When he began his academic career at 成人视频色情片鈥檚 Yeshiva College, Joey Small (鈥�05YC 鈥�09BR 鈥�13A) knew he was in the right place to further the values he鈥檇 grown up with in Los Angeles, California鈥攁 life dedicated to Jewish living and learning, deeply rooted in both spiritual and worldly knowledge and a commitment to the State of Israel. 鈥淢any of my close friends attended secular universities and after I would visit them for Shabbat or a Jewish holiday, I always returned to YU with a renewed sense of appreciation,鈥� he said. For Small, things just felt right at YU: 鈥淚 felt like my internal Jewish compass was aligned with the structure and environment that YU provided. The camaraderie and sense of achdut [unity] I felt lighting Chanukah candles with dozens of fellow students, or enjoying a Purim seudah at a Rosh Yeshiva鈥檚 home, or celebrating Yom Haatzmaut with hundreds of other students who shared my passion for Israel, or gathering together for a tehillim rally on behalf of Jews in Israel or somewhere else on the globe鈥攁ll of it made me feel like I was at home with my extended family.鈥� What Small didn鈥檛 realize at the time was that one day, he鈥檇 be taking those YU values back to California as the University鈥檚 West Coast Regional Director. As an undergraduate, Small was a Biology major in the pre-med track. He also spent four years on the men鈥檚 volleyball team, eventually becoming captain. He credits these extremely demanding, time-intensive areas of focus for preparing him to succeed after graduation. 鈥淚 think that the work ethic I had to develop at YU as a pre-med student athlete prepared me for the 15 hour work days I would encounter later in life,鈥� said Small. 鈥淚 learned that I did not have to compromise on either side of the curriculum that I had been studying. I also really valued the opportunity to participate on an NCAA team and to represent the Jewish people through our team鈥檚 conduct and behavior on the court鈥擨 was especially proud when we had a home game and we played Israel鈥檚 national anthem, Hatikva, after the American anthem.鈥� After graduation, an opportunity to become a teacher and student activities coordinator at Small鈥檚 high school alma mater, YULA High School, changed his career plans from medicine to Jewish education. He returned to YU to launch a new teacher fellowship program at its newly-formed Institute for University School Partnership, earning his master鈥檚 degrees in the process from both the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies and the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. 鈥淚 loved my time working at the YU School Partnership and developed close relationships with many yeshiva and day school teachers and administrators from across the country,鈥� said Small. At the same time, he and his wife, Dana, served on the educational staff of the Manhattan Jewish Experience. In 2011, Small also became an associate professor at the City College of New York, teaching a course on Jewish mysticism 鈥攖he topic he had focused on in his studies at Revel. In 2012, the Smalls headed west again as Joey became the director of institutional advancement at YULA鈥� Boys High School, overseeing the school鈥檚 development, admissions, marketing and alumni efforts鈥攁nd earning his MBA at the University of Southern California鈥檚 Marshall School of Business. Now, Small is back at YU as its Western Region Director, leading the University鈥檚 development efforts on the West Coast, helping a variety of University departments coordinate their efforts with schools and shuls in the area. He will also work to make sure alumni stay connected and that the Greater L.A. Jewish Community is aware of YU and its important place in the American Jewish Community. 鈥淲hen I was on my way to Los Angeles three years ago, President Joel told me I鈥檇 be back at YU 鈥攁nd I am glad that I am,鈥� said Small. 鈥淎s someone who grew up in Los Angeles, I am very excited to have the opportunity to bring regional YU programs to the West Coast and to add value to the Los Angeles community through an increased YU presence.鈥� Now raising a family of his own鈥擲mall has two young sons, Noam, 5, and Ezra, 3鈥擲mall is especially aware of the role YU plays in instilling and ensuring the continuation of the Jewish values that have been so important to him all his life. In his role as Western Region Director, he is determined to bring the best of YU to every aspect of Jewish living out west: 鈥淚 need to do my part to ensure that my child鈥檚 teachers continue to be trained by the best in Jewish education at the Azrieli Graduate School and receive ongoing professional development through the YU School Partnership,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 value having a shul rabbi that shares my outlook on building a strong Modern Orthodox Jewish community, which is something that the rabbinical students at RIETS are trained to do. I also value having my community鈥檚 lay leaders network with other communities through networking conferences, like those run by the Center for the Jewish Future.鈥� For now, Small can鈥檛 wait to roll up his sleeves and get to work. 鈥淭here are many West Coast donors and philanthropists who already understand the importance of YU鈥檚 mission; I鈥檓 excited to work with these partners to build a stronger community as well as connect with new donors who value Jewish education and Jewish continuity,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to listen and learn from the dreams of our partners and future partners, drawing on the incredible talent and resources of YU to help bring those dreams to fruition.鈥�