For Immediate Release:
June 7, 2021

Contact:
Marketing
202-232-8777
[email protected]

The National Association for the Education of Young Children Announces the Planned Departure of CEO Rhian Evans Allvin

WASHINGTON -- The National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Governing Board President Ann McClain Terrell and CEO Rhian Evans Allvin jointly announced today Allvin’s decision not to serve an additional term as CEO.  Allvin will continue to head the organization throughout the transition process and during the national search for a new CEO.  

“Leading NAEYC has been an extraordinary honor and privilege,” said Evans Allvin.  “High-quality early childhood education is the most important public investment that our country can make.  To play even a small role in advancing those investments and in promoting the development of an early childhood profession that is recognized, valued and compensated has been the opportunity of a lifetime.  I am confident that this is the right time for a new CEO at NAEYC and for me to pursue my next challenge.  The NAEYC team is exceptionally talented, and the Governing Board members are remarkable fiscal and fiduciary stewards.  I know they are committed to recruiting a strong and dynamic leader who can propel NAEYC forward and continue to successfully advocate for early childhood education and educators.”

Evans Allvin has served as CEO since 2013.  During her eight years at the helm, NAEYC undertook a significant structural transformation to reverse 15 years of membership decline, better serve members nationally and at the state and local levels, and exert strong policy and advocacy leadership.  Through the launch of three position statements, NAEYC has provided unequivocal guidance in the areas of equity and inclusion, developmentally appropriate practice and professional competencies for early childhood educators.  Also during this time NAEYC convened Power to the Profession, a national collaborative between 15 organizations representing the early childhood field, which resulted in the release of a Unifying Framework to create an aligned professional field of practice for early childhood educators.  Model legislation is now being drafted to pursue implementation.  Under Evans Allvin’s leadership, NAEYC completed a strategic real estate plan that resulted in a complex real estate transaction to successfully sell NAEYC’s 75,000 square-foot property in Washington, D.C.

“Our national Governing Board is deeply grateful to Rhian for her exemplary leadership, fearless commitment to our vision and mission and steadfast work so that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential,” said Ann McClain Terrell.  “During Rhian’s tenure at NAEYC, philanthropic support for our work has grown exponentially.  Rhian’s willingness to take risks has instigated the transformation of NAEYC's business lines, and she has recruited and hired a stellar leadership team.”  

Amy O’Leary, Campaign Director with Strategies for Children, and Carl Hairston, Area Executive with First Citizens Bank, will co-chair the national search committee.  O’Leary and Hairston previously served as NAEYC’s Board President and Treasurer, respectively.  They are committed to ensuring a thorough and effective national search process that results in an ideal candidate to serve as NAEYC’s next CEO.

***

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children. The association comprises nearly 60,000 individual members of the early childhood community and more than 50 Affiliates, all committed to delivering on the promise of high-quality early learning. Together, we work to achieve a collective vision: that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential.

###