Washington Institute Elects New Board of Directors Members
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Meeting in May, the Trustees of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy elected Jeffrey I. Abrams of Los Angeles, Lynn Levy Peseckis of Singer Island, FL, and Mike Segal of New York City to its 30-member Board of Directors. The new Board members will serve a one-year term.
"We are delighted that these longstanding supporters have joined our Board," said Institute President Shelly Kassen and Chairman James Schreiber. "We look forward to their leadership, insight, and counsel."
A Trustee of the Institute since 1997, Jeffrey I. Abrams has traveled with the Institute to Israel, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Europe, and most recently the Gulf. He also chaired the 2017 Western Regional Dinner Symposium. Professionally, he is an attorney and entrepreneur, principally focused on the entertainment and technology industries. He is involved with several nonprofit organizations in his hometown of Los Angeles and is a trustee of the Samuel and Helene Soref Foundation. He and his wife, Michele Breslauer, are both graduates of the Wexner Heritage Foundation leadership program.
Lynn Levy Peseckis became an Institute Trustee in 2012 and has traveled with the Institute to United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Morocco, and the Gulf. During her diverse career, she has worked as a research seismologist, taught geology at Hudson Valley Community College, co-owned a gallery for contemporary art, and created a website development business. She served for 14 years on the board of trustees of the Berkshire Country Day School and is currently on the Jewish Community Relations Council for the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. She holds an undergraduate degree in physics from Boston University and master’s degrees in applied science from NYU and geology and seismology from Columbia University.
Mike Segal became a Trustee in 2015 and has traveled with the Institute to Morocco, Israel, and the Gulf. Involved in the power industry for over 40 years, he is chairman and founder of LS Power Group, a developer, owner, operator, and investor in power generation and electric transmission infrastructure in the United States. In addition to his core business, Mr. Segal and his family have anchored and provided seed capital to several real estate funds, hedge funds, and private equity funds. Mike immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in 1978, and is a U.S. citizen. He and his wife, Sofia, are involved in a variety of philanthropic activities.
About the Washington Institute: The Washington Institute is an independent, nonpartisan research institution funded exclusively by U.S. citizens that seeks to advance a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East and to promote the policies that secure them. Drawing on the research of its fellows and the experience of its policy practitioners, the Institute promotes informed debate and scholarly research on U.S. policy in the region.
Media Contact: Ian Byrne, 202-452-0650, email.