Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is launching the Geller-Gallagher Leadership Institute (GGLI) with a $1 million gift from Jay H. Geller, a Los Angeles attorney and member of the HUC-JIR Board of Governors, and his husband, Lowell Gallagher, Professor of English at the University of California at Los Angeles.

The GGLI at the Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management will develop and promote professional and lay leadership in the Jewish nonprofit sector through conferences, seminars, workshops and speakers’ series.

Announcing the gift Jay Geller said, “Creating effective and successful nonprofit leaders, both professionals and lay, is not something that happens automatically. Some people are naturals when it comes to leadership, others require skillful training. Through the programs of the GGLI at the Zelikow School, we hope to create lay and professional leaders who understand what it means to be a leader, who are meaningfully mentored so as to be effective in their leadership roles, and who can work together effectively in the nonprofit institutional setting.”