OCTOBER 26 • 2023 | 39
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A special group of volunteer judges will be reviewing submissions and choosing the 36 winners. 
Honorees will receive a free subscription to the JN and be featured in a February 2024 issue.

GO ONLINE TO THEJEWISHNEWS.COM AND SUBMIT 
YOUR NOMINATION BY DECEMBER 29, 2023

JEWISH NEWS

THE DETROIT

Do you know someone
who gives of themselves to
the community in robust —
and often thankless — ways?

Someone you admire
and aspire to be like?

Someone whose accomplishments
you want to celebrate?

Nominations for The Detroit Jewish News’ annual 36 under 36 are now open to recognize 

doers, activists, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, community organizers and other young Jewish 

professionals reshaping and broadening Metro Detroit’s Jewish community.

Do you know someone making an impact in
the community for this special honor?

 36 UNDER 36

Nominations Now Open!

FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 | 13

DINI 
PETERSON
Dini Peterson 
is the chief 
program officer 
of Family and 
Community 
Services at 
Jewish Family Service. Since 
graduating with her master’s 
in social work from Wayne 
State University, Dini has 
focused on serving the Detroit 
Jewish community. As a proud 
graduate and parent of local 
Jewish day schools, Dini was 
inspired to pursue social work 
to support her community 
with “homegrown” resources. 
She began her career at Gesher 
Human Services (then JVS) 
and Jewish Family Service in 
the area of poverty alleviation. 
In her 12 years at JFS, Dini 
has grown from intern to 
case manager to supervisor to 
director, until promoted to her 
current role in March 2020.
As chief program officer, Dini 
is privileged to oversee mental 
health and safety net programs 
serving the Jewish community 
and beyond. Her areas of 
responsibility include behavioral 
health, case management, school 
social work, youth mental 
health, suicide prevention, 
resource support, outreach 
to Orthodox communities 
and more. Dini is grateful to 
spend each day with amazing 
colleagues, brainstorming new 
ways to support individuals and 
families.
Dini grew up in Oak Park, 
where she lives with her 
husband, Aaron, and three 
children, Aryeh, Maryam and 
Henny. While she sometimes 
describes her free time as 
nonexistent, she enjoys playing 
seven versions of Wordle, 
reading light fiction, exploring 
Michigan lakes, and playing 
board games and trivia with an 
almost-too competitive nature. 

SARAH 
ROBERTS
Sarah Roberts 
grew up in 
Scarsdale, 
New York, and 
currently lives 
in Downtown 
Detroit with her husband, 
George, 1-year-old daughter 
Eden, and rescue terrier mix 
Shakshuka. 
 After spending nearly a 
decade working in the U.S. 
Congress in Washington, D.C., 
as a health policy expert and in 
senior leadership positions for 
members of Congress including 
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) 
and Congresswoman Haley 
Stevens (Mich.), she moved to 
Michigan to start a family and 
become active in the Detroit 
Jewish community. Sarah is also 
pursuing her MBA degree at 
the University of Michigan Ross 
School of Business. 
As a member of the Jewish 
Federation of Metropolitan 
Detroit’s NEXTGen Board of 
Directors, Sarah serves on the 
Executive Committee and as 
vice president on the Campaign 
Committee. In these roles, she 
helps young Jewish Detroiters 
develop leadership in inspired 
giving. Sarah also chairs the 
AJC ACCESS Board Political 
Committee, meeting with local 
elected officials to advocate for 
the U.S.-Israel partnership and 
the Detroit Jewish community. 
She previously served on the 
board of Jewish Family Service 
and still supports their amazing 
work to care for Holocaust 
survivors, older adults and those 
with mental health needs. 
Sarah loves living Downtown. 
She and her family regularly 
frequent local destinations such 
as ChabaD and San Morello 
restaurant and love taking daily 
walks along the riverfront. Sarah 
grew up sailing with her sisters, 
Rachel and Rebecca, on Lake 

36
36

UNDER

responsibility include behavioral 
health, case management, school 
social work, youth mental 
health, suicide prevention, 
resource support, outreach 
to Orthodox communities 
and more. Dini is grateful to 
spend each day with amazing 
colleagues, brainstorming new 
ways to support individuals and 
families.

where she lives with her 
husband, Aaron, and three 
children, Aryeh, Maryam and 
Henny. While she sometimes 
describes her free time as 
nonexistent, she enjoys playing 
seven versions of Wordle, 
reading light fiction, exploring 
Michigan lakes, and playing 
board games and trivia with an 
almost-too competitive nature. 

E

ach year, we here at the Jewish News get 
introduced to 36 remarkable members of 
Michigan’s Jewish community — from here in 
Metro Detroit to Windsor to Lansing, Ann Arbor 
and Bay City.
Each of our 36 Under 36 winners was nominated 
by someone in the community and chosen by a panel 
of impartial judges (also active Jewish community 
members) for the honor.
The people on our list are educators, lawyers, 
engineers, artists, social workers and other 
professionals who all have one thing in common: 
their determination to build Jewish community.
Our winners were invited to write and submit 
their own bios, which you’ll find here (in no 
particular order).
Please join us in wishing them a hearty Mazel Tov!

The Jewish News celebrates 
 celebrates 

the young professionals making 

an impact in our region.

COMPILED BY JACKIE HEADAPOHL
DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL

continued on page 14

36
36

UNDER

ach year, we here at the 
introduced to 36 remarkable members of 
Michigan’s Jewish community — from here in 

Metro Detroit to Windsor to Lansing, Ann Arbor 

Each of our 36 Under 36 winners was nominated 

by someone in the community and chosen by a panel 
of impartial judges (also active Jewish community 
members) for the honor.

The people on our list are educators, lawyers, 

engineers, artists, social workers and other 
professionals who all have one thing in common: 
their determination to build Jewish community.

Our winners were invited to write and submit 

their own bios, which you’ll find here (in no 
particular order).

Please join us in wishing them a hearty Mazel Tov!

The 
The Jewish News
Jewish News

the young professionals making 
the young professionals making 

an impact in our region.
an impact in our region.

COMPILED BY 
COMPILED BY JACKIE HEADAPOHL
JACKIE HEADAPOHL

DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL

12 | FEBRUARY 16 • 2023 

