Calanit Valfer is Founder and Chair of Lakoom, a public-private initiative advancing rehabilitation innovation in Israel, and Founding and Managing Partner of the Elah Fund, an Israeli investment firm focused on growth-stage companies. A leading impact investor and social entrepreneur, she was previously Founding Partner at Nexus Israel, a strategic advisory firm, and served as Chief of Staff to the Chairman of Bank Hapoalim, Israel's leading bank. Earlier in her career she founded Nisan Young Women Leaders, a nationally recognized program dedicated to the advancement of Jewish and Arab girls. In 2024, Forbes named her to its "50 Over 50" list of EMEA women leaders. Calanit serves on the Board of the Friends of Loewenstein Medical Center, and during the Iron Swords War spearheaded a multi-million dollar fundraising effort to strengthen the institution and enhance the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. She holds a BA in Arabic and Middle East Studies, an MIA in International Human Rights Law, and an MBA in Finance, all from Columbia University.
