Saraann Parker was selected for the Women’s Justice Awards by Missouri Lawyers Media in the Information and Technology category. Those selected in this category are women who advise companies, startups and entrepreneurs with legal issues regarding intellectual property, technology and other aspects of their business. Parker is a partner with Armstrong Teasdale and a member of Congregation Shaare Emeth.

Cindy Platzer Becker has been named the new executive director of Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery.

Michelle Brooks received an honorary doctorate from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion’s Zelikow School of Jewish Nonprofit Management. Since receiving her master’s degree from HUC 25 years ago, Brooks spent the first 15 years of her career working in the St. Louis Jewish community and the last 10 volunteering with various Jewish organizations. She is currently a senior client liaison at Insperity and attends Shaare Emeth.

The Jewish War Veterans of St. Louis, Post 644, recently held their annual election meeting. The following officers were elected for the 2022-2023 year: Ellis Frohman, Commander; Monroe Ginsburg, Senior Vice Commander; William Gold, Junior Vice Commander; Thomas McHugh, Adjutant; Larry Chervitz, Quartermaster and Jack Lite, Judge Advocate.

Becca Near has joined the St. Louis Zoo as the new manager of philanthropy and will be working primarily with major gifts. She is a member of Young Israel of St. Louis.

Chase Pultman joined the St. Louis Zoo as an education interpreter. As a liaison between the education department and zoo guests, he educates guests about conservation initiatives, environmental issues and global animal extinction concerns.

Bridget Rennard was recognized as the outstanding speech-language pathology graduate student in Missouri at the Missouri Speech-Language-Hearing Association State Convention. She graduated in May from the University of Missouri-Columbia with her master’s degree. Bridget is the daughter of Mindy and Gordon Rennard and is a member of Shaare Emeth.

Dr. Ken Ludmerer, of the Washington University School of Medicine, has been elected to membership in the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars. The Society of Scholars was established in 1967 by the university’s Board of Trustees and it “honors individuals who completed their graduate, postdoctoral, professional or performance training at Johns Hopkins, but are not currently affiliated, and who have achieved marked professional or scholarly distinction in their fields,” according to a news release.

Joan Berkman received first place for a single entry, her “Velvet Hammer” column in Town & Style Magazine, in the Missouri Professional Communicators’ statewide competition. Alice Handelman (z”l) earned first-place writing awards for six of her “Movers and Shakers” columns in the Ladue News. The entries are now in consideration for the 2022 Communication Contest of the National Federation of Press Women. Handelman, who was a Vice President of the Light’s Board of Trustees, died on May 16.

Former St. Louisan, Debbie Bindler Strimling, was installed last month as the Jewish Nevada Women’s Philanthropy president. Jewish Nevada is Nevada’s Jewish Federation serving as the representative organization for the 70,000 Jews in Nevada.

Former St. Louisan Harriet Goldberg is the new Midwest regional director of sales for Bravo Results Marketing in Chicago. Her responsibilities include helping her sales teams learn tactics for referral growth and relationship building.

Newsmakers is compiled by Elise Krug. To submit a Newsmakers item, email [email protected] or visit our Newsmakers submission form here.