David Bann is currently the Vice President of Sales and Business Development at StreetShares.com, an interactive financial marketplace where investors compete to provide shares of commercial loans to small businesses. In his current role, David manages all strategic partnerships and sales efforts for StreetShares, Inc.

Prior to joining StreetShares, David previously served as a policy advisor in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and the Department of Defense. David began his career as a Marine Corps infantry officer, is a combat veteran, and currently serves as a major in the Marine Corps Reserve.

David attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as an Anna Sobol Levy Fellow in 2000-2001, where he studied international relations, visited Israel Defense Forces (IDF) facilities, and learned to speak Hebrew. The ASL fellow experience helped David attain status as a Middle East Regional Area Officer in the Marine Corps and a national security policy advisor for members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

David received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame. He holds an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and a MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Alexander Bastoky was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from West Point in 2014 and commissioned as an Armor officer in the U.S. Army. He earned a Fulbright Fellowship to study Islamic history in Israel and reached out to the Anna Sobol Levy Foundation to add a vital military and political dimension to his time in the Middle East. Along with the rest of the ASL fellows, Alex will come away from Israel with a master's degree in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies and a host of experiences that will be invaluable for his military and civilian service. After leaving Israel in 2015, is serving as an officer in the First Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas.

Katy Fanning received her Bachelor’s degree in peace, war, and defense from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In conjunction with her B.A., she spent a semester studying in the War Studies Department of King’s College London. During her undergraduate career and since, she has held a number of internships related to her interests in politics and national security. These have included The Institute for Defense and Business, The National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs, the Hudson Institute, the North Carolina General Assembly, and the Capitol Hill office of a U.S. Representative. She plans to pursue a career in national security.

Sara E. Reef is an innovative program manager with 10+ years of professional experience in social development and communications throughout Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Latin America in multilateral organizations and international NGOs. She is a contributor to global media outlets and has presented internationally at the United Nations in New York and Nairobi, Princeton and Yale Universities in the US, and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, among other places. She received a prestigious Anna Sobol Levy Graduate Fellowship to study Middle Eastern Affairs at Hebrew University. Sara earned her Master of Arts degree in International Studies with a focus on the Middle East from the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is currently working as a Communications Officer in the Global Engagement Team at the World Bank Group in Washington, DC.

Amanda Staly Neutkens was an ASL fellow from 2005 to 2007 and earned an a masters degree Israel Society and Politics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is a pilot and active duty Captain in the United States Army, and has been married six years to a fellow aviator and Army Captain. They live in Hawaii and serve with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade. She deployed to Afghanistan in 2010-11 and flew MEDEVAC missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While stationed in Germany, she worked with German military forces and led a MEDEVAC team to Holland to partner with a Royal Netherlands Army exercise in 2013. In 2014, she travelled extensively as a primary planner for an annual joint military exercise, Pacific Pathways, and worked hand-in-hand with Indonesian, Malaysian, and Japanese military leaders. Says Capt. Neutkens, “These experiences only highlight the extent to which I have used my experiences as an ASL fellow to bridge cultural gaps, relate to our partners through strategic planning, and foster cooperative relationships with joint and coalition forces. I am proud to have been an ASL fellow and will never forget the rich, life-changing lessons of living in the incredible nation of Israel.

Captain Joshua Gotay hails from Centreville, VA. He graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and was commissioned in the Medical Service Corps as a Distinguished Military Graduate. While in college, he interned at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Budget and Programs, serving as an assistant program reviewer.

Following graduation, he was selected to participate in the Anna Sobol Levy Fellowship, where he spent a year studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. At Hebrew University, Joshua focused his studies on North Africa and Iranian political issues. During his fellowship year, he traveled to Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and various towns in the West Bank.

His initial duty assignment was Medical Platoon Leader, HHC, 2-327, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. In that capacity, he deployed to RC East, Kunar Province in the fall of 2012. Following redeployment, his next assignment was Company Executive Officer, Charlie Company, 426 BSB, 1st Brigade, Airborne Division.

Captain Gotay is a graduate of the AMEDD Officer Basic Course, Unit Movement Officer Course, Environmental Compliance Officer Course, Contracting Officer Representative Course, and the Additional Duty Safety Officer Course. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon. He has been awarded the Air Assault Badge, Airborne Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.

Sarath K. Ganji, a native of Central Louisiana, is currently an analyst with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. A graduate of Georgetown University and the Harvard Kennedy School, he worked on nuclear weapons policy for the State Department and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and has also written about global health, international migration and intellectual property rights as a Fulbright Scholar and visiting researcher at think tanks in the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Sarath was a member of the 2010-2011 class of Anna Sobol Levy Fellows, during which time he specialized in Islamic law and civil-military relations, drafting a paper on Israeli reservists that is being published in the journal Israel Affairs.

While an ASL fellow, Taylor he studied Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Taylor says his ASL experience was an outstanding one, both personally and professionally. He traveled extensively throughout Israel, visited Jordan and Egypt, made numerous friends and contacts along the way while learning about Israel and the greater Middle East.

Taylor is now a Foreign Service Officer, Political Officer, with the Department of State, currently on leave while serving on active duty with the Navy. Lieutenant Commander Dewey, a Surface Warfare Officer, is Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Joint Interagency Task Force-West’s Integrated Maritime Skills team that trains counternarcotics tactics to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Previously he was OIC of a Coastal Riverine Platoon, Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a Presidential Management Fellow with the Department of State's Bureau of Legislative Affairs. He also worked for two NGOs in the Middle East, Search for Common Ground and The Carter Center.

Currently an MA candidate in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College, he has a BA in Government from Cornell University, an MA in International Policy Studies from Stanford University, and, in addition to Israel, he studied Australia and Italy. Taylor is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and he was recently a Center for a New American Security Next Generation National Security Leader. He is Secretary of the Commander Navy Reserve Forces Policy Board, and he speaks five foreign languages to varying degrees of proficiency.

Dr. Scott B. Lasensky is the Senior Advisor to the United States Ambassador to Israel, Daniel B. Shapiro. From 2011-2014, he was a Senior Policy Advisor to U.S. Ambassadors to the United Nations Susan E. Rice and Samantha J. Power, focusing on Israel, the Middle East and World Jewry.

Lasensky’s most recent book is The Peace Puzzle: America’s Quest for Arab-Israeli Peace (Cornell University Press, 2013). His 2008 book, Negotiating Arab-Israeli Peace: American Leadership in the Middle East (co-authored with Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer), has been called a "tour de force." He has lectured and written extensively on the Arab-Israeli conflict and America’s role in the Middle East.

He has held a variety of positions at leading American think tanks, including the U.S. Institute of Peace (2004-2011), the Council on Foreign Relations (2000-2003) and the Brookings Institution (1999-2000). At USIP, he co-directed the Study Group on Arab-Israeli Peacemaking and served as the chief policy advisor to a Senior Working Group co-chaired by former National Security Advisors Sandy Berger and Stephen Hadley.

Lasensky has substantial experience in the philanthropy sector, including involvement in the building campaign for the Institute of Peace building on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. He participated in the U.S. delegation to the U.N.-sponsored Syria peace talks in 2014, and served as an International Election Monitor with the National Democratic Institute and the Carter Center for the 2005 and 2006 Palestinian Authority elections.

Justin Smith is a former Major in the U.S. Army. After his year as an ASL fellow, he earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Justin currently works for the global engineering firm Siemens and resides with his wife and four children in Western Springs, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

“My year as an ASL fellow afforded me the opportunity to study under several of the world’s foremost experts in counter-terrorism—a phenomenal experience with the region as the backdrop to a very important topic. The ASL experience was one of those defining moments that helped shape my world view and develop a stronger appreciation for the unique relationship shared by the United States and Israel. I have carried this experience with me through my military and civilian careers and have found that I have a strong foundation from which to view, discuss and comment on topics such as counter-terrorism, Middle Eastern security issues, as well as Israeli politics and culture. I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Capt. Levy and to have been a recipient of the prestigious ASL fellowship.”

Peter Uthe graduated from the University of Louisville in 2010, earning a degree in geography with a focus in environmental analysis. He commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army through the Louisville Army ROTC program and was branched Infantry. Upon completion of the Fellowship he returned to Ft. Benning, Georgia for his initial six months of training at the Infantry Officer Basic Leaders Course. Peter was stationed at Rose Barracks, Germany with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment where he held the positions of Stryker Platoon Leader, Reconnaissance Platoon Leader as well as Regimental Current Operations Officer. After completing four years of active duty, he separated from the Army in May 2015 and is now currently works as a consultant for the Veterans Benefits Administration in Washington, DC.

His experiences as a Fellow shaped his military career and his understanding of geo-politics in the Levant and broader Middle East. His understanding of Israel and the surrounding countries aided in tactical planning of contingency operations within the region while serving in the Army

Captain Erik Wilkerson is a native of Terre Haute, Indiana. As an undergraduate, he attended the Virginia Military Institute, were he was designated a Distinguished Graduate and awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Studies. While at VMI, then-Cadet Wilkerson served as the Cadet S-2 (Academic) Captain, President of the Classical Music Society, account manager with the Cadet Investment Group, and Vice-President of the English Society.

Following Graduation, then-Midshipman Wilkerson attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem as an Anna Sobol Levy fellow. Knowing that numerous combat deployments lay in his future, Midshipman Wilkerson chose to focus his year as a fellow studying Arabic and Hebrew while also exploring the local Jewish and Islamic culture. During this time Midshipman Wilkerson met his future wife - Mrs. Shoshanah Wilkerson. They recently celebrated their eighth year of marriage and have two young children: Nathaniel and Thea.

Captain Wilkerson's initial duty assignment was as an Artillery Forward Observer with I Company, 3rd Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment during its 2006 deployment to Haditha, Iraq. The language skills he acquired as an ASL Fellow enabled him to facilitate the training of a partnered Iraqi infantry company while also accompanying them on combat patrols. Upon his return, Captain Wilkerson deployed with 1st Battalion 12th Marine Regiment in the summer of 2007 as part of a provisional infantry \ military police task force. Following these two deployments Captain Wilkerson held a variety of billets in Kaneohe Bay, HI before executing orders to Fort Sill, OK. There, Captain Wilkerson served as Officer in Charge of the Enlisted Instruction Branch and as a Battery Commander. Captain Wilkerson deployed to Afghanistan as a senior instructor at the Counterinsurgency Training Center in Kabul. In this role Captain Wilkerson trained a variety groups - from State Department personnel and incoming Battalion staffs, to Afghan intelligence officers and mujahadeen seeking to reintegrate with the Afghan army. Following this deployment Captain Wilkerson executed orders to 10th Marine Regiment aboard Camp Lejeune, NC. There he held a variety of billets: Assistant Operations Officer, Battalion Fire Direction Officer, Afghan National Police Advisor, and Assistant Fire Support Coordinator. Captain Wilkerson resigned his commission effective 01 September 2015.

Captain Wilkerson's awards and decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (x2), Combat Action Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation (x2), Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Medal (x3), National Defense Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the NATO-ISAF Medal.

The Anna Sobol Levy Fellowship benefited Captain Wilkerson in a variety of ways. The language and cultural skills he acquired as an ASL fellow had a tangible effect on his ability to communicate, work and fight alongside men from Iraq, Afghanistan, Morocco, Jordan, and a variety of other countries. Captain Wilkerson formed close friendships with several professors, students, and other individuals he interacted with while in Israel. More importantly, Captain Wilkerson has a special relationship with the Jewish people through his wife and two children.

Captain Wilkerson is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Psychology via Stanford and the University of Palo Alto. He plans to become certified as a neuropsychologist and focus much of his professional energy providing mental health care to veterans returning from combat.