USD’s Nonprofit and Philanthropic Institute hires Emily Young as Executive Director

Dr. Emily Young has been selected as the new Executive Director for the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Institute (NPI), part of the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) at the University of San Diego. Her first day will be Monday, August 29.

The NPI is dedicated to the advancement of the regional, national and international nonprofit and philanthropic sector and its leaders. Home to the Caster Family Center for Philanthropic Research and host of the annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium, the institute achieves these goals by conducting and disseminating research to inform strategy, organizational leadership and policy development, and by bringing together the best of the academic and practitioner community. In her role with NPI, Young will lead a team of researchers, professional consultants, and administrators as well as collaborate with SOLES’ academic units.

"The nonprofit sector plays a pivotal role in advancing innovative and effective solutions to society’s most pressing needs and challenges. I look forward to joining an exceptional team at the University of San Diego’s Nonprofit and Philanthropic Institute to help build the next generation of leaders committed to giving back and making our world a better place for our children and grandchildren.”

Dr. Young brings more than 20 years of experience in philanthropy and higher education, most recently serving as Vice President of Community Impact at The San Diego Foundation, where she was first hired to build the Foundation’s Environment Program in 2000.
In addition to her environmental work, she managed regional initiatives on arts and culture, civic engagement, education and youth development, and neighborhood revitalization, especially for underrepresented communities. She also worked with other funders and community leaders to catalyze and facilitate regional and statewide initiatives to advance action on climate change and natural lands conservation.

While at The San Diego Foundation, her work received numerous awards including the HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Private Partnership. She also received the Funder’s Network for Smart Growth Nicholas P. Bollman Award for leaders who inspire through values and action.

“We are thrilled to have Emily join us at SOLES,” says Nicholas Ladany, PhD, dean of SOLES. “Emily is an experienced and proven leader in the nonprofit sector. She has a stellar track record of developing regional and national collaborations to advance change and leading these initiatives to success.”

Prior to The San Diego Foundation, Emily was an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, where she taught courses on environment and society, geography, and Latin America.

Dr. Young holds a PhD in geography from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS in Geography and a BA in both Ibero-American Studies and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an active member of the San Diego community and has served on many boards and committees. Currently she serves on the Steering Committee for Smart Growth California- Funders Network, the Board of Directors for the Environmental Grantmakers Association, and the Advisory Committee for the San Diego International Airport.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.