Executive Director

Hi! My name is Vida Wessel and I am the Executive Director of CHALK Preschool. My journey with CHALK started in 2012 as a teacher. From there, I have had the privilege of exploring roles as a Curriculum Coordinator, Assistant Director and my last role as a Director for the past 7 years. As a child, my dream was to be a teacher, and as I navigated through college, there was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to work with children in some capacity. I received my Bachelors of Science in Early Childhood Development with a focus in Infant/Toddler and Preschool. I am always told how rare it is to have always known what path you wanted to take… but for me, there was never a doubt. Preschool is such an amazing stage in a child’s development. Everyday these little humans leave you in awe, put a smile on your face, challenge you and leave you laughing. There is truly nothing better. I am so happy I followed my childhood dream, I know I wouldn’t have made it here without the amazing teachers and experiences  I’ve had along the way, which is why I strive to create an environment where not only children, but families and teachers can grow!

Assistant Director

Hello CHALK families! My name is Leslie. I attended UC Irvine where I received my BA in Psychology and Social Behavior. I’m so excited to have transferred to the CHALK in Tarzana from CHALK in Manhattan Beach! I’ve been working with children for the past 14 years and grew my love for teaching through private tutoring and working as a preschool & school-age teacher. I am excited to help guide your children to reach their highest potential by providing a positive learning experience and working through challenges together. I love to see their curiosity flourish in the classroom through learning and exploration. In my spare time, I love spending time with my husband and our daughter, family, and friends, traveling, and trying new and interesting foods/restaurants. I absolutely love food and love to expand my taste palate. I truly look forward to meeting all the amazing children and their families here at CHALK Preschool in Tarzana!

Curriculum Director

Hello! My name is Viviana, I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I graduated from Mount Saint Mary’s University where I received my bachelor’s degree in Child Development. I have been an educator for eleven years and have spent the last 5 years as a teacher at CHALK of Manhattan Beach. I enjoy teaching because it gives me the opportunity to guide children through their early development and spark their love for learning! Outside of my love for the classroom, I love spending time with my husband and two-year-old son.  I look forward to meeting you all!

Hello CHALK Families! My name is Iris and I am a teacher in Orange Room. I am very excited for this new journey with CHALK. I was raised in Los Angeles and have lived in Sherman Oaks my whole life. I have 15 years of teaching experience, and the past 12 years have been at Woodcrest. I adore teaching children and I am passionate about their education and growth. I look forward to new adventures with your children in the Orange Room!

Hello CHALK families! My name is Julie. I have had a passion for working with children and music ever since I was a child. I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, where I received my Bachelors Degree in Film Scoring. After some time in the industry, I missed being around kids. I went back to school for Child Development and I have been an educator for 10 years. I love teaching because I have the opportunity to help build foundational skills for the early years. I enjoy showing my students how to be compassionate and part of a community, while providing them with the tools they need to achieve their developmental goals. Watching the “light bulb” go off in their head is my favorite part of the job. In my spare time, I love spending time with my husband and daughter, friends, hiking, and trying new food. I am so excited to be back at CHALK and I look forward to being on your child’s journey with you! 

Hello! My name is Ambre (although I go by Amber) and I have been working with children for over ten years. I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Child Development from California State University, Northridge. I have experience working with all ages from Preschool to Elementary. I am fluent in French as well as a little bit of Spanish. I love to incorporate these languages into my lessons. I am so excited to be a part of your child’s educational journey here at CHALK Preschool. 

Hi! My name is Dulcie and I am excited to be a part of the CHALK family. I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and I’ve always had an interest in working with children. During my free time, I enjoy illustrating and bringing my illustrations to life with animation. With my background in graphic design, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to integrate my creative career into my interest in working with children. I’m excited to help children develop their own visual literacy skills and creative problem-solving abilities. In addition, I look forward to incorporating design thinking to prepare kids for a world that is increasingly shaped by visual communication.

Hello, I’m Shannon! I have AA degrees in Behavioral Science and Humanities as well as a BA in Psychology and Social Behavior. I have been teaching for 2 years and love my job because I love learning! My favorite thing about working in the education field is the ‘light bulb moment’ when a child finally understands or completes a task they have been working on. I’m looking forward to teaching in a new environment here at CHALK Preschool and meeting all of the wonderful families.

Hello CHALK families! My name is Diana and I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. I am currently in the process of getting my degree in Child Development. I have been working with children since I was 19 years old. I am fluent in English and Spanish. Watching children grow and develop new skills is so beautiful, and meaningful to me. I look forward to not only teaching but also learning from this amazing group of children, as I proactively assist in setting a solid foundation for their future schooling and growth. I am so excited to teach your children here at CHALK Preschool and I can’t wait to meet all of you amazing families!

Hello CHALK families! My name is Alysa, and I am a teacher in the blue room. I am very excited to join the CHALK team. I have been working with children for more than 10 years. I have my AA in elementary education and I am finishing up my BA in elementary education at Azusa Pacific University. I have experience with ages 6 weeks old to 6 years old. I enjoy watching the children develop, grow, and learn throughout the year and I can’t wait to be a part of your child’s educational journey at CHALK!

Hello CHALK Families! My name is Tugce (pronounced Too-Cheh), and I have been working with children for the past 11 years from newborn babies to 16-year old teenagers. I’m excited to join the CHALK Team. I moved to California in 2013 and quickly began my educational journey. I earned two AA degrees, one in Liberal Arts and one in American Sign Language (ASL). Since, I have also earned my BA degree in pre-Deaf Education in Fall 2021, and I am currently working on my Master’s Degree in Educational Therapy at CSU Northridge. I am fluent in Turkish as well as ASL. I love learning, teaching and speaking foreign languages. I’m very excited to be a part of your child’s educational journey here at CHALK Preschool. I look forward to building beautiful memories with your children and families.

Director of Operations 

Hi! My name is Madison Sanello. I have been a part of the world of preschool for over a decade. I began my journey with CHALK Preschool December 2012, back in my hometown of Chicago, and made my way to sunny LA in 2015 to continue my CHALK journey at the Manhattan Beach location. I have always had an affinity towards working with children, so I love to be able to say I truly have the best job! I believe that the formative preschool years are some of the most important years for children to develop social skills, a foundation of learning, and a zest for life as they grow. I look forward to meeting all the CHALK of Tarzana families! If you see me in the hallway, please don’t hesitate to say hello!