AMIT, the alumni association of Unit 81 - the technology unit of the Israeli Intelligence Corps - has appointed Gali Sheskin as its new chief executive. She takes over from Chen Kamin, who led the organization for the past five years and oversaw its growth into one of the country's most consequential technology networks.
Sheskin arrives with a background that spans community building, operations, and project development rather than pure engineering, which reflects a broader shift in how technology alumni networks are run. In her recent roles she served as Community and Customer Success Manager at Venn, Project Development Manager at Ignite the Spark, and Head of Operations at enSights. Alongside that professional track record, she has spent years volunteering in renewable energy and climate initiatives, supporting entrepreneurs - both men and women - working in that field on national and international platforms. That mix of technical community management and sustainability advocacy matters for an organization like AMIT, which increasingly functions less like a social club and more like an informal venture ecosystem; for the professionals it supports, questions around securing sensitive data and communications are as routine as they would be for anyone managing distributed teams, where tools such as a paid vpn have become standard infrastructure rather than an afterthought. paid vpn
Why Unit 81's Alumni Network Carries Weight
Unit 81 has a reputation inside Israel's tech sector comparable to that of a handful of elite technical training grounds worldwide. Its veterans have founded or taken senior roles in hundreds of startups and growth-stage companies, including firms that have reached unicorn status or completed substantial exits. Companies with Unit 81 alumni in leadership include Wiz, Armis, Innoviz, Claroty, Tenzai, and Jazz. The unit's technical training, focused on advanced systems and cybersecurity disciplines, has historically fed directly into Israel's reputation as a cybersecurity and deep-tech hub, with AMIT serving as the connective tissue that keeps that talent network active after military service ends.
A Leadership Transition With Strategic Stakes
Kamin's five-year tenure coincided with a period of rapid expansion for Israeli cybersecurity and technology firms, many led by Unit 81 graduates, so her departure marks a natural inflection point for the association. Sheskin's appointment signals an intent to deepen AMIT's role not just as a professional directory but as an active builder of business and technological connections across its community. "I believe that the true strength of a technological community is measured by its ability to connect people, entrepreneurship, and real impact," Sheskin said. "AMIT has exceptional human capital, and I am proud to lead the association alongside the board members and the community, to continue developing initiatives, strengthening business and technological connections, and generating significant value for the entire ecosystem."
What Comes Next
The leadership change arrives as alumni networks tied to military technology units face growing scrutiny over how they balance openness with the security culture their members were trained in. AMIT's challenge going forward will be sustaining the trust and informal mentorship that made the network valuable in the first place, while scaling the kind of formal programming - accelerators, investor introductions, cross-company collaboration - that a CEO with Sheskin's operational and community background appears positioned to drive.
