Alina Gerlovin Spaulding

Alina Gerlovin Spaulding immigrated to the United States at age 5 with her family after leaving the Soviet Union, aided by the Jewish Family Service of Clifton/Passaic and other Jewish agencies. Her family's experience of displacement and support from the Jewish community shaped her commitment to philanthropy and community development. After brief stays in Austria and Italy, the Gerlovin family settled in Passaic, New Jersey, where Spaulding grew up.

Spaulding earned an undergraduate degree from Muhlenberg College with a double major in psychology and Russian studies and a master's degree from Barry University in human resource development for nonprofit and religious organizations. She began her career addressing audiences for the Jewish Federations of North America, focusing on building strong Jewish communities through engagement and philanthropy. Spaulding has contributed to the creation and expansion of youth programs and has remained active in humanitarian aid efforts in the United States and abroad. Her work has been recognized through fellowships, including the Brandeis/Bronfman Institute for Informal Jewish Education, the Covenant Fellowship program for Jewish Education, and the Day School Leadership Training Institute at Columbia University.

Spaulding is a frequent speaker on philanthropy and impactful giving, particularly within the Jewish Federations of North America network. Her philanthropic work spans housing sustainability, Jewish day schools, youth engagement, the arts, trauma and mental health care, and development strategy. She advises major donors and philanthropists and mentors emerging professionals in the field of nonprofit development. Spaulding has delivered closing remarks at the Association of Jewish Family and Children's Agencies conference in Miami and has served as a keynote speaker at Federation campaign launches nationwide.

Her career includes leadership roles in education and community development, such as founding dean of admissions and director of communications and alumni relations at American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro and Head of School at Akiva Jewish Day School of Nashville. During the displacement of Jews caused by Russia's war on Ukraine, Spaulding spent two weeks in Hungary assisting potential immigrants to Israel, leveraging her fluency in Russian. Her journey from Soviet refugee to leader in philanthropy and community building positions her as a recognized voice in Jewish communal life, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership.