The United States Holocaust Memorial Council was established by Congress in 1980 to lead the nation in commemorating the Holocaust and to raise private funds for and build the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Once the Museum opened in 1993, the Council became the governing board of trustees of the Museum, an independent establishment of the United States government operating as a public-private partnership that receives some federal funding to support operations of the Museum building.
The Council, which meets twice a year, consists of 55 members appointed by the president, as well as five members each from the Senate and House of Representatives and three ex-officio members from the Departments of Education, Interior, and State. Presidential appointments serve for a five-year term; 11 members’ terms expire each year.
Because of the large size of the Council, its work is done primarily through the committee structure. The Executive Committee, which acts on behalf of the Council in between Council meetings, meets four times a year.
United States Holocaust Memorial Council
As of January 17, 2025
Presidential Appointees
Stuart E. Eizenstat, Chair, Chevy Chase, MD Allan M. Holt, Vice Chair, Washington, DC
Kevin Abel, Atlanta, GA Michael S. Beals, Wilmington, DE Anthony R. Bernal, Washington, DC Tom A. Bernstein, New York, NY Marsha Z. Borin, Chadds Ford, PA David N. Cicilline, Providence, RI Mandana Dayani, Los Angeles, CA Theodore E. Deutch, Boca Raton, FL Stacy Eichner, Washington, DC Kimberly Marteau Emerson, Beverly Hills, CA Douglas C. Emhoff, Los Angeles, CA Paul R. Fine, Wilmington, DE Jon Finer, Washington, DC Abraham H. Foxman, Bergenfield, NJ Meryl Frank, Highland Park, NJ Andrew H. Giuliani, New York, NY Michael S. Glassner, Mendham, NJ Judith Gold, Chicago, IL Alexander P. Heckler, Miami, FL Danielle Borrin Hertz, Bronx, NY Daniel Huff, Sharon, MA Meredith Jachowicz, Washington, DC Ronald A. Klain, Chevy Chase, MD Jennifer Klein, Washington, DC Marsha Z. Laufer, Manalapan, FL Sam Lauter, San Francisco, CA Jonathan S. Lavine, Boston, MA Susan G. Levine, Paradise Valley, AZ Susan E. Lowenberg, San Francisco, CA Nicholas F. Luna, Surfside, FL David M. Marchick, Washington, DC Jeffrey Miller, Austin, TX Max L. Miller, Rocky River, OH Martin Oliner, Lawrence, NY Jeffrey Peck, Annapolis, MD Thomas E. Perez, Takoma Park, MD Leah Pisar, New York, NY Jimmy Resnick, Miami Beach, FL Susan E. Rice, Washington, DC Judith Schocken, Mercer Island, WA Matthew Segal, Los Angeles, CA Irvin Shapell, Washington, DC Mark A. Siegel, Rehoboth Beach, DE Cindy Simon Skjodt, Carmel, IN Harry Evans Sloan, Los Angeles, CA Alan D. Solomont, Weston, MA Susan K. Stern, New York, NY Howard D. Unger, Briarcliff Manor, NY Samantha Vinograd, Bethesda, MD Mitchell Webber, Rockville, MD Mark Wilf, Livingston, NJ Mary J. Zients, Washington, DC Gary P. Zola, Cincinnati, OH
US House of Representatives Appointees
Don Bacon, Nebraska David Kustoff, Tennessee Brad Schneider, Illinois
US Senate Appointees
Jacky Rosen, Nevada Marco Rubio, Florida Bernard Sanders, Vermont Tim Scott, South Carolina
Ex Officio Appointees
US Department of Education: Philip H. Rosenfelt US Department of Interior: Vacant US Department of State: Ellen Germain
Sara J. Bloomfield, Director Gerard Leval, General Counsel Jessica Viggiano, Secretary of the Council
Former Chairs
Howard M. Lorber 2017–2022 Tom A. Bernstein 2010–2017 Fred S. Zeidman 2002–2010 Irving Greenberg 2000–2002 Miles Lerman+ 1993–2000 Harvey M. Meyerhoff+ 1987–1993 Elie Wiesel+ 1980–1986
Former Vice Chairs
Joshua B. Bolten 2010–2015 Joel M. Geiderman 2005–2010 Ruth B. Mandel+ 1993–2005 William J. Lowenberg+ 1986–1993 Mark E. Talisman+ 1980–1986
+ Deceased