What if We Really Meant It?
Lihi Rosenthal is the Executive Director of Seneca Washington, a member of the Seneca Family of Agencies. Seneca is a nonprofit organization that creates bridges between the education, mental health, child welfare and juvenile justice sectors to identify holistic approaches to serving vulnerable youth and families.
Lihi began her career in the public schools of Oakland and Chicago, where she served as a college and career counselor, general education teacher, and department chair. Since joining Seneca’s team in 2004, Lihi has served as a special education teacher, assistant principal, and principal before taking on her first role as Executive Director in California, where she launched the Unconditional Education model in partnership with over 60 district and charter public schools and Seneca’s network of nonpublic schools. In 2014, Lihi was afforded the opportunity to incubate Seneca’s first out-of-state region, working to support the agency in designing, founding and sustaining transdisciplinary initiatives throughout Washington state, including the agency’s partnerships with and supports for over 20 district and charter public schools and its community-based programs for King County youth and families affected by juvenile justice involvement and/or commercial sexual exploitation.
In addition to her work with Seneca, Lihi has served as a Master’s level instructor and field supervisor for both general and special education teachers at Loyola Marymount University and as a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley, where she instructed aspiring school leaders in effective teacher coaching and supervision practices through the Principal Leadership Institute, from which she herself graduated. She has also been honored to serve as an appointed member of the California Special Education Task Force, tackling some of the challenges that exist in providing equitable access to educational opportunities to youth impacted by disabilities. Lihi serves on the Advisory Board for the Special Education Leadership Fellows, a nonprofit operating out of New Orleans, Louisiana and volunteers at a number of local organizations near and dear to her heart.
Lihi moved to the United States at age twelve, after spending most of her childhood on an Israeli kibbutz. She loves her incredible niece and nephews and her rescue dogs Mama and Charley. Her hobbies include home decorating, party planning, talking, and social activism. She likes to knit, though she hardly ever finishes a project. She loves adventures, and also loves daydreaming about adventures.