United States | News & Politics

AIPAC's directors and officers function as a network of networks, simultaneously occupying leadership positions across virtually every major pro-Israel institution in America. For example, Betsy Berns Korn serves as AIPAC's Board Chair while also chairing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations since June 2025, the umbrella body coordinating over 50 Pro-Israel organizations. Her predecessor in that role, Harriet Schleifer, also sits on AIPAC's board alongside positions on the pro-Israel Washington Institute for Near East Policy's and past leadership of the American Jewish Committee, another major pro-Israel lobbying and foreign-policy organization. Michael Kassen's wife, Shelly Kassen, is Chairman Emeritus of the Washington Institute's Board of Trustees, having served as its president from 2016–2020, while he serves on AIPAC's board and as a trustee of the Hudson Institute, a right-wing, neoconservative think tank with links to former Republican administrations, defense contractors, and hawkish foreign policy circles. Jamie Sprayregen, member of AIPAC's board, sits on the Boards of Governors of both the Middle East Forum, a right-wing think tank that spreads misinformation, creates "watchlists" targeting academics, and advocates for an anti-Muslim foreign policy and the American Jewish Committee. Alan Levow, an AIPAC Vice President, is also Vice President of the American Israel Education Foundation (IEF), which funds congressional trips to Israel. Howard Friedman, who served as President and Chairman of the Board of AIPAC (2006–2010) and is listed as a Vice-President, previously led the IEF as President (2010–2012). Robert Cohen, a former AIPAC President, formerly served as Acting President of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, and Alan Franco, another AIPAC Vice President, served on the International Board of Trustees of Israel's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv in 2016 and 2018.