Our Team
For added convenience, our Administration can be reached by email to answer any questions you may have.
Ana Cruz
Director (Bentonville Location) Email: [email protected] Ana holds a B.A. degree in Business Management and her credentials include 20 years in the field of Early Childhood Education. Raising four children of her own, Ana has tremendous of experience and knowledge in the field of early childhood development. Ana has been with Happy Kids Learning Academy for over 17 years and, as a Center Director, Ana is passionate and dedicated to her teachers and families. Her goal is to provide quality learning experiences and healthy environment for children. Ana works with parents and children in the community to provide the tools and resources needed. With her leadership role, Ana brings in members of the community to help teachers further enhance the curriculum for students. Ana also mentors members of the administration team to continue their professional development career. 
Kareen Perez
Interim Director (Rogers Location) Email: [email protected] Kareen has joined our Happy Kids Learning Academy for over 7 years. She started out as an assistant teacher at our Bentonville location. With great performance, Kareen quickly got promoted to a lead teacher. Kareen has completed her CDA and has over 10 years of experience working with children. She also possesses an Associate degree in Health and International Cuisine. With her organizational skills, Kareen got promoted to join the administration team and later transferred to the Rogers location as an Interim Director. Kareen’s dedication and commitment to the children in her center are well recognized by her peers. Kareen has three children of her own, two teenagers and a preschooler. 
Sherry Tran
Finance & Billing Email: [email protected] Sherry holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration and has been with Happy Kids Learning Academy since the company’s inception in 2006. Her day to day experience and knowledge plays a critical piece in the overall growth and direction of our Learning Academies. Her responsibilities revolve around all aspects of the operations starting from account payables, payrolls, billings, budgeting, etc. |
Valerie Albarran
Admin Support (Bentonville Location) Email: [email protected] Val has been working with Happy Kids Learning Academy for over 10 years. She started off as an assistant teacher and worked her way up within the organization. Val is not afraid to step up when opportunities arise. Val has contributed to different roles within the administration team. While working at Happy Kids, Val attended the NW Arkansas Community College and received her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education (Summa Cum Laude) in May of 2018. Val has a 6 year old son and a 4 year old daughter. Val enjoys building a relationship with each of the families and giving her colleagues the support they need. Val continues to be a team player and always goes out of her way to ensure we provide top quality experiences for children and parents. 
Carol Perez Pagan
Admin Support (Rogers Location) Email: [email protected] Carol has joined Happy Kids Learning Academy since 2017. With over 10 years of experience working with children in the preschool settings, Carol's mission is to support her teaching staff with the proper tools and resources; so that they can help children grow to their full potential. Carol started out as a floater and quickly got promoted to an assistant teacher, a lead teacher, and currently with the administration team for the Rogers center. While being a mother of a teenager and working full time, Carol is currently taking classes to complete her CDA and Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. Carol enjoys being surrounded by children and seeing them grow and thrive. She characterizes herself as a dedicated individual and always being grateful for the opportunity to advance. |
