Michelle Kang – Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer 

Michelle serves as NAEYC’s inaugural Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer.  She oversees the strategic direction and daily operations for our member experience, market solutions, publishing and professional learning, early learning program accreditation, and global engagement teams.  She leads a dynamic team of leaders that serve the field and is passionate about advocating for high quality early childhood education. 

Michelle brings extensive leadership and experience in business operations, sales and client relationships, program analysis and solutions implementation, education operations, and coaching and mentoring.  Before joining NAEYC, she served in a variety of leadership roles at Bright Horizons, an international provider of early education and employer solutions. Through her 16 year tenure at Bright Horizons, she partnered with leading employers across the globe to develop and implement dependent care solutions to support their employees, including on-site child care, back-up care for children and adults, and educational advising services.  Most recently, her team led the change management and business implementation of process and policy changes impacting all North America centers including initiatives in Education, Marketing, IT, Finance, and Human Resources. Her roles at Bright Horizons included Vice President of Client Relations, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Operational Strategy, and Chief of Staff to the Chief Operating Officer. Michelle was recognized with the Client Partnership Award, co-chaired the Asian Pacific Employee Advisory Group and served as a member of the Inclusion Council.  Prior to joining Bright Horizons, Michelle served as Associate Director of Community Relations at Harvard University where she served as a liaison between Harvard University and the community.  

Michelle is a dynamic and inspirational speaker, having served as a panelist, moderator, podcast host and keynote speaker on leadership, inclusion, and early education.   She has been the recipient of awards and recognition for her efforts by non-profit and advocacy organizations and has served on multiple boards. Michelle actively mentors young career professionals and students.  Also an ardent supporter of higher education student development, Michelle has served as a Resident Tutor and Scholar at Harvard University and currently serves as a member of the Leadership Advisory Council for The College of William & Mary and chair of their nominating committee.  

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the College of William and Mary, a Masters of Education in Leadership and Policy from the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, and a Masters of Science in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management from Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford (UK).  She and her husband live in Maryland with their three children, all of whom are graduates of NAEYC accredited child care programs.