Who We Are

Perry Davis, President of Perry Davis Associates, (perry@perrydavis.com) has served in key positions in government, education, and the private sector. As the New York City Partnership's Vice President for Economic Development, he directed the completion of the Partnership's strategic plan and its new project selection process, and developed its first program-related budget of $8 million. Prior to joining the Partnership, Mr. Davis was the Director of Funded Programs, New York City Board of Education, where he raised $350 million annually. Mr. Davis, who holds a doctorate in Government and Administration from Columbia University, has also served as an Assistant to the Mayor of New York City. He is the editor and a contributing author of a book on public-private partnerships published by the Academy of Political Science and has served as guest speaker at conferences sponsored by the White House, the International Downtown Association, and various corporations.

Margy-Ruth Davis, Executive Vice-President and co-founder of Perry Davis Associates, (mrdavis@perrydavis.com) formerly served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Experience and as Executive Director of the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry. Ms. Davis was also Development Director at the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center, where she established the Development Department, created an ongoing program of foundation support and corporate membership, and oversaw all aspects of board and donor relations.

Chava Reyna Casper, Senior Writer and Grant Coordinator, (chava@perrydavis.com) earned a BA in psycholinguistics from City College of CUNY and worked as an assistant to Dr. Margaret Mead. Following the completion of her MA and PhD in experimental psychology at Columbia University, she joined Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, an academic publishing house, as its Acquisitions Editor in Neuropsychology. Continuing to serve as an advisor in neuropsychology, she became LEA's Developmental Editor, honing her writing and organizational skills as she developed, critiqued, and rewrote manuscripts in all areas.

Ruth Karish-Friedman, National Director, Aleph Society (ruth@perrydavis.com) earned a bachelors degree in English and American literature from Manhattanville College and a juris doctorate from New York Law School. After 14 years as a litigation attorney in Manhattan, Ruth left her law partnership to embark upon a new career in nonprofit management. She most recently served as the acting executive director of the Volunteer Lawyers Network in Minneapolis, MN.

Rachel Weiss-Berger, Senior Account Executive, (rachel@perrydavis.com) most recently worked in higher education as Director of Development for Gift Planning and as a Business Analyst at Columbia University.  Rachel also worked at the University of Michigan where she specialized in stewardship and donor relations and at Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life as the national Tzedek Fellow.  Rachel received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in Organizational Management, History and Judaic Studies.

Chaim Davis, Account Executive, (cdavis@perrydavis.com) most recently worked as a Healthcare Analyst at the Garnet Group, a hedge fund in midtown Manhattan. Chaim received his bachelor's degree from Columbia University, and at PDA he specializes in researching individual donors and foundations. He has also recently launched the Revach Fund LP, a small lifesciences equity fund.

Sara Hasson, Account Executive, (sara@perrydavis.com) earned a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Art History from Barnard College - Columbia University.  In addition to serving as a research assistant for classical architect Allan Greenberg, she has extensive experience in the art and not-for-profit worlds, working at Metropolitan Museum of Art and subsequently as an appraisal coordinator in the Estate and Appraisals Department at Doyle New York Auctioneers and Appraisers. 

Tova Levine, Assistant to the National Director, Aleph Society, (tova@perrydavis.com) earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in social work from Hunter College, with a specialty in Community Organizing and Planning.  She has extensive experience in the not-for-profit community, including work at the Urban Justice Center and, most recently, as a development consultant for Art Start.

Allison Lyons, Account Executive, (allison@perrydavis.com) earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in Anthropology. After spending a year in Israel working in overseas fundraising for the Ma’ale Film School in Jerusalem, she returned to New York and earned master’s degrees in clinical social work and Jewish studies from the Columbia University School of Social Work and the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Ebony Scott, Administrative Assistant, (ebony@perrydavis.com) worked in the Charities Department of the New York State Attorney General's office for four years as an Executive Assistant prior to joining the PDA team. Ebony also worked for two years as an Account Executive at Clover Leaf Memorial Park, where she was responsible for a total of $105,000 in new sales. Ebony is currently working towards her bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Touro College.