Rachel W. Friendly, Ph.D. is a third-generation Reconstructionist Jew, raised in the vibrant communities of Darchei Noam in Toronto and Dorshei Emet in Montreal. From a young age—reportedly standing on a chair to help lead services—Rachel found joy in Jewish music and ritual. A lifelong singer and music lover, she long dreamed of joining a Reconstructionist community where she could share her love of song and deepen her Jewish leadership. When she moved to Northern Virginia in 2022, she immediately knew she had found her home at Kol Ami.
Rachel is a regular lay service leader at Kol Ami and a proud member of the Kol Amite musical ensemble. She currently serves as Vice President of the Board and chairs the Ritual Committee.
Professionally, Rachel is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in California, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington, DC. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Tufts University in 2002 and her Ph.D. from Clark University in 2011.
She spent the next decade and a half working in university counseling centers, where she served in both staff psychologist and training director roles all over the East and West coasts of the United States. She currently owns a private practice in Springfield, VA specializing in women’s issues, college and graduate student mental health, and supporting the queer and gender expansive communities.
Rachel lives in Fairfax, VA, with her partner, Evan Wheeler—a financial services risk management professional and frequent Zoom gabbai—and their spirited daughter, Hazel, who’s often found dancing around during services.
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