Diana McClarien brings 27 years of experience to her role leading Start Early’s Early Learning Network, where she partners with community-based agencies to deliver comprehensive early childhood services that support families’ immediate needs, while creating pathways for long-term success. She is widely recognized for her commitment to advancing outcomes for young children, families and the early childhood workforce. 

Known for her collaborative and relationship-centered leadership style, Diana is passionate about developing early childhood professionals and building an organizational culture where they, and the families they serve, can thrive. She believes that staff well-being and professional growth are inseparable from high-quality learning and care. 

Diana earned a Master of Education in Teaching, Learning and Assessment from National Louis University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. Her doctoral research examined factors driving teacher turnover in urban early childhood settings – an issue she continues to address through her leadership practice. 

As an Afro-Latina leader, Diana understands firsthand the importance of systems that truly reflect and serve the communities they work within – a conviction that shapes everything from how she leads her team to the partnerships she nurtures. She serves on the boards of United Way Fox Valley and the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, both in Aurora, Illinois.