Ann McClain Terrell

Ann McClain Terrell, Ph.D., has 50 years of professional experience in the field of education, primarily in early childhood education and the non-profit community. She served as President of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), 2020-2022. Dr. Terrell is the former Executive Director of the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation, Inc., serving in that capacity from 2015-2018. Prior to her role as the MPS Foundation E.D., she was an administrator in the Milwaukee Public Schools district, serving as the Director of Innovation from 2013-2015 and Director of Early Childhood Education 2006-2013.

Ann recently received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Lakeland University and holds a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University, a Master of Science degree in Cultural Foundations of Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from UW-Milwaukee and an Associate Degree and Apprenticeship Certificate in Early Childhood Education from Milwaukee Area Technical College. Ms. Terrell is the author of the 2018 publication “Graceful Leadership in Early Childhood Education”.
Dr. Terrell is proud of her community service work and serves on several boards, councils and committees, currently including the Wisconsin Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council and the Milwaukee Succeeds Leadership Table. She recently served on the Cardinal Stritch University College of Educational Leadership Advisory Committee, the Educare Milwaukee Shared Governance Committee, Lakeland University Board of Trustees, National School Foundation Association Board of Directors, and the Urban Ecology Center Board of Directors. She was appointed Chair of Governor Doyle’s 2004 Quality Counts Early Childhood Task Force, which led to the creation of YoungStar, the Wisconsin child care quality rating system. She was selected as a 2000 Children’s Defense Fund Early Childhood Leadership Fellow. In addition, Ann mentors emerging early childhood leaders and other young leaders.
Ann received the 2008 Black Women’s Network Legacy of Leadership in Education Award; the 2007 National Black Child Development Institute-Milwaukee Affiliate Early Childhood Recognition Award; and the 2004 Community Brain Storming Conference Children’s Advocacy Award. Ann received the MATC Centennial Alumni Award in 2012 and in 2013 she was nominated for the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators Bert Grover Advocacy Award. In 2016 Ann was recognized as one of the most influential African Americans in Wisconsin and she was acknowledged with the 2018 MPS Foundation Legacy Alumni Award.

Ann is the proud mother of two daughters and grandmother of 6, all who bring much joy to her life.