Young is an agriculture and natural resources specialist for the Colorado State University Office of Engagement and Extension. She is based in Archuleta County and helps local residents become better stewards of their land by teaching best practices, expanding their knowledge about living and growing food in the mountains and educating people on natural resource conservation.

Young has lived in the mountains for over 25 years and has a passion for high-altitude gardening and conserving resources on the land.

In addition, she is responsible for developing and conducting educational programs in 4-H and youth development, horticulture, local food systems, small acreage management, natural resources, emergency management, community development and family and consumer sciences.   

Young was appointed in 2021 to the Technical Working Group that helped Colorado prepare for the reintroduction of gray wolves. This team helped review and contribute expertise toward the development of conservation objectives, management strategies, damage prevention and compensation planning.  

She earned a bachelor’s degree in forest science with an emphasis in fire ecology from Northern Arizona University, and a master’s in agriculture extension education from Colorado State University.