Harriet Schleifer

Harriet P. Schleifer is President of American Jewish Committee (AJC).  She has an extensive history of leadership within AJC, having previously served as Chairperson of the Board of Governors and of Project Interchange, and as President of the Westchester/Fairfield Regional Office. In 2017, Harriet and her husband Len joined a small group of AJC leaders in establishing AJC Central Europe in Warsaw.  The office of the director is dedicated to Harriet’s parents, Rubin and Frances Partel, who were Holocaust survivors from Poland.

Harriet practiced law with a focus on education law.  She has extensive experience representing students with special needs. She serves on the Executive Committee of Chapel Haven, Inc., a residential school and organization whose mission is to provide lifelong individualized services for people with developmental and social disabilities, empowering them to live independent and self-determined lives. 

She is involved with several other organizations, including The Jewish Museum, Plaza Jewish Community Chapel, Inc., The Washington Institute on Near East Policy, Westchester Jewish Council, UJA-Federation of New York, and most recently, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. She is a past President of her synagogue, Bet Torah, in Mt. Kisco, NY.

Harriet received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University, two graduate degrees in education from the University of Virginia, and her law degree from St. John's University. She and her husband, Len, the CEO and co-founder of Regeneron, live in Chappaqua, NY. They have two sons.