Administrative Leadership Team

Dr. Michelle Bernat

Head of School

Dr. Michelle Bernat graduated from the University of Arizona, where she received a degree in Philosophy and Jewish Studies. Michelle earned her Masters in curricular integration and cultural diversity. Her doctorate is in  Educational Leadership, focused on Organizational Change, from California State University, Fullerton. She has received recognitions as Administrator of the Year and Woman of the Year.  Michelle has presented on curricular integration, assessment, writing instruction, standards-based grading, TaNaKh Standards, and differentiation nationally. She is a published author of books in education. 

You can contact Dr. Bernat at mbernat@pardesschool.org.


Ann Jurewicz, Ed.D

K-8 Principal

Dr. Ann Jurewicz joins the Pardes administrative team serving as Principal with responsibility for Kindergarten through 8th grade. Dr. Jurewicz comes to us from Saint Paul, Minnesota where she grew up and returned to for graduate school. She has been an educator overseas in the Cayman Islands, Germany, and Spain, and she has also led a K-8 immersion program in the USA. She loves cooking, dinners with family/friends, and scuba diving. Under the sea is her happy place.

You can contact Ann at ajurewicz@pardesschool.org.


Lauren Kreisberger

Director of K-8/Admissions

Lauren Kreisberger is the Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at Pardes Jewish Day School. Prior to this role, Morah Lauren, as she is known on campus, taught kindergarten at Pardes for 11 years. Before moving with her family to Arizona in 2005, she taught third grade in the New York City public school system for 10 years and was an active member of Teacher’s College Reading & Writing Project at Columbia University. She has a B.S in Elementary Education with a concentration in Jewish Studies and a Master’s Degree in Reading. Lauren had the honor of being part of the first cohort of the IDEAS program, Institute for Day School Excellence and Sustainability and recipient of Prizmah’s ENGAGE: Growing School and Community Partnerships grant. Lauren and her husband Simon have three children: Eli (22), Ben (20) and Ari (16).

You can contact Lauren Kreisberger at lkreisberger@pardesschool.org.


Tom Radz

Director of Communications and Marketing

Tom Radz was born and raised in the Chicagoland area.  He attended Western Illinois University from where he received a bachelor’s and master’s degree.  Upon receiving his master’s, Tom went directly into journalism as a staff writer and worked his way up to assistant editor for a daily newspaper.  His career shifted when he was offered a position as the Director of Marketing for Athletics at WIU, which he held until returning home to Chicago where he taught college communications for the next nine years. Since moving to the Valley five years ago, Tom has worked as both a marketing and a communications specialist.  His decision to move to Phoenix was mainly due to the weather, as he enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, and mountain biking. Tom also played college baseball and coached at that level for a decade. Tom loves what the Valley has to offer in terms of both amateur and professional baseball and you can find him regularly in attendance at college, Spring Training, and Dbacks games.

You can contact Tom Radz at tradz@pardesschool.org.


Lezlie Strolle

Director of Technology; Assistant Director of Operations

Lezlie Strolle, Director of Technology, is responsible for planning, purchasing, installing, and maintaining technology systems for the school. She also works closely with students and faculty to achieve best practice technology infusion into teaching and learning. Lezlie joined the Pardes faculty in 2010 as a fifth grade teacher. Prior to joining the Pardes faculty, she taught grades second through eighth both in public and independent school settings in Michigan and Arizona. Lezlie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Michigan State University and her Master’s in Business Administration.

You can contact Lezlie Strolle at lstrolle@pardesschool.org.