Name: Thalia Shamash
Age: 22
Location: Washington, DC

Describe yourself and your background:

I grew up in NJ, and then went to the University of Pennsylvania for college. At university, I studied mathematics and systems engineering, and loved every (well, almost) minute of it. I've spent most of my summers in Israel - traveling, volunteering, and studying. Right now, I am working at Booz Allen Hamilton, doing systems engineering and math work.

What is your connection to SACH and what you hope to achieve and/or have contributed as a Young Ambassador of SACH:

I first found out about Save a Child's Heart when I was on a guided trip to Israel one summer during college. I decided to come to the SACH house in Azur as a full time volunteer this past summer, after I graduated from university. My experiences at the house were amazing - I fell in love with the kids, and with SACH as an organization. I heard that there was a Young Professional Committee that was being formed in DC, which was perfect because I was planning to move there a few months later. Since then, I have linked up with the group in DC, and we have planned a number of very successful events and fundraisers. (Hint: Order your SACH holiday cards!)
As a Young Ambassador to SACH, I am hoping to spread the word to others about SACH, and to raise awareness, money, and support for the organization. SACH embodies the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, or "repairing the world." It is our job to help everyone, and to try to give everyone the happy and healthy lives that they deserve, no matter where they are from, what they look like, or what religion they practice. These ideas are all fundamental to the SACH mission, which makes the organization very close to my own heart. 

Your hobbies/some interesting facts about yourself:

As I mentioned previously, I recently moved to DC, so I have spent much of my time exploring the city. I love working with kids, and teaching math, and spend some time teaching 6th graders math after school. I'm a big math geek and love most things involving numbers, including Big Bang Theory. I also like to practice Ashtanga yoga, and love cycling, when the weather permits (so that means when it is above 50 degrees outside). Finally, I love to travel - I spent this past summer traveling throughout Europe before my stay in Israel. I'm hoping to travel to space one day, too :)