American Friends of Tel Aviv University has named Shelly Medved, a Tel Aviv University MBA alumna, to the newly created position of integrated chief operating officer/chief financial officer.
The announcement was made by Ben Pery, CEO of AFTAU, who underscored the strategic importance of the position. “Shelly brings a rare combination of financial expertise, operational leadership and mission-driven impact,” Pery said. “Her proven track record in building systems, aligning teams and executing strategy will be instrumental as AFTAU continues to grow and operate in a more integrated way.”
“On behalf of the board, we are thrilled to welcome Shelly to AFTAU. Creating this integrated COO/CFO role reflects AFTAU’s commitment to building a scalable organization for the future. We are confident that her leadership will help with AFTAU’s long-term strength,” said Garry Rayant, Ph.D., chairman of AFTAU’s board of directors.
In this new role, Medved will oversee AFTAU’s financial management while leading core organizational functions, including operations, human resources, compliance and enterprise systems. She will play a lead role in aligning priorities across teams and advancing the organization’s strategic priorities.
“I am pleased to join AFTAU at this important moment and partner with its leadership to further strengthen the organization’s financial and operational capabilities. As a TAU alumna, this role is especially meaningful, and I look forward to supporting the organization’s growth,” Medved said.
Medved brings more than 14 years of nonprofit leadership experience spanning finance, operations, HR and governance. Most recently, she served as the COO/CFO of the Israel American Council, including eight years as CFO and five years in a combined COO/CFO role. She was the organization’s first CFO, overseeing a $25 million budget and 22 regional offices. Prior to IAC, Medved held CFO and controller positions for Astra Group, a conglomerate of international diamond companies based in Israel.
She holds an MBA from Tel Aviv University’s Leon Recanati Graduate School of Business Administration and earned her B.A., cum laude, in economics and management from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
Medved will be based out of AFTAU’s Los Angeles office.
