Tara Brown is an experienced Jewish professional; she has close to two decades of experience on the senior staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, serving 11 years as its mid-Atlantic regional director and a period as national director of development training and education. She is also a mother.
All of that is to say, she is perfect for her new role as CEO of Momentum, an organization that works to help Jewish women live their lives to the fullest capabilities.
The organization announced the move on Oct. 22. Brown has spent her whole career as a Baltimorean advocating for Jews and Israel, and now she will apply those skills to the work that Momentum does, which the organization describes as offering “journeys to Israel, leadership fellowships, a robust multimedia platform and expansive resources for Jewish learning,” to help “inspire Jewish mothers to live their most meaningful lives and transform themselves, their families and their communities.”
Brown is ready to get to work at her new post.
“I have long admired Momentum’s ability to inspire Jewish women worldwide,” she said. “I am honored to build on this extraordinary foundation and to guide the organization’s next chapter of growth and impact.”
For the team at Momentum that decided to bring Brown on, this move made sense not just because of her resume, but because of who she is as a woman.
“Tara is a dynamic leader, strategist, and fundraiser,” said Connie Lindenauer, president of Momentum’s board of directors. “But what makes her uniquely qualified and especially authentic as a Momentum leader is that her personal journey mirrors our mission. She is living proof that a transformational trip to Israel can change a life, a career, and a family’s trajectory.”
Brown is following Ben Pery, who was widely praised for his 13-year tenure at Momentum. Pery helped grow the organization by huge leaps, leading it to its current status as a $20 million organization that works with Jewish women in more than 40 countries.
Pery departed Momentum recently to become CEO at American Friends of Tel Aviv University.
The immediate past president of Momentum, Debbie Hochberg, said that she expects Brown to continue this growth going forward, as well as carve out new paths of her own.
“Tara’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment — one that calls for clarity, strength and vision,” she said. “With her at the helm, Momentum will continue to uplift Jewish women and families across the globe.”
Prior to her roles at AIPAC, Brown was assistant director of development at the University of Maryland School of Law and was also director of finance for a Maryland congressional campaign.
Momentum was founded in 2008. Since then, more than 23,000 people from 35 countries have taken part in its flagship program, the Momentum Yearlong Journey, which includes an eight-day experience in Israel. In 2023, the organization was awarded the Jerusalem Unity Prize for its “dedication to promoting unity without uniformity in Israel and across the Jewish world.”
Brown is originally from New Jersey but is a longtime Maryland resident. A supporter of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, Brown is also a member of the board of Beth Tfiloh Congregation, and her children attend Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School.
As of now, Brown is working with Pery and the board of Momentum to ensure a seamless transition into her new role.
Brown has long worked for a Jewish professional organization, but now, she will work for one that specifically works on behalf of women, too. She is ready to hit the ground running at Momentum and continue the organization’s work with Jewish women across the world.
