Houston Federation’s National Young Leadership Cabinet Welcomes New Members
Jully 15, 2025 – The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston’s chapter of National Young Leadership (NYL) Cabinet proudly welcomes five new members growing its cohort to 28.
NYL Cabinet is the Federation’s premier young leadership program that educates and connects the next generation of global Jewish leaders and philanthropists. Houston has seen considerable growth in its Cabinet group in recent years. The 2025 Houston Co-Chairs are Ali Bamberger and Aaron Lipman.
Houston Cabinet gathered for a new member welcome happy hour on July 9 at La Tazza Specialty Coffee to begin building relationships and to prepare new members with what to expect at the upcoming NYL Cabinet Retreat in Denver this August. Retreat is the largest annual gathering of the Cabinet community offering an opportunity to strengthen our relationships, deepen our leadership, and recharge our commitment to Jewish life, community, and philanthropy.
New members Oren Bass, Ilana Ellison, Adrian Heid, Alyssa O’Neill, and Lauren Slatko bring a wealth of diverse community leadership and engagement experiences to the group.
Cabinet members serve a five-year term and participate in local and national events. Members create a lasting impact for current and future generations through leadership development and strategic philanthropy and evolve into lifelong leaders.
Colombian born, Adrian Heid is an architect, entrepreneur, and descendant of Holocaust survivors on both sides. He serves on the Board of Advisors of Holocaust Museum Houston and is currently spearheading 3GHTX, a Houston-based initiative supporting third-generation Holocaust descendants. In 2022, he and his partner, Andrew Burnett, participated in Houston’s inaugural Honeymoon Israel (HMI) cohort, returning to Israel in June 2023 following the October 7th attacks in an alumni leadership capacity with HMI. He is also this year’s recipient of the Federation’s Ben Susholtz Young Leadership Award.
“Cabinet offers a unique opportunity to connect with leaders from diverse backgrounds and affiliations across the country. The program significantly deepens communal connections and expands the knowledge base essential for effective leadership. I believe that strong leadership comes from a strong community, and I will be able to maximize my impact locally by gleaning best practices and ideas from other active lay leaders in other cities and organizations,” Heid said.
Oren Bass is a Houston native who attended Jewish day school, was active in BBYO, and later Sigma Alpha Mu, a Jewish fraternity at UT Austin. After graduation, he worked as a chef in South Florida, where he owned his own catering company for nearly a decade. He now works in his family business where he focusses on metrology and assists several companies in the Gulf region with their quality control and inspection labs.
Ilana Ellison worked for a decade as a Jewish communal professional, previously serving as the Houston Federation’s Young Adult Division Coordinator, and in various roles at Hillel International, where she staffed and coordinated more than a dozen Birthright Israel trips. She is also a member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Championship Wine Garden committee and fosters animals with Rescued Pets Movement. Professionally, she is a global marketing automation manager.
Lauren Slatko is a native Houstonian and clinical psychologist specializing in eating disorders. As a teen, she was active in BBYO, serving as a regional board member, and upon moving back to Houston after graduate school, she participated in FedU, became a FedU mentor, and completed an ADL leadership training. Helping people through both her profession and volunteer work is a value shared by multiple generations of her family.
Alyssa O’Neill began her Jewish journey in 2015 and completed her conversion in 2017. She is a FedU graduate, a step-up Lion of Judah, and most recently, served as co-chair for the Collage 2025 VIP reception. Born in Nebraska to a military family, Alyssa moved across America and Europe before landing in Texas. She is currently an energy manager. Alyssa and her husband, Steven, are members of Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism (HCRJ).
“As a Jew by choice, I welcome any opportunity to expand in my Jewish values and connections. Since completing the Federation’s Young Leadership program, FedU, in spring 2023, I have actively pursued my own personal philanthropic goals and skills, both Jewishly and secularly. Joining Cabinet is a natural and timely progression of that journey at this phase of my life,” O’Neill said. “I’m looking forward to growing my Jewish experiences, learning from my fellow chevre, and taking advantage of the travel opportunities Cabinet offers.”
The Federation’s NextGen Philanthropy Manager, Emily Feinstein, oversees Houston Cabinet. For more information on Houston Cabinet, please contact Emily at efeinstein@houstonjewish.org.