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Abby Andiman Mars, MA Ed

Head of School, VBS Early Childhood Center

This fall marks Abby’s ninth year leading the VBS ECC community and nearly two decades in the field of early childhood education. Abby holds a master's degree in early childhood development from Pacific Oaks College. She is a mentor and guest lecturer in the ECC BAEd/MAed programs at American Jewish University, where she is also pursuing her doctoral degree focusing on the Ethics of Caring Relationships in early care settings. Before she transitioned into early childhood education, Abby was a middle school health teacher and student government advisor at Milken Community High School. Some of her students from way back then are now parents in the ECC!

Abby is an active leader in the early childhood education community. She currently serves on the executive board of the Bureau of Jewish Education's (BJE-LA) Early Childhood Directors’ Network, where she served as President from 2020-2022. She continues to sit on various ECC committees, both locally and nationally and delights in extending professional networks and opportunities for herself and for others in the field. She holds multiple certificates and permits, including those in Jewish Educational Leadership, Outdoor Classroom Training, Positive Discipline, and Student Mentorship. A native of Los Angeles, Abby is a proud alumna of Jewish day school, Westlake School for Girls (now Harvard-Westlake School), and Camp Ramah, CA where she met her husband of 28 years, Jonny Mars. The two were honored with the inaugural Ramah CA Young Alumni Leadership Award in 2017.

Abby embraces the transition of becoming an empty nester this Fall and is blessed to witness her three children, Eli, Nate, and Eva, on their young adult journeys. Some of Abby’s favorite things include books, flowers, pickleball, coffee dates with school families, and Shabbat at the ECC on Friday mornings.