Holocaust Center Staff
The Holocaust Center employs dedicated team members
who are passionate about promoting a community free of hatred and injustice.
Each team member has their own area of expertise and would be happy to speak with you.
Holocaust Center Searches for its Next CEO
Our Team!
Talli Dippold
CEO
Talli Dippold was the Stan Greenspon Director of Holocaust Education Fellowship Program and the Associate Director of the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library & Resource Center at Shalom Park.
Talli received a BS in Hospitality Management from the University of New Hampshire and her MS in Genocide and Holocaust Studies from Gratz College. After many years in the hospitality industry, she decided to change her focus and pursue her lifelong passion for Judaism and Holocaust studies. During the past decade, Talli traveled extensively throughout Eastern Europe and participated in numerous educational opportunities including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Belfer Conference, The Prestigious Holocaust and Jewish Resistance Teachers Program, as well as the Hillel International Professionals’ Heritage Study Tour in Poland. She has been an active member of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust since 2013, an Executive Board Member of the Association of Holocaust Organizations (AHO), and a new member of Jewish Heritage North Carolina board.
Talli is a 3G (third-generation Holocaust survivor) as all of her grandparents are Holocaust survivors, and a native of Jerusalem. When she is not working, Talli enjoys traveling with her husband and three children.
Kathy Turner
Vice President, Marketing & Development
(407) 628-0555 x285
kturner@holocaustedu.org
Capital Campaign, Sponsorships, Planned Giving, Major Gifts, Donations
Kathy serves as the VP, Development & Marketing, chiefly responsible for all fundraising initiatives, strategic plans and development staff.
She was previously with AdventHealth Foundation for 13 years as Senior Development Officer with primary fundraising responsibility for Celebration Health, AdventHealth Winter Park, the Transplant Institute, Neuroscience Institute and employee giving program.
Kathy was part of the Health Systems Philanthropy Leadership Group’s Fellowship program through the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy which concluded in a presentation at the AHP International Conference in 2016. She was proud to open the 40,000 square foot Bartch Transplant House on the Orlando campus as well as the Nicholson Pavilion at AdventHealth Winter Park Hospital with 140 private patient rooms. Her focus is on building key relationships and securing major gifts to achieve annual philanthropic goals.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Ball State University and two master’s degrees from the University of St. Francis in Health Administration and Business Administration.
Kathy currently serves and volunteers at Grace Church. She also has two children, Kamryn and Mason.
Christine Beresniova
vice president, operations, education & Exhibitions
Dr. Christine Beresniova is a sociocultural anthropologist specializing in Holocaust education. Most recently, she served as the lead educational developer for the new Certification in Holocaust Pedagogy program at the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University in Charlotte. Prior to this work, Dr. Beresniova served in various leadership roles, including Director of Education at J Street, Executive Director of the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust, and Program Coordinator for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s international programs with UNESCO.
She has a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Indiana University and an M.A. in International Education from the George Washington University. She has published articles about education, culture, and public policy in numerous outlets, including European Education, David Magazine, and Tablet. She has received fellowships and grants for her work from institutions such as the Mandel Center for Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the Fulbright Association. Her book Holocaust Education in Lithuania: Community, Change, and the Making of Civil Society (Lexington Press, 2017) won a notable mention from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
Her passion is designing museum education and professional development seminars for various audiences using primary sources, artifacts, and the voices of those who lived through history.
Talli Dippold was the Stan Greenspon Director of Holocaust Education Fellowship Program and the Associate Director of the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the Levine-Sklut Judaic Library & Resource Center at Shalom Park.
Talli received a BS in Hospitality Management from the University of New Hampshire and her MS in Genocide and Holocaust Studies from Gratz College. After
many years in the hospitality industry, she decided to change her focus and pursue her lifelong passion for Judaism and Holocaust studies. During the past decade, Talli traveled extensively throughout Eastern Europe and participated in numerous educational opportunities including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Belfer Conference, The Prestigious Holocaust and Jewish Resistance Teachers Program, as well as the Hillel International Professionals’ Heritage Study Tour in Poland. She has been an active member of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust since 2013, an Executive Board Member of the Association of Holocaust Organizations (AHO), and a new member of Jewish Heritage North Carolina board.
Talli is a 3G (third-generation Holocaust survivor) as all of her grandparents are Holocaust survivors, and a native of Jerusalem. When she is not working, Talli enjoys traveling with her husband and three children.
Kathy serves as the VP, Development & Marketing, chiefly responsible for all fundraising initiatives, strategic plans and development staff.
She was previously with AdventHealth Foundation for 13 years as Senior Development Officer with primary fundraising responsibility for Celebration Health, AdventHealth Winter Park, the Transplant Institute, Neuroscience Institute and employee giving program.
Kathy was part of the Health Systems Philanthropy Leadership Group’s Fellowship program through the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy which concluded in a presentation at the AHP International Conference in 2016. She was proud to open the 40,000 square foot Bartch Transplant House on the Orlando campus as well as the Nicholson Pavilion at AdventHealth Winter Park Hospital with 140 private patient rooms. Her focus is on building key relationships and securing major gifts to achieve annual philanthropic goals.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Ball State University and two master’s degrees from the University of St. Francis in Health Administration and Business Administration.
Kathy currently serves and volunteers at Grace Church. She also has two children, Kamryn and Mason.
Dr. Christine Beresniova is a sociocultural anthropologist specializing in Holocaust education. Most recently, she served as the lead educational developer for the new Certification in Holocaust Pedagogy program at the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University in Charlotte. Prior to this work, Dr. Beresniova served in various leadership roles, including Director of Education at J Street, Executive Director of the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust, and Program Coordinator for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s international programs with UNESCO.
She has a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Indiana University and an M.A. in International Education from the George Washington University. She has published articles about education, culture, and public policy in numerous outlets, including European Education, David Magazine, and Tablet. She has received fellowships and grants for her work from institutions such as the Mandel Center for Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the Fulbright Association. Her book Holocaust Education in Lithuania: Community, Change, and the Making of Civil Society (Lexington Press, 2017) won a notable mention from the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies.
Her passion is designing museum education and professional development seminars for various audiences using primary sources, artifacts, and the voices of those who lived through history.
Stephen Poynor
education
curator
Marni S. Chepenik
MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Arlene Alvarez
Senior Manager of Exhibits and Programs
Stephen Poynor is the Education Curator at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Florida. His position is a joint venture between Orange County Public Schools and the Center. He helps teachers and schools to implement the Florida mandate for Holocaust Education (F.S. 1003.42) through collaborative teacher training, direct student instruction, and curriculum design. He believes that studying the Holocaust provides an opportunity for educators to inspire critical thinking within students. He challenges educators and students to use the lessons from the Holocaust to raise questions about: individual and collective responsibility, the meaning of active citizenship, and the structures and societal norms that can become dangerous for certain groups and society as a whole. Prior to his position at the HMREC, Stephen earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. After 15 years in the private sector, Stephen began his career in education at West Orange High school where he launched a Holocaust Studies program and served on the Commissioner of Education’s Task Force on Holocaust Education. In his free time, Stephen enjoys spending time with his family, whitewater rafting, hiking, swimming, watching movies, and reading.
Arlene Alvarez comes to the Holocaust Center with over 25 years of experience in the museum and heritage management sector. She served as director of museum collections at Imagine Museum of Contemporary Glass Art, and was director of the Altos de Chavón Regional Museum of Archaeology in the Dominican Republic for 19 years, overseeing all aspects of collections care, community outreach, and educational development. She has been an instructor for Museum Studies programs and served as coordinator for the SAMP Intercontinental Museum Network, collaborating in several projects between museums from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Sweden. She also worked as a program coordinator for the Center for Latino Arts and Culture and the Hispanic Images Project at Rutgers University.
Arlene Alvarez holds a Ph.D. in Museum Studies and Heritage Management from Leiden University’s Faculty of Archeology. She also has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Baruch College-City University of New York, and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Political Science from Rutgers University.
Ryan Feinberg
Weekend Museum
Lead
Taylor Warner-Valdez
Development Manager
Taylor is the Development Manager at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida.
She holds two bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Dakota Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She’s received a certificate in Volunteer Management and is currently pursuing a certificate in Nonprofit Management with Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership.
Taylor is an experienced nonprofit professional committed to diversity, accessibility, and inclusion; focused on elevating voices and increasing opportunity to improve the lives of people across the world. She is an active volunteer with Surfers for Autism, Special Olympics Florida, and The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.
She is honored to be a part of a beautiful never-ending mission and a living narrative of the voices of people who lived through the Holocaust. To honor those we lost, to reflect on the power of stories as a legacy that we will always carry, and as a reminder of why we must stand up to antisemitism and prejudice today.
Taylor is the Development Manager at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida.
She holds two bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Dakota Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She’s received a certificate in Volunteer Management and is currently pursuing a certificate in Nonprofit Management with Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership.
Taylor is an experienced nonprofit professional committed to diversity, accessibility, and inclusion; focused on elevating voices and increasing opportunity to improve the lives of people across the world. She is an active volunteer with Surfers for Autism, Special Olympics Florida, and The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.
She is honored to be a part of a beautiful never-ending mission and a living narrative of the voices of people who lived through the Holocaust. To honor those we lost, to reflect on the power of stories as a legacy that we will always carry, and as a reminder of why we must stand up to antisemitism and prejudice today.
Aaron Ellis
Take Action Institute Coordinator
Lua Hancock
sr. consultant
take action institute
(407) 628-0555, x293
lhancock@holocaustedu.org
Take Action Conference
Content & Curriculum
Dr. Lua Hancock specializes in providing consulting in areas of leadership, change management, conflict resolution, emergency planning and response, assessment, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
She has worked with various Fortune 500 companies and higher education institutions from diverse sectors to facilitate towards values and goal creation, alignment, and success. Additionally, she works as a coach to industry leaders assisting them with mindful, equitable and impactful leadership.
Dr. Hancock has more than 25 years of progressive student and academic affairs. Most recently she served as the Vice President of Campus Life and Student Success at Stetson University.
Lua has a Bachelor’s of Science from Rollins College in Psychology and African/African American Studies, a Master’s Degree from Nova Southeastern University in Alternative Dispute Resolution and an EdD from NSU in Higher Education Leadership.
Lua has two sons who make her laugh every day.
Liam King
INTERN
Liam Taylor King is currently a student at Rollins College, earning an Honors degree in History. Liam is a member of the Bonner Leaders program at Rollins, through which Liam has volunteered his time at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center. As a campus leader, Liam has served as Chief Justice of the Rollins College Student Government Association and believes in the power of collective activism to create community change.
In the future, Liam hopes to build on his professional skills and activism experience as a law student, and eventually an attorney.
Liam King
INTERN
Liam Taylor King is currently a student at Rollins College, earning an Honors degree in History. Liam is a member of the Bonner Leaders program at Rollins, through which Liam has volunteered his time at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center. As a campus leader, Liam has served as Chief Justice of the Rollins College Student Government Association and believes in the power of collective activism to create community change.
In the future, Liam hopes to build on his professional skills and activism experience as a law student, and eventually an attorney.
Liam King
INTERN
Liam Taylor King is currently a student at Rollins College, earning an Honors degree in History. Liam is a member of the Bonner Leaders program at Rollins, through which Liam has volunteered his time at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center. As a campus leader, Liam has served as Chief Justice of the Rollins College Student Government Association and believes in the power of collective activism to create community change.
In the future, Liam hopes to build on his professional skills and activism experience as a law student, and eventually an attorney.
Liam Taylor King is currently a student at Rollins College, earning an Honors degree in History. Liam is a member of the Bonner Leaders program at Rollins, through which Liam has volunteered his time at the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center. As a campus leader, Liam has served as Chief Justice of the Rollins College Student Government Association and believes in the power of collective activism to create community change.
In the future, Liam hopes to build on his professional skills and activism experience as a law student, and eventually an attorney.
407.628.0555 ext 263
rmarchwinski@holocaustedu.org
Education & Field Trips
Ruth Marchwinski
Education
specialist
