Senior Administration

Ofra has been part of the Schechter LI Family since the early 1980’s. Ofra completed her studies at the Beersheva Teaching College and the Ben Gurion University of the Negev and began her journey as a Jewish Educator. After many years of teaching Judaic Studies and Hebrew at Schechter, Ofra became the middle school assistant principal for grades 6-8, then the upper school assistant principal for grades 6-12, before becoming Principal in 2014. Ofra received the Janus Korczak Educators Award and was honored at the 2011 Schechter LI Gala. Ofra practices what she preaches and all of her children have received their education at Schechter LI.

Mr. Thorgersen brings to our community 25 years of teaching high school English courses. Additionally, he has taught freshman composition, research, literature, and rhetoric courses in colleges and universities including Yeshiva University, SUNY Suffolk, and CUNY York. These experiences helped him build Schechter’s senior-year College Writing course, which prepares our students for higher education and affords them one of several opportunities to earn college credit while still in high school. His background in writing for and producing professional children’s theater informs his speech and drama courses and his experience as a writer and editor for local newspapers and magazines aids in advising for our own journalism programs. More recently, Mr. Thorgersen earned his certification as a school building leader; he now also serves as dean of the high school and as a supervisor for new faculty. His doctoral work focuses on the use of games and gameplay as learning tools.

Sandra Pensak has devoted 50 years to public education. She began her career as a teacher in the NYC Department of Education and retired from the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools in 2013 where she served as Principal of the Hewlett Elementary School for fourteen years. Since “retiring”, she has worked as an educational consultant and adjunct lecturer at Queens College, CUNY in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Sandra served as Principal of the Schechter Lower School from January through June 2024. This year she is excited to continue as an advisor to the lower school. 

Sandra and her husband Alan have been members of the Shelter Rock Jewish Center for the past 35 years, where she has served in positions on the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees. She is a volunteer in the docent program at the Kupferberg Holocaust Center on the campus of Queensborough Community College. She is a board member of the Fraternal Order of Bendin-Sosnowicer, a ‘landsmanschaften’ including survivors of the Holocaust from the Zaglembie region of Poland, now managed by an all-volunteer team of Second, Third, and Fourth Generation devoted to the sacred commitment to Holocaust Remembrance. 

Sandra is a graduate of Queens College and holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Professional Diploma in Educational Administration and Supervision from St. John’s University.

I’ve been a staff member at the Schechter School of Long Island for the past 24 years and absolutely love it here. I started working at SSLI full time the Monday following my college graduation with a B.S. in Business Administration, and SSLI quickly became my home away from home. As the Business Director, I handle financial matters such as tuition, aid, and grants, and I am the lead professional contact for many of our school’s vendors.

Outside of Schechter, I’m a mom to a 15-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. My days away from SSLI are mostly filled with spending time with my children and husband whether it’s heading to after-school activities, the beach, or visiting relatives.   If I’m not spending time with my family, you can find me testing new recipes and diving into a novel a few minutes at a time.

Lori has been a familiar face at SSLI for over 15 years, is a long-time member of the SSLI community, and is the proud parent, along with her husband Steve, of two SSLI alumnae. She has served on numerous SSLI committees and has been an active parent volunteer for various Schechter programs and events since 2006. Lori is also widely known in the broader Long Island Jewish community. She developed an expansive network of contacts during her tenure at the Sid Jacobson JCC where she served as Operations Coordinator for the Center For Israel and, among other responsibilities, coordinated the Shinshinim (Israeli emissary) program for Long Island and Queens. Lori is also a former litigation attorney, who practiced law for more than 12 years at a mid-size private Manhattan law firm. She enjoys hosting family and friends for Friday night Shabbat dinners and other gatherings in her home, cooking creative new recipes, reading, and practicing yoga in her personal time.

Josh graduated from Binghamton University with a BA in History and Economics. He continued on to receive his master’s of science in physical education from Hofstra University. Josh is a Schechter LI alumnus who graduated in 2011 and came back to coach various sports. He has now been coaching volleyball for the last 8 years and teaching physical education for the last 4 years. Josh was appointed Director of Athletics in 2023 and is looking forward to expanding the efforts of the athletic program.

I am Art Mandel and am one of the college counselors. I have been a college counselor for over 30 years and have traveled from coast to coast, and from Canada to our southern border visiting over 350 colleges and universities, meeting with admissions officers and students. I have also been the Director of Guidance for the Roslyn School Districts where I built and directed the counseling program from K-12. I hold three advanced degrees and attend a variety of conferences to ensure that Schechter is a state–of–the–art school. My greatest joy is working with students to find the right college fit where they realize their dreams and will thrive as they prepare for their future.

Coming soon…

Daryl is a seasoned fundraising professional with over 20 years in the nonprofit sector, specializing in medical, disease-related, and educational causes. She excels in securing major gifts, managing annual campaigns, and cultivating corporate partnerships, all while implementing strategic plans that elevate organizational missions.

Daryl thrives in collaborative environments, building meaningful connections and empowering communities through her work. Outside of the office, she enjoys baking, treating her dog, Delilah, like family, and spending time in Vermont with her kids, skiing, hiking, and playing tennis.