GIMEL STAFF

Megallim (Explorers)

Susan Chirumbole

Susan is originally from New York. She graduated from the University of Maryland and shortly thereafter met her husband Stephen. They have two daughters, Dana, Alyse, and one son, Ryan, who graduated from Gan Ami. Susan joined the Gan Ami staff in September 1999. She has worked with Bets and Gimels. Susan enjoys learning, teaching and sharing Jewish experiences with our youngest students. When not at school, she spends time with family and friends and loves to travel.

Chris Mullett

Chris Mullett was born in Montana and wandered around the world as the daughter of a military father. She attended 8 schools in 13 years. One of her favorite places to visit when she lived in Germany was Austria to see the giant chessboard! She settled in the Washington area in 1991. She volunteers for Habitat with Humanity, and loves Scrabble, crosswords, and Sudoku. She started volunteering at Gan Ami in 2000 and joined the staff in 2003. Chris loves the camaraderie among the teachers as much as she loves working with the children.

Parparim (Butterflies)

Jody Rosenblum

Jody was born in New York, moved to Montgomery County in 1973, and eventually graduated from the University of Maryland with a fine arts degree. She became a member of Temple Beth Ami in 1982. She knew she wanted to become a Gan Ami teacher when her son Sam attended Gan Ami from the day it opened in 1989. She said, “I saw a top notch nursery school run by a director and small group of professional and excited teachers.” She waited four years for an opening and was so excited to begin teaching in 1993. She has always taught five day Gimels, and finds it a joy to come to work each day. When Jody is not working she is busy playing Mah Jongg, attending book club, participating in TBA events, supporting her Condo Association, and most enjoyably, playing with her granddaughters. 

Morgan Leiter

Morgan was born and raised in the Washingtonian area and loved it so much she stayed! She now resides in Rockville with her husband and two children. She joined the Gan Ami staff in 2023 when her daughter had just graduated from our program and her son was entering the Dalets. Since enrolling her children in Gan Ami, Morgan has been extremely involved in the Parent Committee and gets pleasure from building our community and bringing everyone together. She graduated from the University of Hartford with a BS in Psychology focused on early childhood development. Her strengths are connecting people, working with children to reach their potential, and supporting everyone in her presence.

Mensches (Mensches!)

Laurie Galfond
Laurie started as a parent at Gan Ami in 1989 when her son Phil was a 4 year old, and Jeff was a mid-year 2 year old. Over the next several years, Laurie alternated between being a substitute, a 2-day 2’s teacher, and for one year, a stay at home mom with Jeff and Emily. But the lure was too great, and Laurie returned to teaching soon after her daughter was born. All three of Laurie’s children are Gan Ami grads!   Laurie says, “Working with children is clearly the primary reason I have stayed at Gan Ami for as long as I have, but a close second is the staff. We are a family that thoroughly enjoys being together.” Laurie has always lived in the DC area except for 3 years in Palo Alto, California. Laurie attended Winston Churchill High School and graduated from the University of Maryland. 

Beth Jolles

Beth graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Family Studies. Before coming to Gan Ami, Beth taught pre-school at CLC and various parent/toddler classes throughout the county. She enjoys time with her two daughters, exercise, 70’s music, sushi, and jelly beans. Beth lives in North Potomac with her husband Jim