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Grace Berger

President

Grace Berger is Chairwoman of the Board of Cutler Jewish Day School, a school where she is an alumnus and where her daughter is now a student. She served as the board's Treasurer from 2021 to 2026. She and her husband, Kenny, are members of Beth Shalom Synagogue and are active in the Columbia Jewish Federation. Grace is honored to help lead the school that gave her such a strong start and to help it thrive for generations to come.

Michael Arnold

Secretary/Treasurer

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Rabbi Hesh Epstein

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Rabbi Hesh Epstein is the founding Executive Director of Chabad Lubavitch of South Carolina and oversees the Chabad-Aleph House Synagogue in Columbia, S.C.

Joni Cutler

Lifetime Member

Kay Gross

Lifetime Member

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Tia Savage

Board Member

Tia Savage is a local business owner and graduate of the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business. She owns and operates Ari Construction Group and JJJR Electric Services and serves on the City of Columbia’s Historic Review Commission. Tia and her wife, Kayla, are raising their four children in Columbia and are grateful to be part of the local Jewish community. She is proud to serve on the Cutler Jewish Day School Board and is passionate about supporting Jewish education and helping create a strong, welcoming community for local Jewish families.

Chelsea Williams

Board Member

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Rachael Maitland

Parent Member

Rachael Maitland joined the Cutler Jewish Day School Board in 2026. Rachael is the parent of two current Cutler students and was herself a member of CJDS's first preschool class. She values being an active part of the school and staying connected to Columbia's Jewish community, and she values the opportunity to support the school in fostering a love of learning. Professionally, Rachael is Deputy Director of the South Carolina Energy Office, where she leads initiatives in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation. She previously worked on environmental policy, conservation, and community planning in Tennessee, including roles in the public and nonprofit sectors.

Pam Milas

Lifetime Member

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Rabbi Dr. Meir Muller

Co-Founder

Rabbi Dr. Meir Muller co-founded Cutler Jewish Day School and served as Head of School for 30 years. He currently serves as Associate Dean of Community Empowerment and Associate Professor in the College of Education at the University of South Carolina. His scholarship focuses on Pro-Jewish and Pro-Black approaches to education, justice pedagogy, countering antisemitism, and early childhood education. He served as lead author of South Carolina’s early childhood state standards and co-edited Early Childhood Jewish Education. He is also founding co-editor of the Journal of Jewish Early Childhood Education and President-Elect of the Network for Research in Jewish Education.

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Our Staff