Robert (Rob) Leikind is the Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) New England, a position he has held since 2008. He previously served as the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) New England Regional Director in Boston, appointed in the fall of 2000, after directing the ADL's Connecticut office and working as an Assistant District Attorney. A child of Holocaust survivors, his career has been dedicated to defending vulnerable minorities, combating bigotry, and promoting American democracy and minority rights. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College, a Master of Science from Columbia University, and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School. Leikind began his professional life working with Holocaust survivors in Brooklyn, New York. At the ADL, he was involved in interfaith initiatives, including co-founding the 'Camp IF' interfaith youth leadership program with Christian and Muslim leaders in 2004 to combat prejudice, and received the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts President's Award for improving quality of life in diverse communities. Following his ADL tenure, he served as Senior Vice President of Hebrew College before joining AJC. As AJC New England Director, he is a prominent voice and frequent media commentator on antisemitism, civil rights, intergroup relations, and U.S.-Israel relations. He has been a vocal critic of rising antisemitic hate crimes, citing state data showing significant increases and heightened fears in the Jewish community following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, stating, 'as shocking as these new hate crime statistics are, they are hardly surprising' and 'There's no question that the events of Oct. 7, 2023, turbocharged what was already happening.' He serves on the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, where he has criticized antisemitic or anti-Israel educational materials from the Massachusetts Teachers Association; in 2025, AJC New England under his leadership released a report questioning the teachers union's resources. He has also noted the changed experience of Jewish community members, saying, 'When I go to synagogue, the doors are locked now.' Earlier, in 2000, he characterized a Boston lawyer's bequest to white supremacist groups as 'a startling legacy,' highlighting the dangerous nature of such groups. Notably, during his ADL tenure amid a mosque controversy, Leikind collaborated with The David Project to create documents alleging terrorist links of Muslim leaders.