National Council
The National Council of Alpha Epsilon Phi is elected at each national convention for a two-year term. These seven volunteers are the governing body of the organization and are responsible for ensuring the sorority continues to fulfill its mission. Council members may serve in the same position for two bienniums and may not serve more than 12 consecutive years.
The 2023-2025 National Council was elected in June 2023 at the sorority’s 45th Biennial Convention at the Guest House at Graceland in Memphis, TN.
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Sharon Block Raphael
Epsilon Theta Chapter, American University
Oakton, VA
nationalpresident@aephi.org
A graduate of American University where she earned a bachelor of arts in psychology, Sharon returns to National Council for a sixth term
having served two terms as vice president-alumnae, one term as vice president-finance, one term as vice president-chapter administration and is completing her first term as national president. As a member of Epsilon Theta Chapter, Sharon served as ritualist, assistant new member educator, spirit and sunshine chair, formal chair, Greek Week chair and Junior Panhellenic delegate.
After graduation, Sharon worked as an event planner in New York City for a year before returning to DC and earning a certificate in event management from George Washington University. Upon her return to DC, Sharon began her alumnae involvement serving as an advisor to Alpha Mu Chapter at the University of Maryland. She went on to serve as a finance specialist, membership specialist, team captain, director of alumnae groups and a member of the alumnae experience task force. She also served as house corporation president for Kappa Chapter at Cornell University and Alpha Gamma Chapter at George Washington University.
In her professional life, Sharon serves as Director of Cultural Equity for Arlington County, Virginia and is the chair of Arlington Economic Development’s Racial Equity Action Team. She is also the founding president of Chavurah, Arlington County’s Jewish Employee Resource Group and has recently received a certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University.
Prior to her time at Arlington County, Sharon planned events and galas throughout Washington, DC including the White House, Pentagon, and the Capitol. Sharon has worked with numerous Presidents, Members of Congress, senior military, and other dignitaries.
Sharon also serves on the board of George Mason University Hillel and extremely active in the Jewish Community in the DC area. She, husband Ross, son Benji and daughter Mila live in the Washington, DC area.
VICE PRESIDENT-FINANCE
Marianne Resslar Langner
Phi Sigma Chapter, Wayne State University
Phoenix, AZ
vp-finance@aephi.org
Marianne joined Phi Sigma Chapter at Wayne State University in Detroit while pursuing a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering. As a collegian, Marianne was active in both her chapter and Panhellenic. She served Phi Sigma as vice president-new member education and pres-ident. She was also Panhellenic vice president of recruitment and presi-dent.
While continuing at Wayne State working on a master’s degree in bio-medical engineering, she received the Alpha Epsilon Phi Foundation’s Judith Resnick Scholarship (presented to a member pursuing a post-graduate degree in the hard sciences). Throughout her time as an AEPhi volunteer, Marianne served as Phi Sigma’s chapter advisor before serving 10 years as a team captain. From 2011-2017, Marianne served on Na-tional Council as vice president-chapter programming and vice president-chapter administration. Following her time on National Council, Mari-anne served as director-volunteer development, on the awards commit-tee, finance specialist, and most recently, on the bylaws committee.
Marianne is mom to Alexandra (21) and Zachary (19) and holds a PhD in biomedical engineering (also from Wayne State). Although originally from Michigan, Marianne and her family now live in Phoenix, Arizona. She currently works for Uber as a global program manager for learning and development operations and data integrity. When not working, being a mom, or volunteering for AEPhi, Marianne enjoys pilates, traveling, and hiking.
VICE PRESIDENT-MEMBER EXPERIENCE & EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Denise Lawrence Crevin
Phi Chapter, University of California, Los Angeles
Elk Grove, CA
vp-memberexperience@aephi.org
Denise is a graduate of UCLA where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies with honors. She served as Phi Chapter presi-dent, social chair and new member class president and also as a Pan-hellenic vice president and on the Greek Week committee while being involved in various other UCLA student groups.
During the 1991-1992 academic year, Denise traveled the country as an AEPhi TEC. Following her stint on the road, she earned her master’s degree in broadcast and electronic communication from San Francisco State University. After graduation, she moved to Atlanta where she worked as an associate writer for CNN Headline News.
Denise has held numerous volunteer positions for AEPhi, including advisor and province director, chapter officer structure task force chair, centennial committee member, team captain and on the awards com-mittee. She served on National Council from 1995-1999 as vice presi-dent-collegiate chapters, 2003-2005 as vice president-alumnae, 2005-2007 as vice president-chapter administration and just completed a term as vice president-alumnae.
Denise has worked as a writer for a sales and marketing training com-pany and also did freelance public relations before running a small business with her husband. After the birth of their second child, Den-ise worked as Director of Education for her reform congregation while earning her master’s degree in religious education from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 2018. She is now the Director of Jewish Life and Learning at Shalom School, a community day school in Sacramento.
Denise is on the board of Camp Nefesh, a teen-run camp for refugee children that she assisted in establishing. She is involved in NCJW, Hadassah and the Association of Reform Jewish Educators.
She and her husband, Dan, live in Elk Grove, CA with their children, Ava and Max. Ava will be a freshman at San Diego State University and Max will be a high school sophomore.
VICE PRESIDENT-CHAPTER OPERATIONS
Jennifer Werger Feldman
Alpha Tau Chapter, University of Florida
Kensington, MD
vp-chapteroperations@aephi.org
Returning to National Council, Jennifer will continue to serve as vice president-chapter operations for a second biennium. Jennifer's alumnae volunteer service has included serving as vice president-membership, being a team captain, membership specialist, chapter advisor, director and a year as a trustee of the Alpha Epsilon Phi Foundation.
As a collegian at the University of Florida, Jennifer was an active member of Alpha Tau Chapter, serving as parliamentarian and chapter president. For her involvement within the sorority and throughout campus, she was tapped into Florida Blue Key in 2002. Jennifer’s younger sister, Ashley, is also an AEPhi from Alpha Tau Chapter. Following graduation, Jennifer proudly served AEPhi as a traveling educational consultant for the 2003-2004 academic year, during which she had the pleasure of colonizing the Beta Eta Chapter at the University of California, San Diego.
Jennifer holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Florida and a juris doctorate from Whittier Law School. She is licensed to practice in California, Maryland and the District of Columbia where she currently works at the Montgomery County Circuit Court as a Staff Attorney.
Jennifer resides in Kensington, Maryland with her husband Jay (Executive Director of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Foundation), their daughter and AEPhi legacy, Sadie, and their dog. Jennifer is a two time breast cancer survivor and a volunteer for Sharsheret. Aside from her passion for AEPhi service, Jen also enjoys spinning, crafting and baking.
VICE PRESIDENT-CHAPTER GROWTH & RETENTION
Shannon Cohen Benson
Beta Beta Chapter, University of Massachusetts
Saline, MI
vp-growthandretention@aephi.org
Shannon will be returning to the Council in the positions of vice president-growth and retention. Prior to assuming this position, Shannon served as vice president-membership and vice president-alumnae. Shannon has been on staff or volunteering for AEPhi since graduation. Prior to joining National Council, she served as director of collegiate programming for 5 years as well as having been a chapter advi-sor, membership specialist, operations specialist and a member of the nominating committee.
A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Shannon earned her bachelor of arts degree in history. Upon graduating, she took to the road as a traveling educational consultant for AEPhi for two years before pursuing her masters of arts in higher education administration from the University of Michigan. As a collegian, Shannon served as vice president-programming and as co-chair of University Dance Marathon (UDance) run through the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Shannon worked for Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity for over two years as Coordinator of Leadership and Training and as Assistant Director of Retention, Leadership and Training before returning to Ann Arbor, Michigan. She currently serves as Associate Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Panhellenic Advisor at the University of Michigan.
Shannon and her husband Mike, and their two-year-old son Brian, live in Saline, Michigan. Mike is an active volunteer for his fraternity, Kappa Sig-ma. In her free time, Shannon enjoys staying active, reading, cheering on her favorite sports teams and spending time with family and friends.
VICE PRESIDENT-VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT
Lisa Spector Miller
Omega Chapter, University of Texas
Austin, TX
vp-volunteerengagement@aephi.org
Lisa returns to National Council in the role of vice president-volunteer engagement. She served as vice president-chapter programming after a biennium as vice president-chapter operations previously. Lisa’s volunteer service includes serving as director of officer transition and advisor to the then emerging chapter at Texas A&M University as well as a province director, team captain and membership specialist.
Lisa earned her bachelor of arts in history with a minor in Hebrew literature and language arts from the University of Texas. She went on to receive a master of public policy with an emphasis in media policy and communication from Brown University. While an undergraduate in Omega Chapter, Lisa served as vice president-philanthropy and as a member of the chapter’s standards board. She was also vice president of membership for Order of Omega.
Prior to starting graduate school, Lisa worked in the Office of the First Lady of Texas. During graduate school she interned for ABC World News with Charles Gibson. Since attaining her masters, she has worked at Yale University and as the Director of Communications & Marketing at a private school in Houston, Texas.
Lisa, and husband Mason, are the proud parents of six-year-old twins and reside in Austin, Texas. She is also the proud mother of the family’s two dogs. Lisa enjoys running, SoulCycle, volunteering at her children’s school, and watching and cheering on the Texas Longhorns.
VICE PRESIDENT-ALUMNAE EXPERIENCE
Mary Sowder Lakes
Alpha Kappa, Miami University
Hamilton, OH
vp-alumnaeexperience@aephi.org
Mary is continuing on National Council having completed two terms as vice president-finance. Mary has served Alpha Epsilon Phi as a volunteer for over 20 years in numerous capacities.
She joined National Council after serving as director of alumnae groups. Her previous positions also included chapter advisor to Alpha Kappa Chapter at Miami University, operations specialist, team captain and di-rector of alumnae programming. Mary also served on several committees and task forces including nominating and collegiate programming.
Mary earned her bachelor of science degree in organization behavior and marketing from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. While at Miami she served Alpha Kappa Chapter as treasurer and new member educator.
Mary, and husband Keith, reside in Hamilton, Ohio (Cincinnati) and are the proud parents of five-year old Camden. Mary is employed by Jutze Kopfler & Associates, CPA as a staff accountant.
In her free time, Mary enjoys being a mom, reading, collecting giraffes (she has over 100!), and spending time with family and friends