Our Leadership

Our Leadership

Our interim Director

Benedetta Buttiglione

Benedetta Buttiglione is the interim Director of the AJC Transatlantic Institute, leading initiatives to strengthen Israel’s security, combat antisemitism in Europe, and reinforce transatlantic cooperation.

Based in Brussels since 2006, Benedetta has held leadership roles at AJC and the European Parliament, where she has specialized in EU-Israel relations, playing a key role in advancing cooperation on political, security, and economic issues between the EU and Israel. 

A diplomatic leader with extensive experience in transatlantic parliamentary relations, she has built coalitions across NATO Member States, enhancing defense cooperation, countering disinformation, and fostering security dialogue.

In addition to her diplomatic and advocacy work, Benedetta is a journalist and has contributed to Italian media. She also taught International Politics and International Organizations at Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec de Monterrey), where she shared her expertise on global governance and international relations. Fluent in Italian, Spanish, English, and French, she navigates complex geopolitical landscapes to advance democratic resilience.

Our Chair

John Shapiro

John M. Shapiro is an honorary President of AJC, having served as national President from 2016 – 2019, and is currently Chair of its Transatlantic Institute and a member of its national Board of Governors. He previously served as Chair of the AJC Board of Trustees.

John is managing director of Chieftain Capital Management, Inc., which he co-founded in 1984. Previously, he worked at Central National Corporation and Merrill Lynch & Co. In addition to his AJC involvement, John is chairman of Lawyers for Children, and immediate past vice chairman of The American Academy in Rome. He is a trustee and member of the Executive Committee of The Rockefeller University. He is also a member of the board at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Wesleyan University, The Jewish Museum, and the Jerusalem Foundation. He previously served as president of the UJA-Federation of New York, and president of The Dalton School in New York City. John received a BA degree from Wesleyan University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

John is married with two children.