Meet The Team

Omri Barkin, from Modi'in, Israel. Resided in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1999-2003) and now lives in Tel Aviv. 
Served as a soldier and commander in the Maglan Combat Unit (2013-2016). After his service, Omri spent time up in Montana and discovered the healing power of nature. Worked as an AE for the EMEA and APAC regions in an Israeli start-up and has a  B.Sc in Industrial Engineering and Management from "Afeka" Academic College of Engineering. 

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Roei Friedberg, from Karmei Yosef, Israel. Resided in the UK, (2000-2002) and now lives in Manhattan, NY. 
Served as a soldier and company commander (Major in reserve) in the paratroopers in the 890th brigade (2010-2016). Following his military career, Roei studied international relations and diplomacy at “Reichman” University and graduated with excellence from the “Argov” leadership program.
In parallel to his professional career in leadership positions in the high-tech industry, Roei continues serving the country through active reserve duty. 

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Tamar Sacerdoti was born and raised in Michigan and has been living in Israel since the age of 17, currently residing in Tel Aviv. She served as an International Liaison Officer in the IDF (2011-2015).
Following her military service Tamar graduated with excellence from the “Argov” leadership program, holding an LL.B and a B.A. in Political Science from Reichman University. 

She is a corporate lawyer by trade, holds a diverse background in business development, and currently serves as Chief of Staff at Darrow a legal-tech startup of 100+ employees, leveraging AI to build a justice intelligence platform that discovers legal violations with public data.

The Wallis Family owns and runs an outfitting business and are wilderness experts. They grew up in Cuba, Missouri, and currently live in St. Louis Missouri. 
They spent the past 22 years in the mountains of Montana and for the past 10 years, they have been managing the K Bar L Ranch. They guide guests through the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Lewis and Clark National Forest from June through November of every year.
​The Wallis Family is committed to community involvement through utilizing the K Bar L Ranch to support veterans and active duty members of the IDF and US Military.  They are true supporters of Israel and the IDF.

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Oren Eliyasov, originally from Or Yehuda, lives in Tel Aviv, Israel. 

Oren served as a soldier and company commander in the Paratroopers 890th brigade (2014-2020), and is currently a major in the reserves. 

Following his military career, Oren studied Education and Asian Studies at Haifa University and graduated with honors. Speaking both English and Japanese, Oren leads the Asian market in a global tech company.
Aside from his professional career in the tech industry, Oren continues his military service through active reserve duty.​

Rabbi Nir Barkin, a sixth-generation Jerusalemite, is YOZMA’s Senior Rabbi and Executive Director.
He serves in a variety of capacities as an educator for children, youth, and adults; as a spiritual leader for a thousand families congregation; as an initiator of social justice and communal endeavors. He runs a $4,000,000 NGO.

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Dr. Roi Sar-el (MD, PhD) is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist passionate about using cutting-edge techniques to improve mental well-being. Currently, he is a research fellow at Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, focusing on advanced neuromodulation methods for psychiatric illnesses.

Dr. Sar-el graduated from the prestigious Tel-Aviv University’s dual MD/PhD physician-scientists program, followed by a residency in adult psychiatry at the Tel-Aviv Medical Center (Ichilov). Prior to his move to the US, he served as an attending physician, consultation-liaison psychiatrist, and head of the psych-ER, demonstrating a deep commitment to patient care across all major psychiatric diagnoses.

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Or Atar is a Psychologist based in Tel Aviv, balancing roles at Ichilov Hospital and a private clinic. In the private sector, Or is dedicated to providing expert care, while at Ichilov Hospital, he leads a team in the Dermatology and Genital and Hematology Clinic.

Or shares his expertise through lectures on psychology and statistics at academic institutions, covering courses in psychopathology, developmental psychology, introduction to psychology, and more. Currently a Ph.D. candidate at Haifa University, his research focuses on the prognostic and therapeutic role of the vagus nerve in hematological cancers, blending psychological and physiological interventions. furthermore, Or serves in the reserves as a psychologist for the 890 brigade (paratroopers) and Duvdevan, reflecting his commitment to both clinical practice and military service.

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Keren was born in Israel and currently lives in New York. She served as a Casualty and Resilience Officer in the IDF (2007–2010) and continues to serve in the reserves, providing mental health support to injured soldiers and their families at Sheba Medical Center and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (2023-2024).
Keren received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from
Reichman University, Israel (2017). She has extensive experience in PTSD treatment and has worked
with at-risk children and adolescents at SOS Children’s Village. She also provided therapy at The
Psychological Treatment Station and Shalvata Mental Health Center, where she worked with
children, adolescents, and adults.
Her expertise includes individual therapy, parental guidance, group therapy, and psychodiagnostic assessments.
Since October 7th, Keren has been working with war
victims, supporting them through her clinical practice and military role.

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Michal Davidovich-Bejell holds an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Reichman University (2017) and a B.A. in Psychology and Education from Ben-Gurion
University of the Negev (2013).
Michal has extensive clinical experience, having
completed her clinical internship at the Trauma Clinic of  "Lev-Hasharon" Medical Center (2020–2024) and a prior internship at a post-hospitalization residential facility (2019–2020).
She also gained practical experience during her practicum at "Sheba Medical Center" (2017).
Beyond her clinical work, Michal has a strong background in military-related psychological support as a Casualty Officer in the IDF reserves, supporting Armored Corps families (2011–2022), and maintaining ongoing contact with bereaved families.
Michal currently runs a private practice in the Sharon region, where she provides therapy for individuals dealing with depression, trauma, anxiety, and other psychological challenges.
 

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​Omer Goren is a clinical psychologist working in private practice and currently completing his PhD in Psychology at Bar-Ilan University.
His doctoral research focuses on intra - and interpersonal affective regulation as reflected in physiological processes during psychotherapy.
He previously worked at Shalvata Mental Health Center, both in the day hospital unit and in the outpatient clinic affiliated with Clalit Health Services.
A significant part of his clinical work focuses on trauma, integrating classical therapeutic approaches with innovative methods and emerging technologies to support individuals in processing and healing from traumatic experiences.

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Yael Hollander is a clinical social worker and trauma researcher based in Tel Aviv.
She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work with a specialization in trauma from Tel Aviv University and is currently a PhD candidate in the field of trauma.
Yael has extensive experience working with adolescents in residential care, providing emotional support to trauma survivors. She combines academic research with clinical practice, focusing on trauma-informed therapy.

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Nevo Perez, a former Navy SEAL (Shayetet 13) soldier and commander embraced breathwork therapy for personal growth and therapy. Nevo recognized the parallels between individuals and organizations, both requiring continuous development to thrive. Nevo is the founder and CEO of Hacktivity, a boutique hackathon production company, and the founder of "Derech HaNeshima" The Breathing Way, both organizations combine Eastern wisdom with Western psychology to help individuals and organizations reach their full potential and boost mental health. To date, Nevo has assisted dozens of industrial, academic, and high-tech organizations in generating innovative processes while maximizing their employee's well-being.

Nevo (32) lives in Jerusalem with his wife Ravit and their child Or. Holds a BA in psychology and a BA in business management from Reichman University.

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Shai Tsemach is a Bodywork and Movement Therapist.
Shai is a specialist in chronic pain relief and stress reduction. He has extensive experience exploring the connection between body and mind and has deepened his studies through journeys around the world, retreats, and various specialized trainings over the past decade.

Along the way, he was introduced to Buddhist and Daoist philosophies, as well as movement and self-expression as therapeutic tools. His training includes expertise in Thai massage, Tuina (Chinese medicine bodywork), and advanced techniques for treating chronic pain through awareness and habit transformation.

Today, Shai practices in private clinics in Jaffa and Rishon LeZion, helping individuals improve their quality of life through touch, movement, and deep healing processes.

Nimrod is a Ph.D. candidate at the Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge, UK, where he studies the cognitive underpinnings of evidence-based interventions for PTSD. Nimrod’s research is supported by the Gates Cambridge global leadership scholarship. Prior to his PhD, he completed a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and a B.Sc in Psychology & Biology with an Emphasis on Neuroscience, both at Tel Aviv University. Nimrod grew up in the Jerusalem area and served as a combat officer at the Nahal Brigade after completing a volunteer year (‘Shenat Sherut’) at HaShomer HaTzair youth movement. He later worked as a youth instructor for at-risk youth, a research assistant at Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center, and practiced during his MA at Tel Aviv University’s Psychological Services and Schneider Children’s Medical Center. He published over 25 scientific papers on anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and mental health during COVID-19. He serves as a captain (res.) in the IDF’s MIA (Missing in Action) unit for locating missing soldiers and civilians.

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Prof. Lazarov received his M.A. (2008) and Ph.D. (2014) in clinical psychology from Tel-Aviv University, studying obsessive-compulsive disorder under the supervision of Prof. Ruvi Dar. He then completed his first post-doctoral training at Tel-Aviv University with Prof. Yair Bar-Haim, studying threat monitoring via attention allocation processes in social anxiety disorder (SAD). Next, he completed a second post-doctoral training at Columbia University Medical Center with Prof. Yuval Neria, expanding his research to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Amit joined the School of Psychological Sciences at Tel Aviv University as a faculty member in 2018.​
 

Tim Dalgleish is a clinical psychologist. He leads a research program at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on understanding and developing psychological preventions and treatments for common mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. He works with children and adults. His work adopts a translational approach, seeking to utilize insights from basic cognitive neuroscience to enhance clinical interventions for these conditions. His work employs a range of scientific methods from brain imaging through to the use of large-scale clinical trials. He works clinically for the UK National Health Service and as an expert witness in the criminal, family and civil courts.

Dr. Anna Bevan is a Clinical Psychologist and a mental health researcher at Cambridge University's Cognition and Brain Sciences unit. She studies interventions and the psychological mechanisms of different disorders, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety,

Dr. Bevan has many years of experience treating PTSD with evidence-based interventions and specializes in treatment-resistant affective disorders and complex trauma in working-age adults.
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Based in New York City, Sivan Ron is a PR and communications strategist currently serving as a Senior Account Supervisor at LoBello Communications, a boutique PR firm specializing in technology. Sivan previously led preparation programs for young American Jewish adults planning to make Aliyah, working with Garin Tzabar and Friends of Israel Scouts as a Garin Director and Hagshama Coordinator, connecting them to gap year programs in Israel.