Meet Our Team

Miriam Buckman

Coordinator for Jewish Student Life

Miriam Buckman has been active in the Jewish community in Bellingham for the past eight years through different projects, service leading, and collaborations, after moving to Bellingham from Israel.  She is a graduate of an art school in Jerusalem, and more recently of Fairhaven College at WWU. She is a current graduate student for a master's in mental health counseling.

In her role as Coordinator for Jewish Student Life, she brings unique life experiences and a deep commitment to creating comforting and supportive spaces that cherish diversity and will help cultivate a deeper sense of connection and community among Hillel students.
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In her life outside of Hillel, Miriam works with young children and incorporates nature and expressive arts into her educational work. She also facilitates and co-leads prayer and song circles, including Shir HaShalom Jewish Renewal in Bellingham. 


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Andrea Shupack

Senior Jewish Educator 

Andrea Shupack works as a Cantorial Soloist, student rabbi, educator, and musician. She is currently studying for Rabbinic and Cantorial ordination at the Academy for Jewish Religion (AJR), a pluralistic seminary in New York.

Her first job in the Jewish world was as the music specialist for a Jewish day camp when she was 17, and she has continued serving Jewish communities ever since. Last year, Andrea worked as the Rabbinic Fellow at Romemu in Manhattan. Several years ago, she studied for a year at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and was selected as an Arts Fellow, where she began composing songs of women in the Torah. Andrea brings a passion for Jewish life and WWU students' Jewish journey to her role.

The 2025-2026 Student Board:

Corbie Brantner, Inter-Club Relations Chair

Will Simon, Antisemitism Response Chair

Maya Moore, Co-Chair of Religious Life

Sydney Wolfson, Co-Chair of Religious Life

Noah Yashar, Israel Education Chair

Kashmere Carr, Shabbat Chair

Johnny Cook, Graduate Student Representative

Yasana Nugent, Arts and Culture Chair

Cait Cromwell, Engagement Chair

The WWU Hillel Student Board organizes events for Jewish learning, holiday celebrations, and more! In addition to planning and running these events, Student Board members take on leadership roles in the Hillel community. They attend Jewish education seminars, engage with other religious and cultural groups at WWU, help to combat antisemitism on campus, and connect with Bellingham’s greater Jewish community.

Funding for Strengthing Engagement by Hiring a Rabbinic Student was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.