Pitt professor turns education executive

In late August 1961, Jerlean Daniel hopped on a plane in Sacramento, Calif., with nothing but a… In late August 1961, Jerlean Daniel hopped on a plane in Sacramento, Calif., with nothing but a few suitcases of clothes and books. Four hours and 2,200 miles later, she arrived at the Pittsburgh International Airport, collected her bags and immediately boarded a bus bound for Oakland.

As the bus entered town, emerging from the semi-darkness of the Fort Pitt Tunnel, Daniel found herself assailed by doubt.

The sight of Pittsburgh, a city still dominated by steel mills and smog, shocked the California native, barely two months out of high school. She wondered whether she had made the right decision to attend Pitt and study political science.

“The city looked like somebody just dug it up and dusted it off a little bit,” Daniel said. “I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know what I had gotten myself into.”

In spite of her trepidations, Daniel fit in well at Pitt and began an educational and professional journey that has spanned four decades, engaging in multiple disciplines, including political science, psychology and sociology.

Most recently, she landed an executive position in the National Association for the Education of Young Children — a national organization established to help teachers, councilors and other professionals develop a base of knowledge about early childhood education.

Since 2005, Daniel has served as the deputy executive director of the association and heads its professional development division. As of July 1, she will replace outgoing executive director Mark Ginsberg, who will become a dean at George Mason University.

Along the way to her current position and upcoming promotion, Daniel served a 21-year career at Pitt, where she worked as chair of the department of psychology in education and as a director of the University Child Development Center.

She accredits much of her professional success to the influence of her parents — civil rights activists who had high expectations for their children, Daniel said.

“I grew up with an expectation that I would make my own way in the world,” she said. “My parents always expected me to go out and find my place, find my passion. I’ve had a fabulous career because of this attitude.”

Daniel said that during the early years of her work with children and education, she would only change jobs based on an opportunity to “fill a void and be useful” — not for money or a chance at further promotion.

“I never asked myself whether a job change was a step up or a step down,” she said. “There were so many opportunities presented to me. Thinking like that would have only slowed me down.”

Barbara Mullen, who worked extensively with Daniel while she served as the chair of Pitt’s Department of Psychology in Education, said that it was this attitude that allowed Daniel to succeed at Pitt.

Mullen works as an administrative assistant in the department. When she joined the staff six years ago, Daniel had just been elected as chairwoman, Mullen said. The two worked together for about a year before Daniel took her present job with NAEYC.

“She was always very friendly, very laid-back in a way,” Mullen said. “She acted like one of the girls, even though she has quite an extensive reputation behind her.”

Angela Cheyne, administrator of Pitt’s Department of Psychology in Education, shared Mullen’s outlook. She worked directly with Daniel on a day-to-day basis and said she has a tremendous amount of respect for the soon-to-be executive director.

“Jerlean was very successful here, but I think she always had it in her mind that this was a step on the road,” Cheyne said. “She always had it in her mind that she wanted to do something else and fulfill her life’s biggest desires.”

Daniel’s ability to work well with people, combined with her ferocious work ethic, Cheyne said, drives her success.

“Jerlean treated everyone the same, whether they were staff, faculty or provosts,” Cheyne said. “She had a personality that everyone liked — that everyone could work with — and brought about a sense of unity in the department. Everyone could tell she really cared about the work and the people she worked with.”

Daniel said she is prepared for her new position this summer.

“I am looking forward to what is certainly going to be a challenge,” Daniel said. “It’s going to be another full and rich experience.”