Our mission is to build a collaborative community of teachers dedicated to promoting accurate and impactful Holocaust education in schools. We believe that teaching the Holocaust is essential—not only to honor the memory of those who suffered and perished but also to empower students with historical understanding, ethical reflection, and the civic courage to stand against hate.
Through a rich series of professional learning sessions, HEN supports educators in navigating the complexities of Holocaust scholarship with empathy, accuracy, and inclusivity. Each year of our five-year instructional cycle is centered on a distinct theme, ranging from the roots of Nazi antisemitism to postwar justice and human rights, helping schools build lasting instructional capacity while addressing contemporary issues of antisemitism and injustice.
Holocaust Education Network Planning Committee Members & Partners
Nick D’Amuro: Coordinator of School Improvement Genesee Valley BOCES: HEN Chair 
Bonnie Kirkland: Library Technology Specialist Genesee Valley BOCES: Technology & Website Specialist 
Tara DeVay: Educator & Administrator Albion CSD: Networking & Fundraising 
Justin Loeber: Educator Pembroke CSD: Classroom Support Specialist 
Megan Wright: Educator Alexander CSD: Resource Specialist
We embrace the challenge of teaching difficult history. By fostering relationships, engaging with survivor testimony, and applying best pedagogical practices, HEN participants commit to shaping classrooms where truth, justice, and memory matter. Together, we strive to create a more just and compassionate world—one student, one lesson, one story at a time.
Art Goldstein, Retired Educator: Temple Emanu-El Representative
Todd Hennessy, Echoes & Reflections: Outside Scholar
Monica Gebell, Jewish Federation of Rochester
Lauren Bloomberg, HERO & Jewish Federation of Buffalo
Wendy Weisbrot, HERO & Jewish Federation of Buffalo
Katie Hagstrom, Roberts Wesleyan University Assistant Professor of Social Work, Director, Field Education/Undergraduate Social Work Program