She was born in Pittsburgh, PA to Gilda Twerski Novoseller Poupko, scion of the great Hasidic dynasty and Rabbi Baruch Poupko, rabbi for over 60 years of Congregation Shaare Torah in Pittsburgh. Mrs. Kletenik is Head of School at the Seattle Hebrew Academy. She was presented with the American Jewish Press Association first prize award for commentary in 2001. She writes a monthly Jewish advice column for Seattle’s JTNews called JQ. Rivy is the wife of Rabbi Moshe Kletenik.