[2] Brenner was the founding executive director of Birthright Israel NEXT[3] and he directed graduate-level training programs at Auburn Theological Seminary[4] and at CLAL- the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership,[5] both in New York City.
[8] After ordination, Brenner studied with Rabbi Irving Greenberg at CLAL-the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership as part of the Steinhardt Fellowship.
[4][10] At Auburn, Brenner played a role in the creation of a doctoral program at New York Theological Seminary for clergy who work within a religiously diverse context.
[12] He then founded and became executive director of Birthright Israel NEXT, an organization with the mission of engaging young adults in Jewish community life.
Under Brenner's leadership, Birthright Israel NEXT launched NEXT Shabbat[13] and grew into a national organization that involved over 50,000 young Jewish adults each year.