Leadership | Turtle Rock Preschool | Infant, Preschool and Kindergarten Child Care in Irvine

Leadership

In the end, the most important part of any school is its people. Turtle Rock is made up of a remarkable group of caring, creative and gifted teachers and staff. Each member of our leadership team is here not only because they are incredibly talented, but also because they are deeply passionate about early childhood education and having a positive impact on young lives.

Our Leadership Team

Maajed Abahusayn

President & Owner

As President & Owner of Turtle Rock Preschool, Maajed Abahusayn oversees the overall operations and strategic direction of the school. Mr. Abahusayn takes pride in advancing the already excellent reputation of the school since acquiring it in 2006. He is at school regularly, interacting with staff, administration and families at school functions.

A lifelong Irvine resident, Mr. Abahusayn is proud to call Irvine home. He and his wife, Tahaane, have two young children: Carolina and Raif.

Mr. Abahusayn, having attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of California at Irvine, has a background in management, business development, and information technology. He is also actively involved in a number of non-profit and education related boards and committees.

Patricia Abahusayn

Administrator

Patricia’s interest in education was passed down from her mother. She grew up surrounded by discussions about children, teachers, and education as her mother was a principal for over 25 years in Tucson, Arizona. Patricia graduated with a BA in Education from the University of Arizona. She has taught both elementary and high school children, both domestically and overseas.

Patricia has three children, six grandchildren (three of which are Turtle Rock Preschool alumnus), and is happy to be in a work environment that involves children. The owner of the school, Maajed Abahusayn, is Patricia’s son. As Administrator, she enjoys meeting with parents and working with the teaching and administrative staff to ensure Turtle Rock provides the best early learning experiences possible for each child. Patricia has traveled and lived around the world and is especially pleased with the diversity of both the families and staff and is committed to providing children with an enriching and culturally diverse education.

Francesca Chemberlen

Director of School

Francesca joined Turtle Rock in 2002 as a teacher, and became our Accreditation and Curriculum Coordinator in 2006. She was appointed as the school’s Curriculum Director in 2014, and Director of School in 2019. Her primary focus is the design, implementation, and coordination of curriculum throughout our programs. She is also responsible for maintaining our NAEYC Accreditation standards and has led multiple successful renewal initiatives, most recently in 2018.

Francesca has a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science with an emphasis on Social Work from Concordia University in Irvine. Additionally, she maintains a degree in Early Childhood Development from Lewis Clark State College in Idaho. She loves to spend time with her husband and children, Paisley and Hayden, visiting places around California; often traveling to Boise, Idaho to spend time with family. She is passionate about Belgian Malinios and has two; Surr and Thorn.

Crystal McNamara

Admissions Director

Crystal has been at Turtle Rock for over seven years, starting as a teacher in our preschool program. She graduated in 2011 from California State University, Long Beach with her Masters in Early Childhood Education with the desire to serve families in an administrative capacity. She coordinates Turtle Rock’s admissions and enjoys getting to know both existing and prospective families.

Crystal is married and resides in Rancho Santa Margarita. In her free time, Crystal enjoys interior decorating, taking photographs and spending quality time with her husband and daughter, Tatum. She also loves eating at her family’s local pizza restaurant. Crystal lived in Hong Kong for six years during her youth and still enjoys traveling to Asia and learning about new cultures. She feels fortunate to be part of the Turtle Rock family and enjoys the diversity that exists within the school.

Jasmin De La Cueva

Assistant Director of School

Jasmin began her career at Turtle Rock as a Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten Teacher in 2006. She began working in our elementary-age Summer Camp program in 2013 and became our Camp Coordinator the following year. She was promoted to Assistant Director of School and Event Coordinator in 2017.

As a student at Santa Ana College, she became fascinated with the development of children and the different theories of the field. After graduating with an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts, she then continued her education and graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Studies, with an emphasis in preschool-aged children. Jasmin’s passions include baking and creative crafts as well as spending time with her husband, family, and dogs.

Kristen Bold

Business Manager

Kristen has held multiple important roles at Turtle Rock since she joined us in 1996. She started her career in the classroom as an infant teacher and received her BA in Child Development and Family Studies from California State University Long Beach.

Kristen is a respected professional who cares deeply for young children and their development. Her two boys, Kenny and Kory, are both alumni of the school and Kory still returns each year for the Summer Camp program. Kristen enjoys watching her boys’ play many sports, spending time with her family & friends and cuddling with her 2 little pups, Lexi and Bebe.