Our Staff

Anat joined the Fulbright Commission in October 2014. Prior to joining Fulbright Israel, she was senior research fellow and Academic Director of the Mediterranean Program at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. She is founding editor of Journal of Levantine Studies, a semiannual Academic journal. She taught Middle Eastern studies and Turkish Studies at the Department of International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Between 2009-2014 she headed the Israeli network of the Anna Lindh Foundation for Intercultural Dialogue. Anat received her BA in Jewish History and Middle Eastern Studies from Tel Aviv University, and holds a PhD from the Department of Politics, the University of Durham, U.K.

Since March 2016, Simcha has been working as a Fiscal manager at Fulbright Commission in Israel. She has more than 20 years of experience with high-tech companies.

Noa Turgeman is Fulbright Israel's Deputy Director for Programs.

Noa was a Program Director at ILGBC (Israeli Green Building Council). Prior to that, she was the Co-Executive Director of the Women's Courtyard in Jaffa. Noa has also held executive and development positions at the San Francisco Bay area Jewish Federation and at Lehrhaus Judaica, Berkeley CA.

Noa holds two MA degrees from Tel Aviv University – in Comparative Literature and in East Asian Studies. She is currently a PhD candidate at the graduate program in science, technology and society at Bar Ilan University.

Noa lives in Tel Aviv with her partner and three children, leading an urban life. She is an avid fan of Japanese culture and art, an amateur photographer, and rides her bicycle to work every day.

Esti Sherbelis is the Office Manager at Fulbright Israel. Prior to her current position Esti was a PR and International Relations Consultant, strategizing to increase awareness of foundations, businesses and organizations. For several years Esti served as the Public Diplomacy Officer and EA to the Ambassador at the Australian Embassy in Israel, identifying strategies to promote Australia in Israel. Before this Esti worked as the Foreign Affairs Officer at the Israeli Medical Association. There she established joint projects with health organizations and managed campaigns and conferences.

Esti holds two BAs with Honors in English and Education from University of Haifa. She completed a certificate in Business Management with High Distinction at TAFE, Australia. Esti also has a Diploma in Advertising, Public Relations, and Public Speaking from Haifa University. 

Besan Asbi is our Israel Programs Coordinator.

Prior, she led the Arab Sector at the British Embassy’s UK Israel Tech Hub, where she supported the formulation and execution of programs connecting the emerging Arab Tech Sector to  business opportunities in the UK and enhancing the assimilation of the Arab community into the high-tech ecosystem.  In this position, she also established the first ever digital platform for Arab entrepreneurs- arabtechport.com.

Besan has over 6 years’ experience managing programs and community projects in the private and public sectors.  She holds a B.A. in Social Work and is currently studying for a M.A. in Diplomacy.

Assaf is an IL Program and Project Coordinator at Fulbright Israel. Prior to his recent position, Assaf was an International Students and Courses Coordinator, at Tel Aviv University, working with foreign students from around the world. Before that he acted as the Director of Israel Engagement at Penn State University for three years. Assaf received a Bachelor's degree in Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Originally from Haifa, he currently lives in Tel Aviv.

Leon Franco is an IL program coordinator at Fulbright Israel.

Leon holds an MA degree with honors in Literature from Tel Aviv University (TAU). He is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Cultural Studies at TAU. He has authored two novels: Engineers of the Human Soul (Afik Books, 2020), which earned him The Ministry of Culture Award for Early-Career Writers; and Tsitskovich Publishing House (Rosinante Books, 2022). Prior to his current position Leon was a sales and service manager at the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.