(Photo Courtesy of MARC Global Communications)

Otter Learning, with headquarters in North Charleston, South Carolina, has appointed Wei-Li Chong as its new chief executive officer and president.

Officials said Chong, former president of KinderCare Learning Companies, and a current Otter Learning board member, is widely recognized for elevating culture and experience as strategic levers to drive business growth and performance.

“Wei-Li was the driving force behind KinderCare’s business transformation, setting a new industry standard that fueled its unprecedented success nearly a decade ago,” said Chase Begor, co-founder of Otter Learning.

Begor added, “In many ways, he redefined how early learning organizations think about culture, experience, and impact. We could not be more excited to have him at the helm as we enter our next phase of growth.”

Founded in 2018 by Begor and Spencer Kushner, Otter Learning has grown to operate more than 70 early childhood education centers across the southeastern United States.

“I’ve been away from the early learning industry for six years, and I’m thrilled to be back with Otter Learning,” said Wei-Li Chong. “Chase and Spencer have built an enduring company with a clear vision and strong values that prioritize employees, families, and communities. I’m excited to help expand Otter Learning’s impact and reach even more families.”

Additionally, Begor and Kushner will leverage their experience scaling businesses to formalize their support of WIN Consulting, a firm founded by Chong.

“I created WIN to help companies modernize the way they lead by measuring employee productivity as the strongest predictor of both business performance and company culture,” said Chong.

“Too often, organizations treat performance and culture as separate entities — one driven by Finance, the other by HR,” Chong added. “Companies who successfully integrate the two gain a lasting competitive advantage and drive sustainable growth.”