NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Doug Whiteman, former Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the international publishing house, Penguin Group, has joined Acelero Learning, Inc. as Chief Administrative Officer. Mr. Whiteman will oversee the strategic direction, expansion and operation of Acelero Learning's back office systems in both their Training and Technical Assistance division and directly administered Head Start programs. Mr. Whiteman previously served as the Chair of Acelero Learning's Monmouth/Middlesex County Board of Directors for six years before formally joining the company.

"I've known Doug for almost two decades and I'm so thrilled that he's joining our team here at Acelero Learning," says Aaron Lieberman, founder and CEO. "He is a unique mix of a world class operational leader with a deep passion for the children and families that we serve. I know he will play a key role in helping us close the achievement gap for the children and families we serve by ensuring our back office systems are as cutting edge and results-oriented as our programmatic approaches are today."

"I am thrilled beyond measure to join Acelero Learning, with whom I've been associated as a board member for a number of years, in a role that allows me to move into a mission-based phase of my career," continues Mr. Whiteman. "I embrace Acelero Learning's vision wholeheartedly, and look forward to being able to help even more children and families than I could reach via my position on the local governing board."

Mr. Whiteman's career began in 1982 when he joined the Putnam Berkley Group as a sales representative. He went on to lead as Senior Vice President and Publisher of the Putnam and Grosset Group and subsequently President of Penguin Young Readers Group, responsible for the overall publishing program of the $200 million subsidiary which included more than ten imprints. In 2008 he was promoted to head Business Operations for the company where he led Penguin's digital transformation.

Acelero Learning was founded in 2001 by Aaron Lieberman, a former Head Start teacher, and Henry Wilde, a Children's Defense Fund staffer, with a mission to bring relentless focus on positive child and family outcomes to close the achievement gap, and build a better future for children, families and communities served by the Head Start program. Today, Acelero Learning serves nearly 4,500 young children and families in Head Start and Early Head Start programs across the country and children in their Head Start programs make outcome gains at more than twice national averages. In pursuit of their mission to positively affect the broader Head Start community, Acelero Learning's Training and Technical Assistance division disseminates the practices that they developed and tested in their Head Start programs to over 125 Head Start programs serving more than 100,000 children nationwide.

SOURCE Acelero Learning