Portions excerpted from the article published by Hadassah- “Empowering Leaders: Incoming Region Presidents Come Together as Cohort at NYC Orientation”)
Rebecca Young of Richmond will be installed as the co- president of Hadassah Southern Seaboard Region.
Diane Bisgaier of the Charlottesville Chapter will be installed as co-president.
Rebecca was most recently the organization vice president for Hadassah Southern Seaboard.
She has been an active member of both the Richmond chapter and the region for almost 20 years and was involved in Young Judaea as a child and teenager.
Previous positions include Social Media chair, VP of communications, and Hadassah Richmond co-president.
Rebecca was a member of the first cohort of the Hadassah Leadership Fellows program.
In her local community, Rebecca is a member of Congregation Beth Ahabah and involved with the Chesterfield Bar Association.
She is a long-time supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and has been involved in their local fundraising efforts.
Rebecca graduated from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and later acquired a JD from University of Richmond School of Law.
She currently works as an Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. Having taken part in the Hadassah Attorneys and Judges Council Swearing-In Program, Rebecca is admitted in the Supreme Court of the United States.
Rebecca has two children, Mackenzie and Jacob.
She spends most of her time outside of work on the soccer or field hockey sidelines cheering on her children, but enjoys walking or hiking outside, has recently begun enjoying the gym, and loves relaxing by binge watching reality TV.
Rebecca is one of 13 total region presidents in the class of 2025.
A recent orientation in New York brought them together to help build a strong leadership cohort and to help equip them for these key positions at the largest Jewish women’s organization in the US.
They learned about the duties and responsibilities that accompany their new titles and participated in leadership skills training, covering everything from communication to delegation.
“First and foremost, my passion for and commitment to Israel are what bind me to Hadassah,” said Rebecca who represents the fifth generation of a six generation Hadassah life member family and whose own journey has been long.
“I am a proud Zionist, and this started as a Young Judaean!”
Following her YJ days, her involvement in young women’s groups led to a string of positions locally and in the region.
Now, as the new region co-president, the North Chesterfield resident hopes to strengthen Hadassah’s role in the community at large.
She said, “Hadassah’s missions align with those of so many other organizations, both religious and secular, and there is no reason Hadassah cannot be a more active community partner. By strengthening those partnerships, membership would grow, and the impact Hadassah has on the world would increase.”
At the same time, she’s inspired by how Hadassah empowers women to take action and be a force for change.
“Change starts with one person speaking up, and Hadassah connects all those single voices into a loud force. It has been an honor to be a part of some of the advocacy work Hadassah does.”
Young felt privileged to do her part when she presented Hadassah’s position and policy statement on women’s health at the Richmond Chapter’s Women’s Reproductive Health from a Jewish Perspective program. She cites this as one of her finest Hadassah moments. “I was proud to also have my mother and daughter in attendance.”
One thing I love about my region is the true feeling of community and family. Southern Seaboard is a mid-flung region and members are spread out over three states.
However, there are true bonds of friendship and support for one another.
Also, as we are near D.C, it is easy for our members to make an impact by showing up for rallies there and going to the Hill to meet with legislators when needed or called upon.
Additionally, chapters in our region have been involved with a variety of health programs, which have not only gained National attention but have raised thousands of dollars for Hadassah Medical Relief Association.
