MELC Board of Directors Announces New CEO
Ann O’Brien Schmieg Appointed New CEO of Montgomery Early Learning Centers.
Montgomery Early Learning Centers (MELC) Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Ann O’Brien Schmieg as their new CEO. She will assume responsibilities on January 14, 2014 and will succeed longtime CEO Fred Citron, who retired in November of 2012.
In her previous role as Senior Vice President for Community Impact at United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, Ann O’Brien Schmieg has been connected in partnership with MELC for several years. She was instrumental in convening community partnership discussions between Montgomery Early Learning Centers, Delaware Valley Association of Young Children and Philadelphia Early Childhood Collaborative to provide technical assistance and resources to early learning programs entering their 2007 United Way SEPA Success By 6 Initiative. This initiative whose goal is to ensure children arrive in kindergarten ready to learn has been highly successful in increasing the number of high quality early care and education centers in the region.
Ann O’Brien Schmieg has a Master’s of Business Administration from LaSalle University and attended Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social work where she received her Masters of Social Service and Masters in Law and Social Policy. She spent the past 10 years working at United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey most recently in the role of Senior Vice President for Community Impact. She also worked as a consultant for the LaSalle Nonprofit Center.
MELC’s Board of Directors’ President John Ungar said, “We are very excited to bring on Ann as our new CEO. Ann’s passion for early childhood education, as well her knowledge of MELC’s programs and strong ties with many of our partners in the Greater Philadelphia region makes her an ideal candidate to lead MELC. She is committed to providing the highest quality care to all of those that we serve, and will be a strong advocate for families, children and child care professionals. The Board of Directors looks forward to a wonderful partnership with Ann.”