Avital Leibovich

Lt. Col. (res.) Avital Leibovich is Director of AJC Jerusalem. Her distinguished career spans over 22 years in a wide range of senior media and public relations positions within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), where she served as the face of the IDF to the international community and international IDF spokesperson during such critical events as the “Cast Lead” and “Pillar of Defense” operations, and Gilad Shalit's return. Immediately before coming to AJC, Leibovich served as Head of the Interactive Media Branch of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, a branch she established to address the rapidly growing influence of social networks and internet platforms in the media world. Previously, Leibovich was Head of the Foreign Press Branch, where she established strong connections between the IDF and the international media, working with audiences worldwide and appearing in thousands of media interviews. She received a B.A. in English Literature and Political Science from Bar Ilan University, and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Haifa, as well as a diploma in Spokesmanship, Communications, and Public Relations from the Department of Foreign Affairs at Bar Ilan University.