Staff
Rabbi Sally Finestone
Rabbi Sally Finestone came to Fort Collins from the Boston area, where she served for twenty years as the Rabbi and Education Director of Congregation Or Atid, and as an instructor and counselor at the Harvard Divinity School. She began her rabbinic career as a Hillel director, and has worked on campuses in Cincinnati, Houston, and at Harvard.
Raised in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia, Rabbi Finestone attended Duke University, and then Hebrew Union College - Jewish institute of Religion in Cincinnati for her rabbinic training, becoming the 11th woman in Jewish history to be ordained. She also holds a Masters in Hebrew Literature and an honorary doctorate from HUC-JIR, and a Masters in Theology from Harvard Divinity School. Her academic areas of interest include Biblical studies, medieval philosophy and history. A lover of classical music, and dogs, Rabbi Finestone has been married to Rabbi Boaz Heilman for over 40 years. They have been blessed with two children.
Tara Morton, Executive Director
Always seeking ways to enrich peoples’ well-being, Tara’s career began in international development work as she pursued a foreign service degree from Georgetown University. Upon graduation, Tara brought those skills to Jordan’s Badia as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her subsequent experience includes Federal grant writing and the creation of evidence-based programs for community health centers throughout Chicagoland. After receiving her MBA from University of Colorado Boulder, Tara took a detour into the natural food industry as a ERP consultant. She applied her understanding of change management, finance, and operations to assist companies along the front range in their ERP software selection and implementation.
After four years as Treasurer of Har Shalom, Tara stepped into the role of Executive Director. With dedication and a mindset for continuous improvement, she brings a passion and love for Har Shalom’s community to her work. In her spare time, Tara leads her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop, travels, listens to books and podcasts, and spends time being with family and friends.
Nicki S, Religious School Director
Raised in Wisconsin, Nicki and her husband, Mason, moved to Colorado in 2007 and began to build their family. Three sons later, Nicki left her ten-year career as an Elementary teacher and became a stay-at-home parent spending much of her time volunteering at Har Shalom and in her children's classrooms.
Nicki has been very active in the Har Shalom community serving on the Board of Directors as well as the Fundraising Committee. As a parent of HSPK Shalomies, as well as a religious school kiddo, Nicki joined the Education Committee to help develop curriculum. She also took on the role of designing and implementing the Beresheet: In the Beginning class for our littlest learners and their families. Nicki is excited to bring her creativity, organization, enthusiasm, and passion for early learning to Har Shalom.
Jamie C, Preschool Director
After growing up in Southern California, Jamie lived in Seattle and Georgia before moving to Colorado in 2016 with husband, Aaron, and their four children. She began her career working with Head Start programs. From there she directed and taught at an early childhood cooperative, worked as a preschool teacher in a public-school setting, and then spent eleven years as a child-care center licensing specialist. Most recently, Jamie taught CSU’s Early Childhood Center’s model classroom, mentoring numerous new teachers into full-time teaching roles.
Jamie has a BA degree in Child Development and a MA degree in Human Development, focusing on Leadership in Education and Parent Education. An advocate for lifelong learning, Jamie is beginning a part-time second MA degree in Clinical Mental Health at UNC-Greeley, with the goal of becoming a licensed child/family therapist in the future.
Gretchen K, Office Manager
Returning after a four-year break, Gretchen began her second stretch in the Har Shalom office in June, 2019. Gretchen holds a degree in Organizational Development and a second degree in Web Design. She has worked in operations and marketing for the better part of her working career. In 2011, she left a 15-year career in the travel and event planning industry, moved to Colorado and started her own web design and development business, Haunted Mesa Design.
A Florida native, Gretchen lived the majority of her life in the South before moving to California and then to Colorado. She has two children, four grandchildren and one very spoiled fur baby. When not working, she enjoys visiting the desert Southwest and photographing wildlife.
Tal B, Communications and Development Manager
After living on the east coast most of her life, Tal moved to Colorado in 2011 with husband, Scott, and joined the Har Shalom community a short time later. Tal and Scott have two children that attended the Har Shalom Preschool and are currently enrolled in the Religious School. Before working at Har Shalom, Tal volunteered on several committees, chaired the Fundraising Committee, served on the Board of Directors, and is still currently the volunteer scrip coordinator.
Tal's professional background is in development, community organizing, and non-profit management. She holds advanced degrees in Jewish studies, social work, and Jewish communal service. In her free time, Tal enjoys reading, hiking, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends.
Judy P, Library Director
Judy has been affiliated with Har Shalom for over 20 years. She started as a volunteer in the Library and gradually worked her way into a staff position. She is a passionate advocate for reading as a means of developing Jewish identity in children, and is dedicated to providing an up to date library with a wide variety of resources including the best in current Jewish literature and scholarship.
In her non-Har Shalom life, Judy has two post-college age daughters, is a retired Physical Therapist, is currently employed as a music paraprofessional at Wellington Middle School and participates in multiple Jewish genealogy forums.
Felix C, Facilities
Moving to Colorado in 2004, Felix has been a member and friend of Har Shalom for almost 20 years. Although he grew up in Mexico, Felix has lived in many countries around the world and several parts of the United States. He is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian. Felix can always be relied upon to read Torah for the community and enjoys Rabbi Finestone's weekly Torah study. When Felix isn't at Har Shalom, he enjoys reading, water sports and his Nescafe.