Abby Friedman

Abby Friedman is a Certified Educational Planner, an Independent Educational Consultant, and founder of Abby Friedman Educational Consulting. Her career has spanned roles in K12, including 11 years as Founding Director of the Family and College Resource Center at Coliseum College Prep Academy in Oakland Unified School District; higher education, where she was Academic Programs Coordinator and Acting Assistant Director of the Early Academic Outreach Program at UC Berkeley; and the nonprofit sector, where she worked with an array of educational organizations in Washington DC, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Much of her work has focused on expanding opportunity for low-income, first generation students of color.

As a teenager, Abby participated in dialogue and youth leadership programs with Israeli and Palestinian peers, a formative experience that shaped her relationship to Israel and her understanding of the conflict. When she studied abroad at Hebrew University as an undergraduate, she studied both Arabic and Hebrew, and spent time in both Arab and Jewish communities.

Abby holds a BA in Geography from UC Berkeley, an MA in Education from San Francisco State University, a Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley, a Certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from University of South Florida, and a Certified Educational Planner credential from the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners. Originally from the East Coast, Abby lives in Berkeley, California with her family, where she is a member of Congregation Netivot Shalom, a Conservative / Masorti egalitarian community.