As the Head of Philanthropy for EJF Philanthropies (EJFP), Simone Joy Friedman coordinates grantmaking for the foundations under the EJF Philanthropies umbrella. Her current priorities are: 1) fighting antisemitism 2) raising awareness of G6PD Deficiency, a genetic condition that affects those with African, Asian, and Middle Eastern ancestries (both Arabs and Jews); and 3) supporting efforts to advance the inclusivity of the American Dream. As part of the latter priority, she provides philanthropic support for workforce training in Opportunity Zones in partnership with local governments. She is the Founder of the Opportunity Zone Workforce Institute. Simone specializes in using media and storytelling to shift narratives and catalyze change. Through her philanthropic work as an impact producer, she created and funded the impact campaigns for Jonathan Safran Foer's book, We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast, and for Christopher Quinn’s film Eating Animals, which was narrated by Natalie Portman and based on Foer’s book by the same name. The film won the Environmental Media Association Documentary Award, and Simone was awarded the Michelson Foundation's Leader in Animal Welfare Award. Prior to her involvement with EJFP, Simone founded and later sold an analytics company. She graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the GWU, which she attended as part of the school’s Presidential Honor academic scholarship program. She later earned a Master’s of Urban and Environmental Planning degree with a concentration in Policy Analysis from UVA.