Meet the Staff

William Samers Vice President 212.836.1755 samersw@ujafedny.org

William D. Samers is vice president of planned giving and endowments at UJA-Federation of New York, the largest local nonprofit in the country, where he leads an 18-person gift-planning department. Before UJA-Federation he worked for the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (ACWIS), most recently as the vice president of gift planning and compliance. He is a past president of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York and served on the executive committee of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning as secretary and chair of the investment committee. Bill has presented at the AFP International Conference; the National Conference on Planned Giving; the Planned Giving Councils of New York, New England, Connecticut, Philadelphia, Palm Beach, Houston, and San Francisco as well as to the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has been published in The Journal of Gift Planning and the Conference Proceedings for the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning National Conference. Bill has been quoted in many publications including The New York Times, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, and The NonProfit Times. Bill graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and received his J.D. from Boston University Law School.

Stanley Baumblatt Director 212.836.1305 baumblatts@ujafedny.org

Prior to joining UJA-Federation, Stan, a native Manhattanite, was a partner at the law firm of Kutak Rock for 20 years, CFO and counsel for the businesses and foundations of Leonard Bernstein, and manager of philanthropic programs and director of foundation services at Merrill Lynch.

He has a long and consistent record of community service and development work as both a board member and volunteer. Stan has served on the board of governors of the American Craft Museum (now, Museum of Arts and Design); board of directors of the Funders Concerned About AIDS; board of directors of In The Life; national cabinet of UJA-Federation; chair of contributions advisory group; broadcaster of In Touch Networks (Jewish Guild for the Blind); planned giving committee of the Brooklyn Academy of Music; and as treasurer of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons.

Stan is a graduate of Horace Mann School, Brown University, and University of Chicago Law School.

Jaya Nahmiyas Director

Jaya was previously part of UJA's Wall Street & Financial Services Division and Philanthropic Leadership Group and Capital Gifts and Special Initiatives teams. Prior to UJA, Jaya worked at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse. Jaya received a B.S. in foreign service from Georgetown University. Originally from Colombia, Jaya grew up in Houston, Texas, and currently lives in Manhattan. She and her husband have three children.

Orly Harel Planned Giving Officer

Orly has a diverse background in community engagement, grantmaking, and fundraising. After completing her service in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Orly relocated to New York to pursue a master’s in public administration (MPA) and began her career in the field of Jewish nonprofits. Prior to joining UJA-Federation in 2006, Orly worked at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), where she had a role in building bridges and fostering connections between communities. During her initial years at UJA-Federation, Orly managed multiple grantmaking portfolios. Presently, Orly takes great pride in assisting UJA-Federation's most committed supporters in establishing a purposeful and enduring legacy.

Stefanie Katz Senior Development Executive

Stephanie has been part of the UJA family since the beginning of 2020 and joined the planned giving team in the summer of 2022. With almost a decade of experience in nonprofit fundraising, Stephanie delights in guiding generous people through their philanthropic journeys. Outside of work, Stephanie loves to volunteer, read a good library book, and attend the theater.