Joel Kaufman

KAUFMAN, JOEL age 53, died at his home in Kensington, MD, on October 29, 2014, due to an aggressive form of brain cancer, which he battled valiantly for more than ten months. Joel was born on November 2, 1960 in Providence, RI to Eli and Bernice Kaufman. Valedictorian of his high school class, Joel obtained his B.A. in political science from Providence College in 1982, again with highest honors. He then received his J.D. from Duke University Law School in 1985, and was a member of its honor society. After law school, Joel joined the Washington, D.C. office of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft and later joined the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1993, where he worked for the remainder of his career. Most recently, Joel served as Associate General Counsel and Chief of the Administrative Law Division of the Office of General Counsel of the FCC. Joel was known for his keen legal mind and devotion to public service and received numerous awards including the Silver Medal for Meritorious Service in 2003 and the Outstanding Public Service award from the FCC Chairwoman in 2013. Joel was a man of diverse interests, with a strong passion for U.S. presidential history, the U.S. space program, stamp collecting, ocean cruising and the Boston Red Sox. He was an active member of Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation and served on numerous committees and the synagogue Board for many years. Joel will be remembered fondly for his incisive analytic mind, extraordinary organizational skills, gentle humor, strong sense of ethics, kindness, and exceptional devotion to his family and community. Survivors include Joel's devoted wife of 16 years, Debra Tropp of Kensington MD, Joel's mother Bernice Kaufman, of Chevy Chase, MD (formerly of Warwick, RI), and numerous extended family members. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation, the American Brain Tumor Association, the Musella Foundation for Brain Tumor Research & Information, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.