Gregg Roman – Determined Fighter for the State of Israel and Jews Everywhere

Gregg Roman has been the director of the Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum since 2015. His work with the organization includes management of all aspects of its day-to-day communications and financial strategies. Gregg Roman’s writing has appeared in publications that include Newsweek, The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, Los Angeles Times, and the Miami Herald. 

Mr. Roman’s previous career includes distinguished service as political advisor to the State of Israel’s deputy foreign minister, as well as in a position with the Israeli Ministry of Defense. He additionally served for almost three years as director of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

In 2014, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) named Gregg Roman one of the 10 “Jews Who Inspired Us” that year. JTA selected Mr. Roman for this honor due to his untiring race against time, while director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s CRC, to remove internet references to the Jewish identity of American-Israeli journalist Steven Sotloff. Sotloff was being held captive by the militant group ISIS operating in Iraq and Syria.

Tragically, ISIS ultimately murdered Sotloff. However, Gregg Roman’s dogged battle to save the journalist’s life drew widespread attention for upholding the Jewish maxim that to save one life is to save an entire world. 

Mr. Roman’s additional ongoing work in the Jewish community includes service on the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition and on the technology and fundraising committees of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. From 2011 to 2012, he served on the development team that established the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin, a Philadelphia native who fought and died as a member of the Israel Defense Forces.

Gregg Roman worked on a BA from American University in Washington, DC. He went on to study political communication and national security issues at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel.