Jerlean Daniel, Ph.D. Promoted to NAEYC Executive Director Designate

(Washington, D.C.) – The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is pleased to announce the promotion of Jerlean Daniel, Ph.D. to become Executive Director Designate of the Association. Daniel will replace outgoing Executive Director, Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D. on July 1, 2010. NAEYC President, Sue Russell made the announcement on behalf of the NAEYC Governing Board.

NAEYC welcomes Dr. Jerlean Daniel as the next Executive Director of the Association. Currently, Dr. Daniel serves as a Deputy Executive Director of the Association and is also a distinguished elected past-president. Daniel has been an active NAEYC member and Association leader for more than 30 years. She has been a staff member for five years, joining NAEYC after a 21 year career at the University of Pittsburgh where she served as a child care center director as well as a faculty member. Immediately prior to joining the national staff in 2005, she was Chair of the Department of Psychology in Education in the School of Education. “I am thrilled that Jerlean has accepted the position to become the next Executive Director of NAEYC. She is one of the most respected members of the Association and is experienced as a member of the Association’s executive team”, commented President Russell. “Her appointment, together with a six month period prior to Mark’s departure, will facilitate a seamless transition in the executive leadership and management of the Association” Russell also remarked.

Dr. Ginsberg will leave his position as the Association’s Executive Director on June 30 to become Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. He has served as NAEYC Executive Director since January 1999. Under his leadership, among other accomplishments, the Association has nearly doubled in budget and in the size of the national staff; enhanced its capacity and influence as a policy advocate; significantly grown its professional development and publications portfolio; successfully reinvented the National Academy for Early Childhood Program Accreditation and strengthened its higher education accreditation activities including developing an accreditation system for associate degree granting programs in early childhood education; and acquired a new headquarters facility. NAEYC President, Sue Russell commented, “Mark is an outstanding leader who led and managed NAEYC during a critical period. The entire field of early childhood education respects his abilities and thanks him for his stewardship of the association. We are very excited for him as he returns to higher education as the Dean at George Mason. Our loss will certainly be a gain for the University.”

NAEYC thanks Mark for his many efforts on behalf of the Association and the field of early childhood education, and looks forward to Jerlean’s tenure and the inspired leadership and vision for the future of NAEYC that she will bring to her new position. Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has nearly 90,000 members worldwide. The association is the largest and most influential voice for early childhood education professionals and the field of early childhood education in the United States.

 Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has nearly 90,000 members worldwide.  The association is the largest and most influential advocate for early care and education in the United States.

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