilitated ongoing leadership development programmes across university campuses in Orange County and Southern California.
:•Planned and facilitated regular political briefing events and debates.
:•Taught campaigning strategies and effective communication skills to young adults.
:•Conducted strategic review of partner organisation, Orange County Hillel.
:•Acted as organisational development consultant to the interim Orange County Hillel Director and assisted the implementation of the strategic review.
:•Built capacity for interfaith and civic engagement initiatives.
:•Organised national and international delegations to conferences across America and the Middle East.
:•Prepared strategies for crisis management.
*Union of Jewish Students (UK and Ireland) 2 yrs 1 mo, United Kingdom 
**Campaigns Director Jun 2012 - Jul 2013 · 1 yr 2 mos
:• Devised and implemented the political strategy of the organisation.
:• Advanced the political welfare of Jewish students on university campuses across the UK.
:• Provided guidance on hate speech, extremism on campus, anti-Semitism and campus cohesion.
:• Worked with government and various charities on issues related to student welfare.
:• Ran educational events and seminars.
:• Facilitated the training, development and ongoing engagement of activists across the UK.
:• Created and implemented successful national political campaigns. 
:• Ran successful national and local election campaigns. 
:• Led international delegations to the Middle East for student leaders and activists.
:• Prepared and implemented crisis management strategies. 
:• Promoted interfaith dialogue and activities.
:• Wrote press statements and comment for media. 
:• Managed finances of department.
**Developing J-Socs fieldworker Jul 2011 - May 2012 · 11 mos
:• Ran training for Jewish Society committees on university campus all over the UK in event planning, finance management and leadership development.
:• Developed a new series of regional leadership development training programmes.
:• Running and assisting with national leadership projects and events.
*Communications Intern Penn State Hillel · Internship Sep 2009 - May 2010 · 9 mos, State College, Pennsylvania Area 
:Designed and wrote leaflets, press releases, and newsletters.Designed and wrote leaflets, press releases, and newsletters.
*Government Relations Intern OneVoice Movement · Internship Dec 2009 - Jan 2010 · 2 mos Washington D.C. Metro Area
:• Met with office members of the House of Representatives, Senate, and the British Embassy in Washington DC to raise the profile of OneVoice. 
:• Researched current funding opportunities for non-profit organisations from MEPI and USAID.
:• Put together briefings on recent UK coverage of events in Israel.
*Comment and Opinion Editor, The Badger Newspaper, Sep 2008 - May 2009 · 9 mos, Brighton, United Kingdom 
:•Selecting, editing and formatting submitted articles to be published.
:•Contributing my own articles to the section.•Selecting, editing and formatting submitted articles to be published. •Contributing my own articles to the section.
*Street Fundraiser Direct Dialogue Fundraising (DDF) · Contract Jul 2008 - Aug 2008 · 2 mos London, United Kingdom. Street charity fundraiser, registering members of the public to give regular charitable donations.
====Volunteering====
*Trustee JEWISH WOMENS AID Sep 2017 - Present · 4 yrs 8 mos 
*Trustee Union of Jewish Students (UK and Ireland) Aug 2020 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos Aug
*Trustee NISA-NASHIM Jan 2017 - Dec 2020 · 4 yrs
*Representative for Jewish Women's Aid The Board of Deputies of British Jews Jan 2018 - Jun 2021 · 3 yrs 6 mos
*Bus leader MARCH OF THE LIVING (UK) LIMITED Apr 2017 · 1 mo
*NEC Equalities Officer Jewish Labour Movement Jul 2017 - Oct 2018 · 1 yr 4 mos
*Chair of Steering Commmittee European Union of Jewish Students May 2015 - Aug 2015 · 4 mos
*American Jewish Committee (AJC) AJC Access Los Angeles Jan 2014 · 1 mo
====Education====
*University of Sussex American Studies and English Literature, American History and PoliticsAmerican Studies and English Literature, American History and Politics
2007 - 2011, Grade: 2:1
**Activities and societies: The Badger (University Union paper) Brighton and Sussex Jewish Society Aegis Society 
Extra Curricular: 
**Sussex Centre for Language Studies- Achieved Level 1 Arabic
**The Badger (University Paper) Comment and Opinion Editor and Writer: 2008-09
**Brighton & Sussex Universities Jewish Society President/ Campaigns/ Events: 2007-2009
***Brighton and Sussex Universities J-Soc won the Union of Jewish Students Campus UK Award 2009 for ‘Developing J-Soc of the Year’.
*Penn State University American Studies and English Literature, Study Abroad 2009 - 2010
**Activities and societies: Hillel Communications Intern 
*JFS School A Levels 2005 - 2007 A Levels: Politics, History, English Literature/Language; AS Level: French 
*Goffs School GCSEs 2000 - 2005
==Notes==