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Contact: Renee Young
Hadassah National Public Relations
ryoung@hadassah.org
212.303.8140

February 19, 2020 – NEW YORK, NY – Mia Bendixsen has been named Managing Director, Hadassah Mountain Southwest, according to Janice Weinman, Executive Director and CEO of Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA). Mountain Southwest is a newly-created Geographic Area for Hadassah which now has a total of eight Geographic Areas.

Bendixsen is currently based in Houston, Texas and will be responsible for the management and all operations of Hadassah’s Mountain Southwest which is comprised of two regions: Desert-Mountain: 20 chapters with over 8,500 members in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, EL Paso, Las Vegas and New Mexico; and Greater Southwest: 20 chapters with nearly 9,000 members in Texas, Oklahoma and Shreveport, LA. She will also provide guidance and strategic support to the staff and volunteer leaders to carry out and achieve their goals building upon HWZOA’s national organizational priorities, initiatives and mission.  

Weinman states, “Mia Bendixsen brings a wealth of experience, expertise and a passion for Hadassah’s mission of women’s empowerment, Zionism and providing world-class medical care to the people of Israel to Mountain Southwest. Her leadership skills, fundraising ability and innovative marketing talents will galvanize an area which has always been a powerful force for change over HWZOA’s long and venerable history. She exemplifies HWZOA’s slogan, ‘Hadassah: The Power of Women Who Do.’” 

Bendixsen enthuses, “I’m honored to join the Hadassah team in Hadassah Mountain Southwest in support of HWZOA’s mission to connect and empower Jewish women to affect change, particularly in our work with younger women leaders, and the empowerment of our next generation of Hadassah members and leadership. My mother and her siblings were first-generation American. My grandmother came from the Ukraine and my grandfather from Romania. When I was a young girl, my grandmother told me stories of why our family had to flee from Odessa. These stories created a powerful impression on me. There are many issues for Jewish women, as well as for all women; many issues of oppression and inequality, which are very pressing in today’s world. These issues beg for the leadership of strong women and Hadassah has the power, with 300,000 members nationwide, to make a difference for all women. Additionally, I am impressed by the advanced medical developments coming from the Hadassah Medical Organization, as well as the culture of inclusivity prevalent in the very large Israeli-based medical organization that can serve as an example for the entire Middle East.” 

Mia Bendixsen has more than 20 years’ experience in non-profit fundraising and management, as well as in direct mail, communications and fundraising for political campaigns. Along with having raised over 18 million dollars throughout her career, she developed numerous winning direct mail strategies for political campaigns and causes. Mia can translate and convey highly-technical concepts and ideas into successful campaigns, marketing strategies and fundraising initiatives for non-profit, political and corporate clients. Among her non-profit positions, Mia has served as the Director of Development for the Boy Scouts Cradle of Liberty Council in Philadelphia and the Director of Philanthropy for the Humane Society of the United States for New England. She has also served on boards for organizations supporting women’s issues and animal advocacy issues.

Mia has a uniquely creative background with roots in the entertainment industry as a professional actress beginning at the age of 5, appearing in many of the signature television series and films of the 1970’s and 1980’s including Gunsmoke, Medical Center, Little House on the Prairie, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Prophecy, among many others. She then pursued a career in the music industry, managing award-winning producers and artists before leaving to pursue a career fighting for social change. 

Bendixsen holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law, a B.A. in Film and Television Production from Loyola Marymount University, and attended the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. Mia is an avid scuba diver, hiker, dog rescuer, traveler and writer. 

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With 300,000 members, associates and supporters Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as women’s health equity and the security of Israel.  Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2005 for building “bridges to peace” through equality in medical treatment. For more information, visit my.hadassah.org.