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Maureen Weber, president and CEO of Early Learning Indiana since 2018, plans to leave the nonprofit as soon as a successor can be found, the organization announced Wednesday.
ELI did not say why Weber planned to leave.
The organization said it attracted more than $200 million in private and public investment under Weber’s leadership “to advance its mission of ensuring that all young Hoosiers are prepared with the essential knowledge and skills to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.”
“It’s hard to imagine working on behalf of a more compelling mission or in a better laboratory,” Weber said in written remarks “ELI has given me an unparalleled opportunity to design and implement strategies to unleash the full learning potential of young children, a prerequisite for building strong communities and maximizing Indiana’s competitiveness. … While it is difficult to step away from such a talented team, I’m confident that ELI’s next leader will continue and accelerate the momentum we’ve built.”
According to the organization, the money raised during Weber’s tenure was used to:
- support 60% of all early-learning providers in Indiana with funding to stabilize operations and improve services;
- awarded 400 community organizations grants for learning and development opportunities for young children, including the $60 million Early Years Initiative;
- enabled 2,000 educators and early-learning leaders to earn credentials or obtain other advanced professional development;
- launched the first-of-its-kind Early Learning Marketplace;
- published Closing the Gap, an annual report on the state of early care and education in Indiana.
“Building on a century-long legacy as the state’s premiere provider of early learning services, Early Learning Indiana has flourished under Maureen’s leadership,” said ELI Board Chair Ron Stiver in written remarks. “She brings a rare combination of strategic acumen, operations experience and heart for mission that has helped ELI anticipate and respond to needs across Indiana’s early care and education sector.”
Weber served three years as chief strategy officer at Project Lead the Way before joining ELI. Before that she spent more than five years at Indiana University Health in customer service and community outreach.
From 2006 to 2009, Weber served stints in state government as deputy commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, deputy commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles and chief operating officer of the Indiana Department of Education.
She was named Forty Under 40 alumni of the year earlier this year by IBJ.
Kittleman & Associates has been hired to conduct a CEO search. ELI said Weber will lead the organization as it pursues its 2025 objectives and support the transition to the a successor.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to note that Weber worked at Indiana University Health.
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